Governor Murphy used the term today in his press conference. I’ve lived in the state almost my entire life, and defend its honor from all the external hatred, but I swear that today is the first time I’ve ever heard that word. I actually had to google the spelling, in case it was ‘New Jerseian’ or something.
It’s apparently the state’s official demonym. What term do you actually hear get used to describe someone from New Jersey?
Interesting fact: a person from Hawaii is not necessarily a Hawaiian. The United States Government Publishing Office and the Associated Press Stylebook both say that a Hawaiian is a person whose ethnicity is native Hawaiian. A person who lives in Hawaii but is not an ethnic Hawaiian is a Hawaii resident.
The one I hear most often is New Jerseyite. Both are correct, even if the former is official.
PINEY
dammit
— Kimstu, proud South Jersey native and expatriate now dwelling in more northerly regions where the ground has all these weird rumples in it
None. “From New Jersey“ is generally how someone from NJ is described. “New Jerseyite” is just as foreign to me. By the way, Apple doesn’t appear to know either word, as neither auto-fill even after I type the penultimate letter with my iPad.
Therefore I take it Jerseyman exclusively refers to regular Jersey?
Noo Joyzhan.
Really? :dubious: As a native New Yorker, it absolutely astonishes me that you’re unfamiliar with it. A search of the board shows many natives of New Jersey referring to themselves as both New Jerseyites and New Jerseyans. What part of the state are you from?
I lived in Ft. Lee for a couple of years. Everyone who lived there was considered a New Yorker.
There is also the fact that many New Jerseyites don’t want to admit it.
Not by *actual *New Yorkers.
I agree with this, you almost never hear “New Jerseyite” or “New Jerseyan”
Yankee.
If you are in Florida then E. B. White would agree, but New Englanders still need something to call them.
As I observed in a thread almost a decade ago on this very topic ( https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-611523.html ), Ambrose Bierce suggested “Jerseyman”, which I rather like more than “New Jerseyan” or “New Jerseyite” (although it admitttedly is to sex-specific for this day and age).
I thought the answer the this question is “asshole”
Source: from resident of New Jersey
I sometimes call myself a New Jerseyan, but I don’t think I’ve heard anyone else say it.
While I agree the terms don’t often come up in conversation, you’re at least familiar with them. You’ve often referred to yourself as a Jerseyite:
You’ve also responded to others calling themselves Jerseyans.
The terms may not be common, but they aren’t so rare that it’s not surprising that someone living in the state is completely unfamiliar with them.
Now, I’ve never heard someone from Connecticut referred to by a demonym, whether Connecticuter, Connecticotian, or Connecticutensian.
As I said, almost never hear it.