Re: OT: Origin of "Coon", was Re: OT: baloney and cheese

Doug Dee wrote:

> In a message dated 3/16/2003 4:07:24 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> yonjuuni@EARTHLINK.NET writes:
>
>
>
>> It's not common, but the few times I've heard the word "coon", it's
>> usually been referring to black people.  I have no idea of the
>> origin of
>> this particular slur.  But, most of the times when I have heard it
>> was
>> in a historical-type context, like a movie or book occurring before
>> around the 1960's or so.
>
> The Dictionary of American Regional English says that "coon" has (or
> at least had) another meaning of "A person, fellow, esp[ecially] a
> rustic . . . sometimes derog[atory]", with the first quotation coming
> from 1832.  And the Random House Historical Dictionary of American
> Slang records a meaning "a man; fellow, esp. a sly or otherwise
> remarkable fellow" from the same period.  Conceivably, either of those
> meaning could have led to the racial slur.  The RHHDAS also says that
> the racial meaning was "undoubtedly popularized -- and perhaps
> introduced" by a minstrel song published in the 1829-1834 period
> containing the line "O Ole Zip Coon he is a larned skoler."
>
> Doug
This is what it says at the Online Etymology Dictionary at

http://www.etymonline.com/

coon - short for raccoon, 1742, Amer.Eng. The insulting meaning "black
person," is said to be from Port. barracoos "building constructed to
hold slaves for sale." Coon's age is 1843, Amer.Eng., probably an
alteration of British a crow's age.

David Barrow