Why do we say 'hip, hip, horray'?

Question

Hi. Was just wondering why we say 'hip, hip, horray'. Where does the saying come from?

Answer 1

The old fanciful explanation of the origin of this cry is that 'hip' is a notarikon, composed of the initials Hierosolyma est perdita and that when German knightts headed a Jew-hunt in the Middle Ages, they ran shouting 'Hip! Hip!', as much as to say 'Jerusalem is destroyed'. 'Hurrah' was similarly fancifully derived from Slavonic hu-raj ('to paradise'), so that 'Hip! Hip! Hurrah!' would mean 'Jerusalem is lost to the infidel and we are on the road to Paradise'.'Hip' is actually of unknown origin, but 'hurrah' or 'hooray' are alterations of 'huzzah' itself said bythe 17th century writers to be a sailor's cheer.

Answer 2

Hip Hip Hooray
HIP! HIP! HURRAH! - "The old story here can be taken for what it's worth, which isn't much. Hip, we're told, derives from the initials of the Latin words 'Hiersolyms est perdita,' 'Jerusalem is destroyed.' German knights, not a very bright bunch, were supposed to have known this and shouted 'hip, hip!' When they hunted Jews in the persecutions of the Middle Ages. 'Hurrah!' by the same strained imagining, is said to be a corruption of the Slavonic word for Paradise (hu-raj). Therefore, if you ever shout 'hip! hip! hurrah!' You are supposedly shouting: 'Jerusalem is destroyed (the infidels are destroyed) and we are on the road to Paradise!' There is not the slightest proof of any this, and the phrase, which doesn't date back earlier than the late 18th century, almost certainly comes to us from the exclamation 'hip, hip, hip!' earlier used in toasts and cheers, and 'huzza,' an imitative sound expressing joy and enthusiasm. From "The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997).

Answer 3

HIP! HIP! HURRAH! - "The old story here can be taken for what it's worth, which isn't much. Hip, we're told, derives from the initials of the Latin words 'Hiersolyms est perdita,' 'Jerusalem is destroyed.' German knights, not a very bright bunch, were supposed to have known this and shouted 'hip, hip!' When they hunted Jews in the persecutions of the Middle Ages. 'Hurrah!' by the same strained imagining, is said to be a corruption of the Slavonic word for Paradise (hu-raj). Therefore, if you ever shout 'hip! hip! hurrah!' You are supposedly shouting: 'Jerusalem is destroyed (the infidels are destroyed) and we are on the road to Paradise!' There is not the slightest proof of any this, and the phrase, which doesn't date back earlier than the late 18th century, almost certainly comes to us from the exclamation 'hip, hip, hip!' earlier used in toasts and cheers, and 'huzza,' an imitative sound expressing joy and enthusiasm. From "The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997).

Answer 4

hope this helps....
:)

"HIP! HIP! HURRAH! - "The old story here can be taken for what it's worth, which isn't much. Hip, we're told, derives from the initials of the Latin words 'Hiersolyms est perdita,' 'Jerusalem is destroyed.' German knights, not a very bright bunch, were supposed to have known this and shouted 'hip, hip!' When they hunted Jews in the persecutions of the Middle Ages. 'Hurrah!' by the same strained imagining, is said to be a corruption of the Slavonic word for Paradise (hu-raj). Therefore, if you ever shout 'hip! hip! hurrah!' You are supposedly shouting: 'Jerusalem is destroyed (the infidels are destroyed) and we are on the road to Paradise!' There is not the slightest proof of any this, and the phrase, which doesn't date back earlier than the late 18th century, almost certainly comes to us from the exclamation 'hip, hip, hip!' earlier used in toasts and cheers, and 'huzza,' an imitative sound expressing joy and enthusiasm. From "The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997).

Answer 5

"Hip, hip hooray!"

No idea, but I'll give you a thumbs up for your "interesting thought" question...

Sorry, I can't offer you any help - I'm actually only answering this as an easy way to keep an eye on your (very interesting) question - so I can discover if there is a definitive answer!

Answer 6

Because the Sun has got his hat on!!

Nah, just thought I'd get an easy 2 points since other people did repeating exactly the same answer.

Answer 7

18th century sailors would touch each hip to make sure they hadn't lost a leg due to cannon fire...they would then shout "hooray!!" if all was well... hahaha! Its makes a great yarn,but its absolute rubbish!!..... I would love to know the origins of "hip,hip,hooray!" and many of our other obscure expressions,too !! (It probably DOES come from the 18th century navy,though...!)

Answer 8

Woohoo, well done, Arizona! And Joe Arpaio for president 2012 too!