Re: TARGET: "hooker" origin

[Sandy Grasfield <grasfiel@MASSED.NET>]

Bev,
    Both the Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology and Why Do We Say...?
by Nigel Rees claim that the word "hooker" was not derived
from General Hooker's name.   Here, in part is
entry for "hooker" in Why Do We Say...?
    "Alas, however much we might want to believe that derivation
[from General Hooker], it is not true.
    "The word 'hooker has nothing to do either with any notion of
prostitutes 'hooking' their clients or with ladies of the night
on the Hook of Holland.  It appears to have come from Corlear's Hook,
or 'the Hook', a part of Manhattan where tarts used to ply their trade in
the early nineteenth century.
    "However,although this may let the Hooker Family of Conklin, New
York State off the hook, it is equally true that General Joseph Hooker
(1814-79) did have something to do with prostitutes.  He many not
have given his name to them originally" [another source cites use of the
word before Hooker's time] "but he may have helped popularize the use
during the Civil War when he had a famous set of camp-followers."

I hope this is helpful.
                                            Sandy
Sandy Grasfield, Librarian
Kennedy Middle School
165 Mill Street
Natick, MA 01760
grasfiel@massed.net

----------
>From: "Bev.Nelson" <bev.nelson@SPRINGGROVE.K12.MN.US>
>To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
>Subject: TARGET: "hooker" origin
>Date: Wed, Nov 15, 2000, 1:55 PM
>

>Oneo the high school English teachers asked me about this.  There was a
>Geneal Hooker who served in the Civil War.  One of her seniors stated that
>he had heard that is where the term "hoooker" as in prostitute originated.
>Has anyone else heard that? Thanks for yor help.  I will post as soon as I
>get an answer.
>
>---------------------------------------------------------
>Beverly Nelson
>Media Generalist
>Spring Grove Public School
>Spring Grove, MN   55974
>bev.nelson@springgrove.k12.mn.us
>507-498-3221
>
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