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Jawn

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The word Jawn in graffiti style text

Jawn is a slang term local to Philadelphia and, by extension, the Delaware Valley that may refer to a thing, place, person, or event, substituting for a specific name. Jawn is a context-dependent substitute noun; a noun that substitutes for other nouns.[1] Jawn can be singular or plural. Examples include: "These jawns are expensive!",[2] "pass me that jawn", "that new jawn", "this jawn is packed".[3]

Jawn is believed to be derived from the word "joint".[4][5] Historically, the city's black population migrated to the northern part of the city from Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas/Virginia, bringing with them a Southern dialect that carried words such as 'joint'.[6]

Culture

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Language in the USA: Themes for the Twenty-first Century. Cambridge University Press. 2004. ISBN 978-1-139-45133-8.
  2. ^ "Philly-Original 'Jawn' Being Considered As Official Dictionary Word: Merriam-Webster". NBC Philadelphia. October 5, 2017.
  3. ^ "JAWN: PHILADELPHIA'S MULTI-PURPOSE SLANG WORD, EXPLAINED". Allegiant Goods Co. September 15, 2021.
  4. ^ "Some Jawn About 'Jawn'". Merriam-Webster. October 4, 2017.
  5. ^ "Merriam-Webster analyzes 'jawn,' the Wawa of words". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 5, 2017.
  6. ^ https://goinnorth.org [bare URL]
  7. ^ "The Brilliance of the Cheesesteak Scene in 'Creed'". The Ringer. February 15, 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Skate Jawn on zines, scenes, and DIY content | The Green Zine". web.archive.org. March 12, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
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