Benny is a
pejorative
A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...
term used by year-round residents of the
Jersey Shore to describe
stereotypically rude, flashy, loud tourists from North Jersey and New York.
Origin
The origin of the term is disputed. One common theory says the term originates from an acronym that was stamped on the beachgoers' train tickets, representing the city in which they boarded the train to the Jersey Shore:
Bergen County,
Essex County,
Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
, and
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. The term ''benny'' may also originate from the early 20th century practice of wealthy New Yorkers taking trips to the Jersey Shore as treatment for myriad maladies such as anemia, hemophilia, and hysteria. These therapeutic trips were called "beneficials" by doctors and patients. Often, visitors would claim to be at the Jersey Shore on a "beneficial", hence the term ''benny''. ''Benny'' also refers to Benjamin Franklin, whose picture is on the $100 bill, a reference to tourists and spending money. Still another theory refers to off-shore boat racing during the 1970s sponsored by the
Benihana restaurant chain.
The term ''
shoobie'' is used by residents of resort communities in the
southern New Jersey Shore, from
Long Beach Island to
Cape May
Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The so ...
. The term ''shoobie'' was originally used to describe
day-tripper
A day trip is a visit to a tourist destination or visitor attraction from a person's home, hotel, or hostel in the morning, returning to the same lodging in the evening. The day trip is a form of recreational travel and leisure to a location tha ...
s who took the train to the shore. The train offered pre-packed lunches that came in shoe boxes;
hence the term ''shoobie''. However, over time the meaning has changed to include tourists who wear sneakers or shoes on the beach, as opposed to most locals who go barefoot on the sand.
Nowadays these terms are used to describe tourists and beachgoers from neighboring states, not people native to New Jersey.
References
External links
BENNY (acronym)on
The Free Dictionary
''The Free Dictionary'' is an American online dictionary and encyclopedia that aggregates information from various sources.
Content
The site cross-references the contents of ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'', the '' ...
The origins of the "Benny"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benny (Slang)
Jersey Shore
Pejorative terms for in-group non-members
New Jersey culture