[Ads-l] Antedating of "Geronimo"

Tue Jan 3 01:26:30 UTC 2023

Maybe she shouted because the sudden appearance of Geronimo in persond made
her want to jump out of her seat?

In any case, it's hard to connect this incident, reported in December,
1939, with the various Ft. Benning Geronimos more than a year later.

JL

On Mon, Jan 2, 2023 at 7:34 PM James Eric Lawson <jel at nventure.com> wrote:

> The movie promoted the shout. So (at least, pending better evidence):
>
> [1939  _Arizona Daily Star_ (Tucson) Geronimo...the red savage whose
> name was a battle-cry of vengeance...is headed this way! 24 Nov 12/6-7]
>
> And the article doesn't say (although it might *seem* to imply) the
> woman "shouted because she suddenly recognized the actor". The
> ambivalence is nicely managed.
>
> On 1/2/23 15:10, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> > But the only individual actually uttering the name "Geronimo" in any of
> > these exx. seems to be the film-going lady mentioned on Dec. 17, 1939.
> >
> > And she shouted because she suddenly recognized the actor "Chief
> > Thundercloud" (Victor Daniels), who played Geronimo, sitting in front of
> > her at a showing of that very film.
> >
> > JL
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 2, 2023 at 3:58 PM James Eric Lawson <jel at nventure.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> As for other US idioms, OEDO has failed us on "Geronimo!" The rumored
> >> yell was rumored well in advance of the 501st's adoption and the 1939
> >> movie, although the 1939 clip following may partly explain the 501st's
> >> adoption:
> >>
> >> 1901  _The Intelligencer_ (Anderson, South Carolina) 30 Jan 7/3 "What a
> >> death to die!" said Sieve to the major, and In reply, while Mike Grimes
> >> and Steve stood with uncovered heads, the major lifted his face to the
> >> stars and uttered Geronimo's yell.
> >>
> >> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115659442/geronimo/
> >>
> >> 1927  _Arizona Republic_ (Phoenix) 23 Apr 4/3 At the conclusion of her
> >> talk, Mrs. Greenway was greeted with the Camp Geronimo yell of the
> Scouts.
> >>
> >> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115659946/geronimo/
> >>
> >> 1939  _Star Tribune_ (Minneapolis, Minnesota) 17 Dec 47/8 "Geronimo!"
> >> she yelled.
> >>
> >> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115660275/geronimo/
> >>
> >> On 1/2/23 10:35, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >>> I think I'm the first educator/ lexicographer to seek out _Geronimo!_
> >>> (1939) [note exclamation point] to gain insight into the adoption of
> the
> >>> Apache chief's name as the war cry of the 501st Parachute Battalion.
> Just
> >>> by the way, it may be the only film in Hollywood history in which Andy
> >>> Devine turns out tbe the real hero.
> >>>
> >>> In any case, I was hoping I'd see somebody jump off a cliff, if not out
> >> of
> >>> an airplane, shouting "Geronimo!"  Just as good would be 2,000 mounted
> >>> Apache warriors yelling "Geronimo!" in unison as they attack the
> >> seemingly
> >>> helpless patrol of 16 cavalrymen. (The official numbers mentioned in
> the
> >>> script: guess who wins?)
> >>>
> >>> But no. The only actual shouting of "Geronimo!" comes at the start when
> >> an
> >>> anonymous horseman gallops into a settlement and cries "Geronimo!" to
> >> warn
> >>> that the Apache is again on the warpath.
> >>>
> >>> Since Fred's source reports that "Geronimo, Geromimo" was being shouted
> >> all
> >>> over the 501st's area at Ft. Benning "a thousand times a day," it may
> not
> >>> have been specifically jump-related at all. It may have started simply
> as
> >>> an encouragement to any kind of urgent action.
> >>>
> >>> JL
> >>>
> >>> On Sun, Jan 1, 2023 at 10:36 AM Jonathan Lighter <
> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com
> >>>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> You're correct. I need stronger glasses.
> >>>>
> >>>> JL
> >>>>
> >>>> On Sun, Jan 1, 2023 at 10:34 AM ADSGarson O'Toole <
> >>>> adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Here is a link to the article which credits Private Aubrey Eberhardt
> >>>>> with first using the term during a parachute jump.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Article title: Paramount's 1939 western GERONIMO ... a forgotten
> movie
> >>>>> with a giant legacy
> >>>>> Author: Ed Howard
> >>>>> https://www.b-westerns.com/geronimo.htm
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The above link was posted by Peter Reitan back in January 2017.
> >>>>>
> >>
> https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2017-January/146001.html
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Bill Mullins posted a citation dated April 29, 1941 for Geronimo back
> >>>>> in October 2016. I cannot find a citation dated April 19, 1941 from
> >>>>> Bill for Geronimo.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>
> https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2016-October/144693.html
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Garson
> >>>>>
> >>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >> truth."
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> --
> >> James Eric Lawson
> >>
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>
> >
> >
>
> --
> James Eric Lawson
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org