How did the popular cheer "Hip hip hooray!" originate?

peasypod

I think it derives from the single "hip" defined by a "Dr Johnson" as an exclamation or calling to someone. The same intention as the Latin "eho heus!" The reduplicated form emerged around 1815. [May 10 04 12:59 AM] peasypod writes: If you google hip hip hooray the first and second sites will tell you that the Nazism aspect of this phrase has never been proved. But it does say that hooray comes from the Slovanic word meaning paradise. It seems to say that it didn't exist before the 18th century. May 09 04, 9:40 PM

Arpeggionist

Actually, its origins are much darker than that. Originally it was "HEP" - an acronym for the Latin "Herusalem est pulta", Jerusalem has fallen. This phrase was used at what later became known as the "hep hep" rallies, proto-Nazi gatherings really, as a way of announcing victory against the Jewish people. May 09 04, 11:18 PM

gmackematix

So far, I think Arpeggio is closest although the Latin is a little off, it far pre-dates Nazism and "Hooray" has not been explained. [May 10 04 5:43 PM] gmackematix writes: A little research has shown me how unclear this whole issue is. Check out: http://www.takeourword.com/TOW130/page2.html http://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/261/Q1. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_241b.html to see how cloudy this issue is. I quite like the idea that it came from the encouraging "Hup! Hup! Hoy!" cries of circus acrobats. May 09 04, 11:43 PM