Hunkey-Dorey.

[Old Cremona]

I am trying to find out what the word "hunkey" means, as it is used in the 1861 popular song "Whack Row De-Dow, a Hunkey boy is Yankee Doodle."

I have heard the word used to describe someone of Czech or central European extraction. I don't know if that was a common period term or not.

Searching Google Books for period references, the closest thing to a definition I can find is an 1870 reference in Putnam's magazine of literature, science, art, and national interests that says "It is now applied to those members of any political organization who are opposed to innovation upon the established principals of the party." I. E., a conservative within the party--so if this was the 1861 concept of the word it might means someone who is anti-abolition or at least cool on the subject. That would make sense-- our soldier boys are not rabid abolitionists.

I may be way off base so I'm looking for some help.

BTW, it appears that the phrase "hunkey-dorey" meaning "a-ok" was just becoming popular in the 1860's. I find it as a song title in George Christy's 1862 Essence of Old Kentucky.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Hunkey-Dorey.

BTW, it appears that the phrase "hunkey-dorey" meaning "a-ok" was just becoming popular in the 1860's. I find it as a song title in George Christy's 1862 Essence of Old Kentucky.

Hunkey meaning good, A-OK, all right, etc., is the first thing I thought of. Here's an example from Ragged Dick of New York City street use, published 1867, set just pre-war (page 21-22):

"How do you like it?" asked Dick, surveying Johnny's attacks upon the steak with evident complacency.

"It's hunky."

I don't believe "hunky" is to be found in either Webster's or Worcester's big dictionary; but boys will readily understand what it means.

Note that the "I" in the quote is the author's intrusion.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Old Cremona]

Re: Hunkey-Dorey.

Thank you, Hank. So "hunkey" and "hunkey-dorey" are essentially the same thing. I like to know what I'm saying when I sing period songs.

"Whack Row De-Dow" is an excellent song for this first year of the sesquicentennial. It's full of up-and-at 'em enthusiasm. BTW, the title is an imitation of the drum, as in The Little Drummer Boy's "par rum-pa pum pum."

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Hunkey-Dorey.

I found this as well on the origin of the word, unknown if its true but it is interesting.

Re: Hunky-dory
Posted by E. on November 30, 1999

In Reply to: Re: Expression derivation posted by Bruce Kahl on November 26, 1999

: : What is the derivation of the expression "Every thing is hunky dory".

: Probably the most oft-heard story about "hunky-dory" holds that there was, in the 19th century, a street in Yokohama, Japan, called "Honcho-dori." It is said that Honcho-dori was the Times Square of Yokohama, and thus a favorite hangout of U.S. sailors on shore leave. So popular did this street become among sailors, it is said, that "Honcho-dori" entered naval slang as "hunky-dory," a synonym for "Easy Street," or a state of well-being and comfort.
: Now, there actually is a "Honcho-dori" in Yokohama. (In fact, there's one in many Japanese cities, because "Honcho-dori" translates roughly as "Main Street.") But there are two problems with this story. One is that there is no direct evidence of any connection between the first appearance of "hunky-dory" around 1866 and U.S. sailors in Japan or naval slang in general.
: Problem number two is that a connection with "Honcho-dori" is somewhat unnecessary. English already had the archaic American slang word "hunk," meaning "safe," from the Dutch word "honk," meaning "goal," or "home" in a game. To achieve "hunk" or "hunky" in a child's game was to make it "home" and win the game. So "hunky" already meant "O.K."
: Where the "dory" came from is more of a mystery. It may have arisen as what linguists call "reduplication," or the emphatic, joking repetition of parts of a word, as in "okey-dokey." Or the "dory" may actually be a reference to the Japanese "Honcho-dori" grafted on after "hunky" was already in use as slang. There is some evidence that a Japanese stage performer popular in the U.S. claimed to have introduced "hunky-dory" around 1865. What he actually may have done is blend the name of a Japanese street with our American "hunky."

The "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" has similar theories concerning the Japanese street and the Dutch word meaning "goal." "...But there's another theory, that the whole thing started with a song sung by the Christy Minstrels during the Civil War. It was called 'Josephus Orange Blossom' and contained a line about 'red-hot hunky-dory contraband.' The song was a great hit and hunky-dory became part of the popular slang of the period. Now this was, as we said, during our (U.S.) Civil War. Since Japan was not opened to foreign ships until Commodore Perry's visit in 1854, it seems a bit doubtful that the Yokohama theory will hold water though that remains a possibility. Our guess, though, is that hunky-dory was already an established slang term when American sailors first had shore leave on Huncho-dori Street..."

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_b...ages/2806.html

[Horace]

Re: Hunkey-Dorey.

A hunker was a 'hardshell' or radical democrat, also called a 'hard hunker'.

I saw 'hunky' used in 'The Civil War Notebook of Daniel Chisolm', a collection of letters from a NY state soldier, to mean dry and comfortable, so by extension, good.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Hunkey-Dorey.

Hallo!

The "Dictionary of American Slang, 3rd Ed." credits it as a general term of approval by 1861. It credits the Yokohama story to 1876. And the Christy Minstral song of about 1870.

Curt

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Hunkey-Dorey.

Hallo!

The "Dictionary of American Slang, 3rd Ed." credits it as a general term of approval by 1861. It credits the Yokohama story to 1876. And the Christy Minstral song of about 1870.

Curt

Thanks Curt,

It looks like the origin of the song itself is indeed post war as well

JOSIPHUS ORANGE BLOSSOM
Written and composed by Ned Straight.
Cincinnati: John Church, Jr., 1868.

1.My name it is Josiphus Orange Blossom,
I'm the gayest colored ge'man in the land.
With the pretty girls I always plays the possum.
I'm a red-hot hunky-dory contraband.
When first I fell in love with Jane Melisser,
I tried my best to win from her a smile.
I caught her round the waist and tried to kiss her.
Says she: "Go 'way! I doesn't like your style."
Guess not. Red hot,
I'm the gayest colored ge'man in the land.
Oh! my name it is Josiphus Orange Blossom.
I'm a red-hot hunky-dory contraband.

2. I thought my Jane Melisser was a beauty,
So I popped the question to her Sunday night.
Says she: "I think you are the one to suit me.
Your company always gives me delight."
I told her that I thought she was perfection;
Upon her charming face my eyes could feast;
And if she had no serious objection,
Next Sunday night we'd patronize the priest.
Wa'n't she sweet? Hard to beat,
She was the blithest creature in the land;
And I know she loves Josiphus Orange Blossom.
I'm a red-hot hunky-dory contraband.

3. One evening sweet thoughts were o'er me creeping.
I thought upon my sweetheart I would call.
As in her window slyly I was peeping,
I saw something that did my heart appall:
Her teeth, and one eye laid upon the table,
Her pretty curls were hanging on a peg.
I laughed aloud as hard as I was able,
To see her taking off a wooden leg.
Oh! No! Not for Jo!
I can't take Mellisser for a wife,
So out of town I soon got up and dusted.
I never was so sold in all my life.

[Old Cremona]

Re: Hunkey-Dorey.

Well, the "Dictionary of American Slang" missed an 1862 use of "hunkey dorey" and that's what I was referring to.

George Christy's Essence of Old Kentucky, Containing a Choice Collection of New and Popular Songs, Interludes, Dialogues, Funny Speeches, Darkey Jokes and Plantation Wit. New York, 1862, Dick & Fitzgerald Publishers.

HUNKEY DOREY.
Air- "Limerick Races."

One of the boys am I,
That always am in clover;
With spirits well and high,
'Tis well I'm known all over.
I am always to be found
A singing in my glory;
With your smiling faces round,
'Tis then I'm hunkey dorey.

Now when a man is poor,
His relations all will shun him;
And should he owe a bill,
His creditors will dun him.
But when he makes a hit,
It's quite a different story;
They all come fawning round,
Just because he's hunkey dorey.

Now a barber full of airs,
He takes to going after;
A gay Fifth Avenue belle,
A Wall St. broker's daughter.
He swears he is a count,
Then she believes his story;
And meets him on the sly,
And very soon he's hunkey dorey.

A fast young dry-goods clerk,
He loves a maiden sightly;
She being one of the gals,
He goes to see her nightly.
His wages being small,
So from his bosses store he;
Rich presents make his dear,
And of course he's hunkey dorey.

In your handsome servant maid,
An interest you are taking;
You drop into the room,
When she the bed is making.
Your wife then happens in,
In vain you tell your story;
She soon kicks up a row, saying:
"I found you hunkey dorey."