We asked, you answered: where do you think the word ‘twerking’ came from?

Megan Purol (’17)
“I think it’s the words “twist” and “jerk” combined.”

Stacy Zuppa, Math Teacher
“I think it has something to do with tweaking – like your making a small adjustment but on your behind.”

Manuel Montero, Physics Teacher
“It’s a mispronunciation of the word torque which means a rotational force.”

Kristal Hill & Marian Hernandez (’18)
“It’s something to do with “work.” Maybe it’s from some rap music or some ghetto place.”

The [Real] Answer: The origins of the word ‘twerk’ are a little confusing. According to the Oxford Dictionary, ‘twerk’ started gaining popularity in the early 1990s in New Orleans. In the 1993 song Jubilee All by D.J. Jubilee, the lyrics include “Twerk baby, twerk baby, twerk, twerk, twerk”