Before I wander into the great unknown that is Pittsburgh, I think I need to brush up on my Pittsburghese.
In my post yesterday, I briefly touched on the language that exists in Pittsburgh. Since I really only used the word yinz (you guys) to annoy my Ohio friends, I think I need a crash course on how to speak like a local:
Picksburgh = Pittsburgh (NEVER forget the h at the end!)
Stillers = Steelers
Jeet jet? = Did you eat yet?
Dahntahn = Downtown
Ahr = hour
Arn = Iron
Baffroom = Bathroom
Red up = To clean
Brights = High beams (I actually do use this term, but I didn’t know it wasn’t universal)
Buggy = shopping cart (again, I thought this was what everyone called it)
Clicker = remote control
Gum band = rubber band
Gian’ Iggle = Giant Eagle grocery store
Worsh = wash
Slippy = Slippery (another one I use)
Ovaderr = over there
Sheep’s leg = Wipe your nose (this exists?!)
Wutzername = What’s her name?
Yagottabekiddin = You have got to be kidding
You kids are driving me to Dixmont = You kids are driving me crazy (Wow, that bad? Am I really annoying you that much that you need an insane asylum?)
Okay. So today I’m just going to march dahntahn and be all, “Yinz know where the baffroom is?” “I think I left my brights on. Man, my car needs worshed.” “Jeet jet?” “At least it ain’t slippy out.” “Be there in about an ahr.”
It actually kind of hurts my vocal chords to talk like that.
Three years outside of Picksburgh, and yinz’d think it wouldn’t be enough to lose the accent of my youth, but I guess the question remains: did I even have an accent in the first place? I must have. Why else would I still say “buggy,” “brights,” and “slippy” unless I learned them during childhood?
For the record, Yinzers are not unintelligent, as I am going to prove. Pittsburgh has an abundance of museums and culture. We just have our own way of saying things.
Girl vs. Pittsburgh 