Hoosiers???

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  • Hatin Since 87

    Bacon Hater
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    0   0   0
    Mar 31, 2018
    11,404
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    Mooresville
    Thank you so much for the info! Once I get settled in here, I would be proud to be called an adopted Hoosier.
    Whoa, slow down there. We can’t just allow anyone to be called a “Hoosier”. We may not know what it means, where it came from, or if it’s insulting or not, but damnit we don’t just allow anyone to take up that label round here!
     

    Kirk Freeman

    Grandmaster
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    8   0   0
    Mar 9, 2008
    47,969
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    Lafayette, Indiana
    So...being new to Indiana, I was wondering what the consensus is on what exactly a Hoosier is and/or what it means to you. I’ve looked it up and no one really seems to know what it’s origin is. What say you?
    :dunno:
    Corruption is the origin. (human error changing language, or in the case of Scircleville, drunkeness)

    Just as you may know by now the corruption of French words has lead to Indiana place names, e.g. Narbonne corrupted to "Gnawbone" in Southern Indiana.

    The term "Hoosier" was corrupted from multiple origins.

    1. Samuel Huser. Huser owned a mill in Indiana and those working for him were called "Huzer's men", this became corrupted to "Hoosier".

    2. COL Stover, commander of Indiana militia, a large, strong man who enjoyed wrestling and boxing (called "all ins", akin to MMA). Stover and his family would call themselves "Hushers" (to shut up braggarts by fighting), this was corrupted to "Hoosier".

    3. You will read of nonsense like "Whose ear?" but that is stuff written after the fact to rationalize the term, creation of an origin story (humans must have logical patterns).

    4. You will also read "Who is there?" in response to knocks on cabin doors, again an after the fact rationalization.
     

    ChazL

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Jan 6, 2021
    220
    28
    Tell City
    So perhaps all these different variant origins all combined to justify “Hoosier” as a label, which Indianaians took on as a badge of honor.
    Thank you for the info!
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
    Staff member
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,688
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    Camby area
    Long time ago the people from Kentucky would swim the Ohio river in the hot sun to get to Indiana. The people in Indiana felt bad and built them a bridge, now they can swim in the shade.;)

    I know that has nothing to do with the origins of Hoosiers but it shows some of our famous Hoosier humor.


    Even better. A Hoosier and a Kentuckian are fishing on their respective sides of the Ohio River late one night.

    The Kentuckian is not catching much, but he can see the Hoosier reeling them in every few minutes.

    After an hour of this, The Kentuckian yells across the river and asks how he is catching so many fish.

    The Hoosier replies that he is doing the same as the Kentuckian, so it must be a better spot.

    Hoosier says "you are welcome to come over and join me. "
    Kentuckian: "The nearest bridge is 5 miles downriver. It will take me forever to walk over there to you."
    Hoosier: "I've got an idea. I'll shine my flashlight across the water and you can walk across on the beam."
    Kentuckian "No way, man! You can't fool me!"






    "I know that as soon as I get halfway across, you'll turn off the light and make me fall in the river!"
     

    JettaKnight

    Я з Україною
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    6   0   0
    Oct 13, 2010
    26,517
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    Fort Wayne
    It does, in fact, mean that. Don't mind Kirk. He means well, bless his heart.
    Looking at your location, I can see how you'd think Hoosier means hillbilly.

    It does not.

    EDIT:

    tenor.gif
     
    Last edited:

    femurphy77

    Grandmaster
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    30   0   0
    Mar 5, 2009
    20,268
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    S.E. of disorder
    Corruption is the origin. (human error changing language, or in the case of Scircleville, drunkeness)

    Just as you may know by now the corruption of French words has lead to Indiana place names, e.g. Narbonne corrupted to "Gnawbone" in Southern Indiana.

    The term "Hoosier" was corrupted from multiple origins.

    1. Samuel Huser. Huser owned a mill in Indiana and those working for him were called "Huzer's men", this became corrupted to "Hoosier".

    2. COL Stover, commander of Indiana militia, a large, strong man who enjoyed wrestling and boxing (called "all ins", akin to MMA). Stover and his family would call themselves "Hushers" (to shut up braggarts by fighting), this was corrupted to "Hoosier".

    3. You will read of nonsense like "Whose ear?" but that is stuff written after the fact to rationalize the term, creation of an origin story (humans must have logical patterns).

    4. You will also read "Who is there?" in response to knocks on cabin doors, again an after the fact rationalization.


    I believe this is a Denny. Judges?
     

    OneBadV8

    Stay Picky my Friends
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    52   0   0
    Aug 7, 2008
    55,152
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    Ft Wayne
    4. You will also read "Who is there?" in response to knocks on cabin doors, again an after the fact rationalization.

    I've always heard #4, but in regards to the Eerie Canal with people yelling along the canal "Who's there?" and eventually it sounding like "hoosier" :dunno:
     

    Biggredchev

    Just some guy
    Local Business Supporter
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    6   0   0
    Jan 16, 2017
    2,190
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    Pretty much Michigan.
    Not technically a Hoosier, but I know one when I see one:
    Tenderloin bigger than your head in one hand
    Cheesy potatoes in the other
    Wears shorts all year long
    Too busy with family to entertain non-relatives much
    Basketball obsession
    Have you been spying on me? That is insanely accurate though. I love me a tenderloin, cheesy potatoes, and wear cargo shorts year round.

    I have no clue what hoosier means or where it came from and I took an Indiana history class in high school.

    I was born in Goshen in 94’, My dad came from Illinois in 89’, moms moms family has been here since the early 1800s and my moms dad came here in the 60s or 70s from Kentucky. Beyond that i have no clue where my lineage is from.
     

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