Jeezum Pete and Related Expressions

Hello, welcome to A Way with Words.

Hi.

Hey, who’s this?

Thank you.

This is Ellen from Mississippi.

Well, hi, Ellen.

Welcome to the show.

Hi, Ellen.

Thank you.

We’re in Mississippi.

Hattiesburg.

Hattiesburg.

Hattiesburg, lovely place.

All right.

What can we do for you?

You know, Southerners have all kinds of expressions, as do any areas in the country, and most of them are fairly familiar to all of us here in my office, but I use one that my colleagues say they have never heard before, and it’s Jisum Peets. And I grew up in New Orleans, and I wonder if maybe that’s where it came from. I don’t know. I don’t think it’s really very uncommon. And of course, my children, who are grown, have heard it all of their lives, but my colleagues think it’s something I made up.

What’s happening in your office when you say, geez and peep?

Well, unbelievable or, you know, things like that.

So somebody misses a deadline by a week and thinks they’re still going to get paid, and you’re like, geez and peep, what do you expect or something like that?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ellen, have you ever written it out? How would you spell it?

Well, you know, I’ve thought about that because a friend asked me about it because she thought maybe I was trying to take the Lord’s name in vain. And so I sort of took a stab at G-E-E-S-U-M, but I have a feeling it probably is J-E-E-S-U-M. Pete’s, P-E-T-E-S. And so, you know, it could be something like that. I have no idea.

-huh.

Yeah, you’re on the right track there. I mean, it doesn’t get written down a whole lot because it is an exclamation. And so there are lots of different versions when you do see it in writing, like G-E-E-Z and J-E-E-Z. And it is what we call a minced oath or a euphemism. It’s a way of not taking the Lord’s name in vain by saying something a little milder. And there are lots of different versions of it. I mean, you’re definitely not the only person who uses it. I mean, there’s Jeezem Pete.

I haven’t heard Jeezem Pete’s.

You have an S on the end of it?

Yeah, there’s an S.

-huh, -huh.

There’s also Jeeze O. Pete and Jeeze Louise. Some people say Jeeze Louise. And all the people in Vermont are shouting their version now. G’s and crow is what they say in Vermont and parts of New York.

Well, what do your colleagues say when they’re surprised at something or exclaiming?

Well, they’ve begun saying G’s and Pete.

Well, do they say golly or gosh?

They do.

Or Jiminy.

They absolutely do.

Or Jiminy.

They don’t say Jiminy.

They say gee whiz.

They say jeepers or jeepers creepers?

Not really. I mean, I can see it happening, but no, it’s not a common thing.

Well, Ellen, you can tell them they’re doing the same thing if they’re saying golly or gosh.

That’s right.

Yeah, that’s also a minced oath.

Yeah, that’s a way of not saying God.

That’s exactly right.

Yeah, thank you.

By the way, it might be a combined minced oath. So the first part, the jesum is a version of Jesus, and the Pete is from St. Pete, St. Peter.

I thought about that. I thought it could be Jesus and Peter. There are a few minsthose or euphemisms out there that are about St. Peter or use his name instead of somebody else’s.

Sure.

Oh, sure.

For Pete’s sake, yeah.

Ellen, you’re not alone. It’s said all over. It’s not that common.

Yeah, it’s not that common.

But it pops up enough.

Yeah, we have lots of records of it. And, hey, now your colleagues are saying it.

Well, yeah, and we get fairly regular emails and calls about it in one form or another, usually with the G’s in being the significant part that doesn’t change.

Well, Ellen, thanks for calling us. We really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Y’all have a good day.

You too.

Okay, take care.

Okay.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

There are dozens and dozens of these mints, though.

So many.

Just to avoid saying the name Jesus Christ.

Let’s hear some.

G. Willikens, Jiminy, Jehoshaphat, Judas Priest.

There’s another name out there.

Jekers is a rare one.

Jumpin’ Jehovah.

Gosh, as you mentioned.

G. Willikers is a favorite of mine, although I don’t say it. I like it. I like the sound of it.

Jiminy Cricket or Jiminy Crickets, Jerusalem. And then maybe the best one for really dodging the problem and turning it positive is G Christmas.

G Christmas.

G Christmas, right?

Because you’re as far as you can get.

Maybe.

Maybe.

Jiminy Christmas is…

Oh, you know that one?

Yeah.

There’s so many of them, though, right?

Yeah, absolutely.

What are you talking with your coworkers about?

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