“Jeet jet?” / “No, jew?”
"Jeet jet?" is New Yorkese for "Did you eat yet?" An appropriate response might be "No, jew?" (No, did you?)
Rhode Island and other places claim "Jeet jet?" as a local pronunciation. Woody Allen included "Jew?" (D'you?) in one of his 1970s movies.
26 April 1925, Washington Post, "Hard on the Ears" by Doris Blake, pg. SM2:
Do you say any of the following, which are typical of the errors commonly heard and reported by the two teachers of the New York university clinic?
Chanct for chance.
Wisht for wish.
Henery for Henry.
Detecative for detective.
Hisn for his.
Municipal for municipal (accent on the third syllable instead of the second).
Cuz for because.
Breds for breadths.
Deps for depths.
Wid for width.
Hoozis for who is this.
Smatter for what's the matter.
Jeet for did you eat.
Partikly for particularly.
20 December 1925, Washington Post, pg. SM1:
So many couples courting nowadays instead of taking a pleasant, companionable walk into the countryside hunt the nearest jazz dance. Big boy takes his "booful baby" out "hoofing." They dance every number without speaking once to each other. After the hoofing he asks her, "Jeet?" meaning "Did you eat?" and she replies, "Jew?" meaning "Did you?" He says, "No," and she suggests an "itty bitty supper," meaning a "little bit of supper."
5 June 1948, The New Yorker, pg. 38:
[Reprinted in Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, April 1953, paperback edition January 2001), "Just Before the War with the Eskimos," pg. 67]
"Jeat jet?" he asked.
"What?"
"Jeat lunch yet?"
Ginnie shook her head. "I'll eat when I get home," she said.
15 September 1948, Los Angeles Times, "Pet Speech Peeve" by Frank Colby, pg. A5:
Overheard in an office building lobby:
"Jeet, jet?"
"No, jew?"
"No. Seat."
Translation:
"Did you eat yet?"
"No. Did you?"
"No. Let's eat."
(WorldCat record)
Title: "Jug" sessions
Author(s): Ammons, Gene. prf; Ammons, Albert,; 1907-1949. ; prf; Mance, Junior,; 1928- ; prf; Wright, Eugene,; 1923- ; prf
Publication: Chicago :; Mercury,
Year: 1976, 1947
Description: 2 sound discs (79 min.) :; analog, 33 1/3 rpm ;; 12 in.
Language: N/A
Series: EmArcy jazz series
Music Type: Jazz
Standard No: Publisher: EMS 20400; Mercury
Contents: Concentration -- Red Top -- Idaho -- St. Louis blues -- Shufflin' the boogie -- S.P. blues -- Hiroshima -- McDougal's sprout -- Hold that money -- Shermanski -- Harold the Fox -- Jeet jet -- Odd-en-dow -- Going for the okey doak -- E.A.A.K. blues -- Blowing the family jewels -- Sugar coated -- Dues in blues -- Jay, Jay -- Daddy Sauce's airline -- Little Irv -- Abdullah's fiesta -- Brother Jug's sermon -- Everything depends on you -- Hot springs -- When you're gone -- Little slam.
SUBJECT(S)
Descriptor: Jazz -- 1941-1950.
Note(s): All selections previously released on Mercury albums./ Notes by Dan Morgenstern on container./ Participants: Jazz; Gene Ammons, saxophone ; Albert Ammons, Junior Mance, pianos ; Gene Wright, bass; with others./ Recorded in Chicago between June 17, 1947 and October 4, 1949.
Other Titles: Concentration.; Red Top.; Idaho.; St. Louis blues.; Shufflin' the boogie.; S.P. blues.; Hiroshima.; McDougal's sprout.; Hold that money.; Shermanski.; Harold the Fox.; Jeet jet.; Odd-en-dow.; Going for the okey doak.; E.A.A.K. blues.; Blowing the family jewels.; Sugar coated.; Dues in blues.; Jay, Jay.; Daddy Sauce's airline.; Little Irv.; Abdullah's fiesta.; Brother Jug's sermon.; Everything depends on you.; Hot springs.; When you're gone.; Little slam.
Responsibility: Gene Ammons.
Material Type: Music (msr); LP (lps)
Document Type: Sound Recording
Entry: 19840919
Update: 20010122
Accession No: OCLC: 11172118
Database: WorldCat
14 May 1991, Providence (RI) Journal, pg. E-01
To a youngsta in Utah, a pitcha of Rhode Island
by MARK PATINKIN
(...)
And speaking of language, we use it in other novel ways, too. If you come here and someone barks at you: "Jee-jet?" This simply means, "Did you eat yet?" Once they get to know you, they will be more familiar and simply say, "Jeet?"
The Rhode Island Dictionary
by Mark Patinkin
illustrated by Don Bousquet
not paginated
N. Attleboro, MA: Covered Bridge Press
1993
JEET: A question among co-workers at lunchtime. Roughly: Have you eaten yet? Long form is "Jeejet?" "Jeet?
(Cartoon has one person say "JEET?" and the other person answer "NO, JOOZ?" - ed.)
Rhode Island and other places claim "Jeet jet?" as a local pronunciation. Woody Allen included "Jew?" (D'you?) in one of his 1970s movies.
26 April 1925, Washington Post, "Hard on the Ears" by Doris Blake, pg. SM2:
Do you say any of the following, which are typical of the errors commonly heard and reported by the two teachers of the New York university clinic?
Chanct for chance.
Wisht for wish.
Henery for Henry.
Detecative for detective.
Hisn for his.
Municipal for municipal (accent on the third syllable instead of the second).
Cuz for because.
Breds for breadths.
Deps for depths.
Wid for width.
Hoozis for who is this.
Smatter for what's the matter.
Jeet for did you eat.
Partikly for particularly.
20 December 1925, Washington Post, pg. SM1:
So many couples courting nowadays instead of taking a pleasant, companionable walk into the countryside hunt the nearest jazz dance. Big boy takes his "booful baby" out "hoofing." They dance every number without speaking once to each other. After the hoofing he asks her, "Jeet?" meaning "Did you eat?" and she replies, "Jew?" meaning "Did you?" He says, "No," and she suggests an "itty bitty supper," meaning a "little bit of supper."
5 June 1948, The New Yorker, pg. 38:
[Reprinted in Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, April 1953, paperback edition January 2001), "Just Before the War with the Eskimos," pg. 67]
"Jeat jet?" he asked.
"What?"
"Jeat lunch yet?"
Ginnie shook her head. "I'll eat when I get home," she said.
15 September 1948, Los Angeles Times, "Pet Speech Peeve" by Frank Colby, pg. A5:
Overheard in an office building lobby:
"Jeet, jet?"
"No, jew?"
"No. Seat."
Translation:
"Did you eat yet?"
"No. Did you?"
"No. Let's eat."
(WorldCat record)
Title: "Jug" sessions
Author(s): Ammons, Gene. prf; Ammons, Albert,; 1907-1949. ; prf; Mance, Junior,; 1928- ; prf; Wright, Eugene,; 1923- ; prf
Publication: Chicago :; Mercury,
Year: 1976, 1947
Description: 2 sound discs (79 min.) :; analog, 33 1/3 rpm ;; 12 in.
Language: N/A
Series: EmArcy jazz series
Music Type: Jazz
Standard No: Publisher: EMS 20400; Mercury
Contents: Concentration -- Red Top -- Idaho -- St. Louis blues -- Shufflin' the boogie -- S.P. blues -- Hiroshima -- McDougal's sprout -- Hold that money -- Shermanski -- Harold the Fox -- Jeet jet -- Odd-en-dow -- Going for the okey doak -- E.A.A.K. blues -- Blowing the family jewels -- Sugar coated -- Dues in blues -- Jay, Jay -- Daddy Sauce's airline -- Little Irv -- Abdullah's fiesta -- Brother Jug's sermon -- Everything depends on you -- Hot springs -- When you're gone -- Little slam.
SUBJECT(S)
Descriptor: Jazz -- 1941-1950.
Note(s): All selections previously released on Mercury albums./ Notes by Dan Morgenstern on container./ Participants: Jazz; Gene Ammons, saxophone ; Albert Ammons, Junior Mance, pianos ; Gene Wright, bass; with others./ Recorded in Chicago between June 17, 1947 and October 4, 1949.
Other Titles: Concentration.; Red Top.; Idaho.; St. Louis blues.; Shufflin' the boogie.; S.P. blues.; Hiroshima.; McDougal's sprout.; Hold that money.; Shermanski.; Harold the Fox.; Jeet jet.; Odd-en-dow.; Going for the okey doak.; E.A.A.K. blues.; Blowing the family jewels.; Sugar coated.; Dues in blues.; Jay, Jay.; Daddy Sauce's airline.; Little Irv.; Abdullah's fiesta.; Brother Jug's sermon.; Everything depends on you.; Hot springs.; When you're gone.; Little slam.
Responsibility: Gene Ammons.
Material Type: Music (msr); LP (lps)
Document Type: Sound Recording
Entry: 19840919
Update: 20010122
Accession No: OCLC: 11172118
Database: WorldCat
14 May 1991, Providence (RI) Journal, pg. E-01
To a youngsta in Utah, a pitcha of Rhode Island
by MARK PATINKIN
(...)
And speaking of language, we use it in other novel ways, too. If you come here and someone barks at you: "Jee-jet?" This simply means, "Did you eat yet?" Once they get to know you, they will be more familiar and simply say, "Jeet?"
The Rhode Island Dictionary
by Mark Patinkin
illustrated by Don Bousquet
not paginated
N. Attleboro, MA: Covered Bridge Press
1993
JEET: A question among co-workers at lunchtime. Roughly: Have you eaten yet? Long form is "Jeejet?" "Jeet?
(Cartoon has one person say "JEET?" and the other person answer "NO, JOOZ?" - ed.)