Huzzah (originally huzza, and in most modern varieties of English hurrah or hooray) is an archaic English interjection of joy or approbation. According to the Oxford English Dictionary it is "apparently a mere exclamation".[1] The dictionary does not mention any specific derivation. Whatever its origins, it has seen occasional literary use since at least the time of Shakespeare.
Contents |
Huzzah may be categorized with such interjections as hoorah and hooray. According to the OED, "In English the form hurrah is literary and dignified; hooray is usual in popular acclamation."
In common usage, such as cheers at sporting events and competitions, the speaker need not make distinction and the words are distinguished by regional dialect and accent. However there are certain circumstances where the huzzah form is preferred; for example, it is customary for rowing crews of Magdalene College, Cambridge to celebrate victories with a chant of "hip hip huzzah". Huzzah is often commonly shouted at Renaissance Festivals.
It may also be used to describe significant and positive aspects of a topic, as in, "The seminar focused on Julia Child's culinary huzzahs."
Though generally pronounced /həˈzɑː/, Alexander Pope's An Essay on Man (1734), line 256, rhymes the second syllable as in hooray, /həˈzeɪ/. The latter form is reminiscent of the equally somewhat archaic Dutch word hoezee (alternative spelling houzee, pronounced /hu'zei/), originally associated with the military and the marine, but which has recently become associated with Dutch right-wing extremist groups as a greeting among their members.
The origin of the word in its various forms is not clear, but it may have been influenced by war cries from various languages: the OED suggests Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Russian and Prussian words that may have played a part. Jack Weatherford asserts that it comes from the Mongolian Hurree, used by Mongol armies and spread throughout the world during the Mongol Empire of the 13th century,[2] but he does not appear to present any supporting evidence. Weatherford says that in Mongolian Hurree is a sacred praise much like amen or hallelujah.
The OED notes that in the 17th and 18th centuries it was identified as a sailor's cheer or salute, and suggests that it was possibly related to words like heeze and hissa which are cognates of hoist.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, three "huzzahs" were given by British infantry before a charge, as a way of building morale and intimidating the enemy. The book Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket by Richard Holmes indicates that this was given as two short "huzzahs" followed by a third sustained one as the charge was carried out.
In keeping with British military traditions, the Fort Henry Guard, a military re-enactment unit based at Fort Henry in Kingston Ontario, uses "huzzah" as its customary cheer. In particular, the Guard's infantry sub-unit (the Drill Squad) ends each training day with a spirited "Huzzah Squad!".
According to Jean Paul Roux the word "Hurrah" comes from Old Turkic, in use until medieval times. In his book, History of Turks he states: