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Undertoad · 12-26-2012, 08:07 PM

Now, the word "jawn".

This word has been used in Philadelphia for a very long time. My first spotting of it was in 1991.

It means "thing". As in, "This jawn over here, do it come wif a remote?"

The j is pronounced with either a hard J or a soft J, or anywhere in between. But it isn't pronounced "John". "Zsahwww" would be more acceptable.

I now resent the word, because it comes from ignorance. If you don't know the real word for something, you have this substitute word you can use without admitting you don't know the real word.

12-26-2012, 08:07 PM	#267
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Now, the word "jawn". This word has been used in Philadelphia for a very long time. My first spotting of it was in 1991. It means "thing". As in, "This jawn over here, do it come wif a remote?" The j is pronounced with either a hard J or a soft J, or anywhere in between. But it isn't pronounced "John". "Zsahwww" would be more acceptable. I now resent the word, because it comes from ignorance. If you don't know the real word for something, you have this substitute word you can use without admitting you don't know the real word.