Let the Hawk Out

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, my name is Fabron. I’m calling from Dallas, Texas.

Hi, Fabron?

Yes.

Is that right?

Welcome to the show. What can we do for you?

I’ve always wondered about a phrase I heard when I was in middle school in Louisville, Kentucky. I remember one of my teachers once mentioned a phrase referring to it being cold, saying, “Who let the hawk out?” It puzzled me. I’d never heard that before. I didn’t know if that was a…

Now, the thing about it, she was African-American, and she was from the South. And I always wondered, you know, was that a Southern saying? Was that an African-American saying? I had never heard it before. And at the same time, if it’s hot, can I say who let the hawk in? You know, I never got permission on that. So, you know, I wanted to see if you guys could help me out in any way on that.

We can help you a little bit. You heard it from a teacher at school in Louisville.

Yes.

Okay. And do you know where this teacher was from?

I don’t know exactly what state she’s from. I believe she was from the South. I want to say maybe even Louisiana, but I can’t get it. But not from Kentucky.

No, not from Kentucky. I’m asking, of course, for a particular reason. This term is almost exclusively associated with Chicago and African-American language in Chicago. It’s mainly about the cold weather coming in off the lake. We don’t know why it’s called the hawk, except it flies in with some force and ferocity. Maybe that’s why. Maybe like a hawk going after rodents in the hay. It first shows up in the 1940s in some blues lyrics.

Okay. And so it’s associated with Chicago blues, the language of African Americans. Now, of course, there’s this whole back history to how the African American community in Chicago grew during World War II and brought all of this southern language with them to Chicago.

Oh, sure, yeah. So it’s entirely possible that it originated elsewhere in the United States. I don’t see it in the written record. I just don’t see any evidence of it outside of Chicago much. So it could have been something that they brought with them or it could have just originated from there. But it’s got a good long history. It shows up again and again throughout the decades. 1946 appears in a song. These days you’ll often find people who want to show that they understand a little bit of the local lingo will use it in Chicago newspapers. It’s kind of an ostentatious, self-conscious use of it.

Oh, really?

Well, I’m glad you said it, Chicago. I actually work with someone from Chicago, so I’m going to mention that too.

Yeah.

They’ve heard it.

Yeah, ask them. See what they have to say.

Yeah, just try it out. Don’t even ask them. Just if it’s cold. Are you where it’s cold?

Oh, it’s not cold. We’re Dallas, Texas. It’s 70 degrees right now.

Awesome. No, it is not cold. Never mind. Well, like Mark Twain said, if you don’t like the weather here, wait, it can change. Wait five minutes.

Yeah, wait five minutes and change. I might be able to use it before the night’s over.

Excellent. Thanks for calling. Appreciate it so much.

No problem. Thank you so much, you guys.

All right. Take care.

All right. Bye-bye.

All right. Bye-bye.

And I’d have to say for the rest of our listeners, those in Chicago, give us a call. Let us know.

Yeah. Do you know this about the hawk? Do you say this about the hawk? And do you have any idea where you picked it up? The hawk is flying or someone let the hawk out to mean that it’s windy. Who let the hawk out? To mean that it’s windy or particularly that it’s a chilly wind.

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