[Ads-l] Further Antedating of "Yay" (Interjection)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Excellent work, Fred and Ben.
Here are some matches for the interjection "yay" repeated. These
matches seem to fit the OED sense of "exclamation of triumph,
approval, or encouragement".

Date: August 03, 1902
Newspaper: The Denver Post
Newspaper Location: Denver,
Article: NINE INNINGS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE AGILE EAGLES
Section 2, Quote Page 7, Column 5 and 6
Database: GenealogyBank

[Begin excerpt]
The Elks went first to the bat and were retired in short order.
“Whoo-wee!” screamed the Eagles, who had been mobilized at the south
end of the grand stand. "Yay, yay, yay!" roared their megaphone man.
"Taw-w-w-wt" went their man with the horn
"That's right, go to 'em!” "Knock their horns off!" "Whoo-we-e-e!"
[End excerpt]

Date: January 21, 1908
Newspaper: The Norwalk Hour
Newspaper Location: Norwalk, Connecticut
Article: With Weston At His Journey's End
Quote Page 4, Column 3
Database: GenealogyBank

[Begin excerpt]
"Good evening Mr. Weston, I have come 800 miles to meet you!" or
merely to present arms, as it were, beside the road and yell an
inclusive "Congratulation! Yay! Yay! Yay!" when a megaphoned Faffner
voice bellowed out of nowhere: "Stand aside men! To the right, please!
Keep ten feet behind Mr. Weston!"
[End excerpt]

Date: Dec 29, 1908
Newspaper: Morris County Chronicle
Newspaper Location: Morristown, New Jersey
Article: THE YULE-TIDE CELEBRATIONS
Quote Page 1, Column 5
Database: GenealogyBank

[Begin excerpt]
Morristown this year had a "white" Christmas and everyone, especially
the youngsters, were enjoyed in the better in consequence. The hills
are merry with the coasters while their happy shouts of "yay, yay"
make older persons think of the many happy days they spent coasting
down "town" hill and "chain alley."
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Apr 7, 2025 at 8:13 PM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
>
> yay (OED 1963)
>
> 1916 Charlotte Morrill History of Adelphi Academy 163 (Internet Archive)
>
> T-E-A-M  Yay! Team! (repeat three times).
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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