Entry from
August 14, 2004
Yoots
"What's a yoot?" asked the Southern judge to a lawyer (played by Joe Pesci) in the movie comedy My Cousin Vinny (1992). Some people just aren't from New York.
"Yoot" (or "youth") appears to be especially popular in 1955, according to these citations.
20 May 1955, Reno (NV), pg. 4:
They are not now at least the crazy, mixed-up "yoots" who claim the headlines daily in the cities.
23 May 1955, New York World-Telegram and Sun, pf. 15, col. 1 editorial:
Is This Dis-Tressing Barber-ism the Cure?
Mr. Murray Robinson, raconteur, explorer and historian whose delightfuldispatches appear in this newspaper, has observed and duly recorded an aspectof the child crime problem which we think has considerable significance.
Today's "yoots" (Mr. R.'s term for moronic young no-goods) all have onecommon trademark: A greasy profusion of hair pushed into a pompadour in frontand sweeping to an arrangement in back more appropriate to the behind of amallard. The yoots themselves have an unprintable term for this hair-dowhich refined publications have bowdlerized to "duck-tail."
12 June 1955, New York Times, pg. E10:
Name-calling is a handy tool of many to whom children in trouble with the law are "hoods" and "yoots" who should be thrown into jail or have their heads shaved as object lessons.
"Yoot" (or "youth") appears to be especially popular in 1955, according to these citations.
20 May 1955, Reno (NV)
They are not now at least the crazy, mixed-up "yoots" who claim the headlines daily in the cities.
23 May 1955, New York World-Telegram and Sun, pf. 15, col. 1 editorial:
Is This Dis-Tressing Barber-ism the Cure?
Mr. Murray Robinson, raconteur, explorer and historian whose delightfuldispatches appear in this newspaper, has observed and duly recorded an aspectof the child crime problem which we think has considerable significance.
Today's "yoots" (Mr. R.'s term for moronic young no-goods) all have onecommon trademark: A greasy profusion of hair pushed into a pompadour in frontand sweeping to an arrangement in back more appropriate to the behind of amallard. The yoots themselves have an unprintable term for this hair-dowhich refined publications have bowdlerized to "duck-tail."
12 June 1955, New York Times, pg. E10:
Name-calling is a handy tool of many to whom children in trouble with the law are "hoods" and "yoots" who should be thrown into jail or have their heads shaved as object lessons.