Jagoff or jag-off is an American English derogatory slang term from Pittsburghese meaning a person who is a jerk, stupid or inept.[1] It is most prominent in the Pittsburgh area and Pennsylvania in general, along with wide use in the City of Chicago, particularly in the Irish taverns. [2][3] The Dictionary of American Regional English defines the term as a "general term of disparagement".[4] It is an archetypical Pittsburgh word, conjuring feelings of delight among Pittsburgh expatriates.[5]

According to Barbara Johnstone, professor of English and linguistics at Carnegie Mellon University,[6] the term has its roots in the northern British Isles, an area that supplied many immigrants to Pittsburgh.[7] It is derived from the verb "to jag", meaning "to prick or poke".[7] Johnstone said that among local Pittsburghers, "Nobody thinks of these derivatives of 'jag' as obscene",[7] though non-local fellow Americans often mishear "jagoff" as the much more offensive slang term "jack off".

Controversies over the term

In 2010, Pittsburgh-native and coach of the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, John Calipari raised hackles in the media when he jokingly referred to fellow Pittsburgher John Buccigross as a "jagoff".[8]

In 2012, David Shribman, a Massachusetts native and executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, issued a letter banning the use of the word "jagoff" anywhere in the newspaper.[7] The decision was mocked by Chris Potter of the Pittsburgh City Paper, noting that Shribman's letter belied an utter lack of understanding of the actual etymology and history of the word, as he had confused it with the more base homophone, "jack off", common slang for masturbation.[7] In response The Beaver County Times used some form of the term 19 times in a single article, suggesting that Shribman has "Jagoffphobia".[9]

References

  1. ^ Johnstone, Barbara. "American Varieties: Steel Town Speak". Do You Speak American?. PBS. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  2. ^ "Pittsburgh Speech & Society Dictionary". University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  3. ^ "Pennsylvania". Dictionary of American Regional English. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  4. ^ "D". Dictionary of American Regional English. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  5. ^ Sodergren, Rebecca (July 3, 2012). "Ex-Pittsburghers are hungry for Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  6. ^ "Barbara Johnstone, Professor of English and Linguistics". Department of English, Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d e Potter, Chris (June 27, 2012). "Let Us Now Praise Famous Jagoffs - The latest chapter for a misunderstood word". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  8. ^ Miller, Mike (January 25, 2010). "Calipari's term of endearment". NBC News. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  9. ^ "There's nothing but (censored) everywhere we look". The Beaver County Times. June 30, 2012. Archived from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
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