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Joined: Aug 2002
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stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Aug 2002
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Much controversy over the origin of the word "Jimmies" the now-trademarked name for the chocolate sprinkles on ice cream. I had heard Jimmies was a derogatory name for black people and Jimmies (the dark sprinkles) were a take on that. The other explanations: A slang form of Jim-Jams (useless knick-knacks) and a guy named Jimmie working the machine.Though I can determine Jimmies were invented by Samuel Born, of the lollipop and marshmallow peep fame, I cannot find the origin of the word any help?
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
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Nothing added by here is a site about it: http://www.word-detective.com/030299.html#jimmiesI think I first saw them some time shortly after WWII, in Massachusetts. Never heard any derogatory association.
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
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What country/region are you from? That info might help the rest of us, if you're serious  . (I've never heard of "Jimmies" before, in any context).
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 544
addict
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addict
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 544 |
Jimmies is a Northeastern USA usage - they're called "sprinkles" or "chocolate sprinkles" (to distinguish them from the rainbow species) in the rest of the country. I may have heard them called something else too, but it isn't coming to mind.
I've no clue about the origin, but I'm leaving tomorrow for New England, and I'll be sure to have some while I'm there.
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
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Jimmies is a Northeastern USA usage
Yup...Jimmies were always a fixture of ice-creamery in these parts. Every Carvel, Dairy Queen, and Kohr's Custard stand on the boardwalks have always offered chocolate jimmies, red jimmies (cherry), and even multi-colored jimmies. They usually have bins full of jimmies and just quickly dip the cone into the jimmies to lightly coat the ice cream. You can have jimmies sprinkled on sundaes, too, of course!
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Joined: Jul 2002
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
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When I read the title of this thread, I thought it was asking how "Jimmy" came to be the generic nickname for Glaswegians. Perhaps jmh would know.
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I think it's because of a certain type of Glaswegian's propensity to call "Hey, Jimmy!" just before planting a Liverpool kiss on the bridge of your nose.
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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old hand
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old hand
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Thanks, I thought as much myself
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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A frustratingly incomplete claim for invention of jimmies: Two yummy treats he invented – chocolate jimmies and the chocolate coating for ice cream – are still popular today. It seems beleivable, because it is about a large chocolate maker: http://www.usbusiness-review.com/0108/09.htmlI found another quote about him: "The Just Born candy tradition was conceived in 1910, when Sam Born immigrated to the Uniited States from Russia. A candy maker by trade, Born was ingenious in the use of technology. Some of his more famous inventions include chocolate sprinkles, known as "jimmies" and the hard coating on ice cream bars" http://www.demko.com/opal0898.htmat
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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True Story : A pilot stationed at Pease AFB in the late 1960s received permission to take his young son and wife to the classified area where pilots sit in a mock cockpit and are are tested in various flight conditions through a operator-manned control panel which simulates emergency conditions so pilots can practice.
Oddly enought the mockups are called Flight Simulators."
The boy, in the co-pilot's seat was fascinated by the profusion of flight control dials in the Simulator.
"What do these do, Daddy?" the youngster asked. Whereupon Dad launched into a technical explanation of how the dials tell where you are, how fast you are flying, where other aircraft are, what the status of engines is, armament and all that. The boy became more and more confused. His eyes glazed over.
His mother standing on the Simulator wing step leaned over and said "Sweetheart, you know how when we get an ice cream cone and the man dips it in the Magic Chocolate and it freezes on the cone? "
"Yes, Mon" the child said, his face clearing.
"Well," Mom said, "all these dials are Daddy's Magic Chocolate."
Comprehension dawned in the boys eyes. "Oh, OK," he said hoping out of the simulator in triumph - leaving Dad stunned.
Motherhood triumphs again.
P.S. That youngster later flew in combat - and the name on the nose of his fighter aircraft was : "Magic Chocolate."
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