Re: CHAT: IDLE CHAT: foreigners from the shires: (was: Words)

Rik Roots wrote:

"On the Romney Marshes, we also used the word "grockle" for tourists and
daytrippers."

   The inhabitants of the Jersey Shore (my homeland - New Jersey, not Jèrri,
of course) refer to tourists and daytrippers as "Bennies."  I don't know the
etymology of this term; for me it conjures up images of loud people, usually
from New York City, dressed in hawaiian shirts and driving around even more
poorly than would be usual for New Jerseyans (and, believe me, we set the
bar pretty low).  The whole economy of my area depended upon tourism and,
when the bottom fell out of the tourist trade, it had disasterous effects on
all of us.
    There's an old saying around those parts - "Welcome to New Jersey.  Now,
get out of here."  We (classy people that we are) used to wear t-shirts with
this unofficial state motto emblazoned upon them.

-Chollie

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