Benny (slang)
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Benny is a derogatory term used by residents of the northern Jersey Shore to describe tourists from more northern cities, specifically New York City and its immediate suburbs. The term is predominantly used by locals from the towns and cities of Ocean County and Monmouth County. Its use is widely found from Sandy Hook to Long Beach Island.
In contrast, the term 'Shoobie' is used by residents of resort communities in the southern New Jersey Shore, predominately Long Beach Island to Cape May.
In Maryland, the term is used as a pejorative slang term to describe anyone of apparent mental slowness, especially by children (derived from the character of the same name, played by Paul Henry in the soap opera Crossroads). In parts of England it is also used to describe a person in a fit of rage or having a tantrum as in "He's having a benny".
Other slang uses of "Benny" include a nickname for the drug "Benzedrine", as well as a term referring to an overcoat. [1]
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[edit] History
A majority of locals say that the term stands for the names of the cities along the North Jersey Coast Line: Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York, although this may be a backronym.[2][3]
Numerous other theories exist as to the origins of the term. Some have argued that it is derived from the common Jewish name of Benjamin, pointing out that persons of Jewish heritage were frequent visitors to the Jersey Shore throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, this has been refuted by most locals who state that the term has no racial or religious connotation.
The New Jersey chapter of the Anti-Defamation League has described the term Benny as "neutral shore slang." Today, the term is used overwhelmingly to describe tourists and their typically associated behaviors at the Jersey Shore.
[edit] Popular usage
There are a number of dog phrases around the shore, with the most popular one being "Benny Go Home!"
There are several songs describing stereotypical Benny behavior. "I'm A Benny" and "Benny Go Home" are each written and performed by Mike Mullane.[1]
The band 7minds describes a specific variety of Benny in the song "Seaside Tony".[2]
Numerous individuals, groups, and organizations have arisen over the years to campaign against certain aspects of the tourism industry throughout the Jersey Shore. The largest, and arguably the most well known, of these groups is Benny Go Home, commonly referred to as BGH.[3]
According to the group's website, the purpose of the movement is "to unite the population under one flag, dispel the misinformation, and call for respect and consideration for the people and culture of the Jersey Shore."
Accordingly, BGH defines a Benny as anyone who acts with "disrespect" towards the Jersey Shore or its local population.
[edit] References
- ^ Burroughs, William; Oliver Harris (50 Anv edition (April 1, 2003)). Junky: The Definitive Text of Junk. New York: Penguin (Non-Classics), 129. ISBN 0-14-20.0316-6.
- ^ Kirby, David. " HAVENS; Weekender | Bradley Beach, N.J.", The New York Times, June 11, 2004. Accessed May 12, 2008. "Someone whose primary residence is outside the township, for example, might still be referred to as a Benny, a term some say originated in the 1940's when waves of day trippers invaded Jersey Shore communities. Benny, according to one explanation, is an acronym for Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, New York -- cities to the north that the out-of-town beachgoers might come from."
- ^ "Benny (Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, New York acronym?)", The Big Apple, May 30, 2006. Accessed May 12, 2008.
