Comments on: What is a Hoosier, anyways? http://rjcarpenter.com/2005/06/22/what-is-a-hoosier-anyways/ ... the study of family Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:59:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Becky Carpenter http://rjcarpenter.com/2005/06/22/what-is-a-hoosier-anyways/#comment-303 Becky Carpenter Thu, 23 Jun 2005 10:40:27 +0000 http://rjcarpenter.com/2005/06/22/what-is-a-hoosier-anyways/#comment-303 I have actually heard definitions of Hoosier in the six years I have lived in Indiana. One from a Social Studies teacher was that the word came from the accent of French trappers saying, "Who's here?" so they wouldn't be shot as they moved through settlements. Another is that the word was the equivalent of "redneck" and that its derogatory meaning has since faded. That might have some merit; people still do sound condescending when they call you a Hoosier. I looked up the word Hoosier in an older dictionary the other day, and the etymology was unknown. Maybe, instead of speculating, dictionaries just need to define Hoosier as a resident of the state of Indiana. I have actually heard definitions of Hoosier in the six years I have lived in Indiana. One from a Social Studies teacher was that the word came from the accent of French trappers saying, “Who’s here?” so they wouldn’t be shot as they moved through settlements. Another is that the word was the equivalent of “redneck” and that its derogatory meaning has since faded. That might have some merit; people still do sound condescending when they call you a Hoosier.

I looked up the word Hoosier in an older dictionary the other day, and the etymology was unknown. Maybe, instead of speculating, dictionaries just need to define Hoosier as a resident of the state of Indiana.

]]>