The accent, slang, and verbal shorthand of someone born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of the most
annoying dialects on the face of the
earth. Pittsburghese comes in part from speaking more quickly than
normal, producing slurs such as the infamous "Jeet jet?"
Some butcherings of
people's names:
Anthony = An-duh-nee
Aphrotide = Aff-ur-die-tee or Aff-ur-dyte
Barb = Boorb
Bonnie = Bwaw-nee
Carol = Curl
Cheryl = Surl
Don = Dawn
Jennifer = Jinn-uh-fur
Lawrence = Lah-rinse
Lemieux (as in the beloved Pittsburgher Mario Lemieux) = Lah-muu
Terry = Teary
Some butcherings of regular
words:
Acoustic = Ah-cue-stick
Afghan = Af-uh-gahn
Aluminum = Al-oo-num-in
Arthritis = Arth-er-eye-tis
Beautiful = Byew-
dee-fuhl
Breakfast = Breff-iss
Downtown = Dahn-tahn
Doughnut = Doe-nit
Error = Ear
Field = Filld
Flexible = Flex-uh-kul
Garage = Gaarj
Hour = Ahr
House = Hahs
Ignorant = Ig-nurnt
Interesting = In-ur-es-tin
Lousy = Lah-see
Legal = Liggle
Natural = Nachurl
Out = Aht
Pretty = Priddy
Quart = Coort
Refridgerator = Frige-dare
Regular = Reg-uh-lur
Steelers = Stillers
Technical = Tet-ni-kal
Wash = Worsh
You = Yinz
Some
words that don't exist outside of Pittsburgh:
Abeast--Slang for "fat", probably derives from "obese"
Allergayney Whitefish--This is what we say when we see a condom floating down any river, particularly the Allegheny
Aloose--Untied
Ascared--To be afraid of something
Babushka--Scarf worn on the
head to keep "aht" the cold
Bitzle--Dirt particle
Bumbershoot--An umbrella
Burm--Side, usually of a road
Cawnur Lady--
Prostitute
Chipped-chopped or Chipchop--Very thinly sliced, usually pertaining to
meat
Cucky or Cucka-cucka--Revolting; can also refer to a gooey substance
Flustrated--Not just flustered, not just frustrated, but a
happy marriage of the two.
Grinny--A chipmunk
Gum--Elastic
Gummyband or Gumband--Rubber band
Gutcheez n'at--Underwear
Heinz 57--Mutt dog
Hunky-doory--Fine
Jaggy--
Crazy
Jagoff--
Jerk
Jigunda--Large
Jimmies--Sprinkles
Nebbynose or Nebnose--A nosy person
Slippy--Slippery
Sucko--
Bad
Zaksame--Exactly the same
Finally, some phrases:
"What kinna birrisat?" = "What kind of
beer is that?"
"Brinnit dahn a thahsan!" = "Bring it down a thousand!" (meaning "Quiet down")
"Kinnywood's open!" = "The fly on your pants is unzipped."
"Oh mi-lawndry" = "Oh my gosh!"
"A whole nuther mahl" = "Another mile"
"Airyago!" = "There you go."
"Yinz guys getcher bess sleep onna Serta? Tony's gawddit!" = "You get your best sleep on a Serta mattress? Tony's got it a local mattress slogan!"
"Buy Saym a drink, and gettis dog one too!" = "
Wow, what a great goal sports!"
"Gawrsh, it's coledoutdair!" = "Gosh, it's cols out there!"