Hoosier - Definition and Overview

Hoosiers is a name for the people of the U.S. state of Indiana; it is commonly accepted and employed at all levels of discourse by Hoosiers themselves, and is considered neither derogatory nor informal. The word ‘Indianan’, as either noun or adjective, is rarely if ever used by an actual native of Indiana. Deriving from common usage, ‘Hoosiers’ is the team name for Indiana University athletic teams, and a movie about basketball in Indiana was also called Hoosiers.

Origin

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the etymology of the name is unknown, but it has been in use since at least 1826. According to Bill Bryson, there are many suggestions for the derivation of the word ‘Hoosier’, but none is universally accepted.

One explanation is that the word derived from a contractor in 1825 named either Samuel Hoosier or Hoosher. His workers, who helped build a canal on the Ohio River, were predominantly from Indiana. They were called ‘Hoosier’s men’ or ‘Hoosiers’. Since Indiana was settled in the south first, the name was probably carried north to the rest of the state.

A more gruesome, and most likely untrue, explanation for the term relates to many a fight that happened in the taverns and inns in the early 19th century. A common practice during fights was to attempt to remove the opponent’s ear by biting or cutting it off. Afterwards, someone would hold up the ear and yell “Whose ear?”, which became the basis for ‘Hoosier’.

Another explanation is that the term may derive from ‘hoozer’ — a word that in the old Cumberland dialect of England means “high hills”.

Humorist Dave Barry has suggested that it comes from “the sound pigs make when they sneeze”.

In some areas, the word ‘hoosier’ has a different connotation. In the St. Louis area of Missouri and Illinois, ‘hoosier’ is a term for someone who is lower class and white (like ‘white trash’ and ‘redneck’).

In addition, Hoosier is a brand name used by the Hoosier Company, particularly its kitchen cabinets, which are highly collectible antiques. The company also made tables and chairs. This furniture is much sought after in the antique world. Little is known about this furniture company, other than it was based in New Castle, Indiana, between 1903 and 1935.

External links

• Article on the name ‘Hoosier’ from the Indiana University Alumni Association (http://www.indiana.edu/~alumni/fun/hoosier.html)
• Dictionary.com/Hoosier (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Hoosier)
• Article: The Humble Hoosier (http://antiques.ozarkmerchants.com/keepitcountryantiques/washingtonpost_article.html)