What’s all the BrooWaha?

 
 Question: Can you tell me anything about the derivation of the word ‘broowaha’? Ummmm, isn’t it supposed to be spelled Brouhaha?  These are questions that I am asked on almost a daily basis.

 
Answer: The usual spelling is ‘brouhaha’, meaning an overexcited and noisy response, a commotion, hubbub or uproar.    

It can also have a negative connotation meaning an unpleasant confusion.   A more positive alternative is the equally cool looking word ‘hubbub’.

I know the word came from the French word spelled the same way;   as Ariel Vardi, the founder of Broo, told me.     The word is found in French from the 16th century on.  It  was introduced into English at the end of the 19th century.

Originally used in French drama as a noise made by the devil, who cried ‘brou, ha, ha!’.

Some etymologists say that the word is simply a noisy nonsense exclamation that imitated the thing it referred to.   Another theory,  positied by Walther von Wartberg,  is that it comes from the Hebrew words  ’barukh habba’, “welcome” - literally “blessed be the one who comes” - a phrase that appears several times in the Book of Psalms.      It is also used used in Synagogue prayers and as a greeting at Jewish weddings and other occasions.

One thing that I am certain of is that BrooWaha was created by Ariel, a former French native,  who upon the founding of BrooWaha, wanted to connote a place where people from around the world could come and talk,  discuss,  and debate their views, news and opinions.   

It is now officially part of our modern-day lexicon as evidenced by its presence in the Urban Dictionary

1.Broowaha12 thumbs up buy broowaha mugs, tshirts and magnetsIt’s the haps. It’s what’s crackalackin. It’s what’s going down. Based on the name of citizen journalism website, and related to french term brouhaha meaning excited public interest or discussion.What’s all the broowaha!

BrooWaha has turned into the leading citizen journals (used to be “newspapers”) of our time.    Some consider it to the the #1 Citizen Newspaper on the Web.   Authors from all around the globe increasingly contribute at an alarming rate to this online newspaper. ….. and Broo’s and Wahas are popping up all around us.