[Ads-l] YOLO in OED update for Sept 2016 - evidence in 1993

[Peter Reitan]

The Journal News (White Plains, New York), November 17, 1985, page 98 (newspapers.com)
During the 26-mile run, Rubenstein [(Ramapo Democrat Sanford Rubenstein)] sported a knee brace and a red shirt with the white letters "YOLO", for You Only Live Once.  Rubenstein was pleased with his performance, but admitted that he have to do better than 13,468th place if he expects to win another four-year term next November.

Florida Today (Cocoa, Florida), June 30, 1968, page 42. (Newspapers.com)

Naming the vessels, plain or fancy, is a chore that delights some owners.  One fad is acronyms, initials of a phrase that spell a word of sorts.  The Pitoa translates "Patience is the Only Answer."  Tica is not named for an Aztec chieftain: It means, "This I Can't Afford."  Yolo is short for "You Only Live Once."

Both citations appear to match the date printed on the page (or preceding and following page, in the case of the second example).


> Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2016 19:52:44 -0400
> From: adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
> Subject: YOLO in OED update for Sept 2016 - evidence in 1993
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> 
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      YOLO in OED update for Sept 2016 - evidence in 1993
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> YOLO is listed in the September 2016 update for the Oxford English
> Dictionary with a nice fist citation in 1996:
> 
> http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/37827540
> 
> [Begin excerpt]
> YOLO, int. and adj.
> Origin: Formed within English, as an acronym. Etymon: you only live
> once at live v.1 Phrases 19
> . . .
> 1996   Atlanta Jrnl. & Constit. 16 June l 1/4   [They] live on a
> secluded, 50-acre spread Hart calls =E2=80=98YOLO=E2=80=99 (You Only Live O=
> nce).
> [End excerpt]
> 
> Ben Zimmer and Barry Popik found intriguing earlier evidence dated
> 1993 in a U.S. trademark database. Ben wrote the following in a Word
> Routes column:
> 
> http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/wordroutes/further-adventures-of-yolo/
> 
> [Begin excerpt]
> YOLO has been in use for commercial purposes since at least 1993, when
> a trademark was filed for YOLO Gear. (The clothing line's logo gave
> the full expression as the tagline.)
> [End excerpt]
> 
> Here is a link to the database front-end and the reference number.
> 
> United States Patent and Trademark Office
> Trademark Status & Document Retrieval (TSDR)
> http://tsdr.uspto.gov/
> Reference number: 74406073
> 
> The "Application Filing Date" was June 28, 1993. The image of the logo show=
> s:
> 
> YOLO GEAR
> YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
> 
> Of course, it is possible that the OED does not accept this type of evidenc=
> e.
> 
> Here is a link to analysis on the Quote Investigator website. Feedback welc=
> ome.
> 
> You Only Live Once =E2=80=93 YOLO
> http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/05/24/live-once/
> 
> Garson
> 
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