The word 'yo'


This is the earliest use of the word "yo" that I know of, earlier than wikipedia's earliest example from the 1970s. Any Western history buffs have any background on this?

reply

They invented it.

reply

hate to be the swot here - from the oxford english dictionary:

"An exclamation of incitement, warning, etc. (also repeated). In nautical use = yoho int. Occas. as n. and in vbl. n. yo-yoing. first noted use: 1420"

reply

I think it's the 18th Century version of "Hooah."

reply

[deleted]

My dad said the proper response to roll call when he was at Navy boot camp in 1943 was "yo!". It most likely goes way further back than that, possibly even to US Cavalry days in the 1870s.

reply

Hip-hop is much older than people want to give it credit for.

reply