"jimmies" in Philadelphia

[Barbara Need]

>Just a few minutes ago, at a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop here in
>Philadelphia, I ordered my ice cream with sprinkles, according to the option
>shown on the menu.  Working through our multi-part order, the young woman
>behind the counter asked a moment later, "Did you want that with jimmies?" I
>said, "Yes, please.... Did you say 'jimmies'? I've hardly ever heard that
>word outside the Boston area."  She said, "They say it quite a bit down
>here, too."
>
>I told my wife about it and she came up with the following theory: "When the
>Massachusetts delegation came down her to write the Declaration of
>Independence, they had to bypass New York because it was held by the
>British.  They brought the word 'jimmies' with them, and that's why it's
>current in Boston and Philadelphia but not New York."  Happy Independence
>Day!
>
>-- Mark A. Mandel
>[This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]

Well, except that I lived near Philadelphia for three years (1978-9,
1980-2) and never heard 'jimmies' for sprinkles. And I would have
noticed, I came down there from Massachusetts.

Barbara Need
UChicago--Linguistics