The G20 Summit is slated to be held in my beloved city, Pittsburgh, next month. People from all over the world will be here.
To do my part as an American, I'm helping the world community by giving everyone a head start on how to communicate in Pittsburgh. We truly have our own language here. The phrases you will read are God's-honest-truth the way a lot of us talk in da 'burgh, so experiment and see if you can copy the Pittsburgh accent as you read these. If you want to hear the accent or need translation, just go to www.pittsburghese.com.
Yinz have a laugh while reading this!
"Oh Mi-laundry" | Oh my gosh!. Oh mi- laundry, were those fireworks great (n'at) |
"Tony's Gawt It!" | "Tony's Got It!" (an annoying local mattress/sleep store sell phrase). Yinz guys getcher best sleep on a Serta!? Tony's Gawt It!" |
'Junna | Are you going to. Eh! Yinz 'junna gota Pants N' at? Pick Up some pop on the way home. |
'Sup wif u | What's up with you. (singular or plural). Not much, 'sup wif u. |
A whole nother | Another. We have to wait a whole nother year for the Pens to win the cup. |
Ahnno-dat | I know that. Used as a verbal exclamation point.. Dunno who won da Stillers game... Pens won, ahno-dat!" |
Ain'da | Isn't the. That ain'da way I see it. |
Airyago | There you go. Hey! Peeg, habaut a couple arns? Airyago. |
All Over | Covered with. Gimme a towel, I'm all over rain. |
Alla | All the. Yinzer alla time jaggin' on me. |
Anedoin' | Ain't doing. Deez streets is fulla potholes and PENDAHT anedoin' nuttin' abaht it! |
Anna | And the. Me anna boys went fir a bike ride. |
Apost tu | Supposed to. Me and da boys are apost tu go bar hoppin' tonight dahn on da sahside. |
Back'air | Back there. I'm never goin' back'air again. Or... "The rag needs worsht, so yinz worsh it, and when yinz er done, throw it back'air, by the arn bawdles." |
Bince | Being as. Bince yinz are goin dahntahn, pick me up some Arn. |
Bleh shue | Bless you. Bleh shue |
Bo fuss | Both of us. The bofuss went to the stiller game |
Bowchyins | Both of you. Hey, bowchyins go'n dahn da SLACKS-N-NAT? |
Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too! | Wow what a great goal. Used by Penguins' announcer Mike Lang |
Can a corn | Something easy. Comes from longtime Pirate broadcaster Bob Prince describing high fly balls. |
Chawt | Watch Out. When yinzer drivin up Erie, chawt for cops. Dayer riten tickets enat. |
Cheese and Crackers | WOW!. Cheese and Crackers, dat jag off almost hit my car over der! |
Choobinuptoo | What have you been up to. |
Close in Proximidy To | Near. As paraphrased from a recent interview with Bill Cahr, the Stillers and the Brownies are rivals because Picksburgh is so 'close in proximidy to' Cleveland. |
Cole-daht-dare | Cold out there. Joe Denardo says that if you're going outsidetoday, take a jacket because it's cole-daht-dare! |
Come mere | Come here. |
Cordada | Quarter to. Pronounced COR-da-da. "Meet yinz at cordada four under Kaufmann's clock!" |
Cottan Canda Heer | Cotton Candy Here. Used by cotton candy vendors at Three Rivers Stadium |
Cupple Tree | Two or three. So, yinz'll be dahn in Florida for a cupple tree days? |
Da-Boat-a-ya | The both of you. Dis gift is for Da-Boat-a-ya. Or"Da-Boat-a-ya are nuts, for buyen dat 'Tickle Me Elm doll' for $500 bucks." |
Dabby | That would be. Dabby cool if you'd pick me up a pahnda grahd rahnd at the Jineegle. (Jineegle=Giant Eagle, grocery store) |
Dahn nair | Down there. R-r-r yinz gowin' dahn nair? |
Dahnahahs | Down to the house. I'm gowin' dahnahahs. |
Daht'et | Doubt it. Yinz go dahn to da souside? Daht'et. |
Dekkacards | Deck of cards. Why don't yinz guyz get aht the dekkacards so we can play a han 'er two. |
Didya | Did you. Did see at? |
Does Hornes tell Kaufmann's their business? | None of your business. I aint telling yinz about it, Does Hornes tell Kaumann's their business? (Both dept. stores) |
Don't cut no ice | Unbelievable. A flimsy excuse. "Yer story don't cut no ice." |
Don't go err wit me. | Don't go there with me.. You don't wanna go err with me on this subject. |
Dooder Jobs | Do their jobs. Heard frequently on TV news when they're doing "Man on the street" interviews. |
Downa | Down to the. Wanna go downa Gardens? |
Drip dropin | A light rain. We can go aht now, it's just drip dropin. |
Elvis has left the building | Said by (announcer) Mike Lang when the Penguins win. |
Fell out. | Meaning that someone lost consciousness. Possibly, but not necessarily, from falling out of a tree. |
Fer cryin in da sink | I don't believe this. Fer cryin in da sink, can't kordell throw to da right people er what? |
Food Shoppin' | Grocery shopping. Yinz goin' food shoppin'at da gint igl n'at? |
Furill | For real. I'm furill is used to imply that something is true. |
Gazinta | A mathematical term used in Division. 4 gazinta 12 three times. |
Getouttatheroad | Get out of the way. You're in my way and I'm going to run into you if you don't move!! |
Gets da steppin' | Hurry up. Gets da steppin', we're gonna be late! |
Git atta 'er/Get aht | Get out of here. Exclaimed when someone is in disbelief. |
Gitdahellaht! | Get the hell out (of here). Means, "You're kidding!" |
Go Ghost | Disappear. Ah'll lend ya da money 'cuz yer blood, but don't go ghost on me, y'hear? |
Go by way of Altoona | Take the long way. How's come yunz so late? Didja go by way of Altoona? |
Go turn on Bill Burns | Turn on Channel 2 news. |
Goin' up | Going up to. I'm goin' up Liggioner |
Haaja | How did you. Haaja like at Stillers game? |
Hafta | Have to. I hafta go to the baffroom! |
Hah ya doone? | How are you doing. |
Hainapposa | Shouldn't (ain't supposed to). Yinz hainapposa be aht, yinzer sick. |
Hainy | Isn't he. Hainy goin to da Stiller game today? |
Half in two | Cut something in half. I cut the sammiches half in two for yinz. |
Hammy | Hand me. Hey Dawn, hammy da hammer! |
Hauscome | What is the reason. Hauscome yinz guys didn't wacha Stillers Sunday? |
Hay Bir Here | Beer Here. Yelled By the Bir venders at 3 Rivers stadium during foutball games. It gives me a hed ake. |
Heat ups | Left overs. We are having heat up tonight for supper. |
Hit the bricks | Leave. Get lost. From the old cobblestoneroads in Pgh. |
How's abaht | How about, with feeling. How's abaht goin aht? |
How's come | Why. How's come 'dat arn ain't on ice? |
If your friends jumped off the Westinghouse Bridge, would you? | Used by parents to convince their children not to follow the crowd. Child: But mum, evrybuddy's gettin' their tongue pierced! Mother: If your friends jumped off the Westinhaus Bridge, would 'ju? |
In regards to... | A wordy expression that attempts to make the speaker articulate. |
In-a-baht-a | In about a. When ya be back? inabahta minute |
Inna | In the. What's inna bag? |
It's A Burgh Thing | Anything that's unique to Pittsburgh. Like putting french fries in a ham sammitch! |
Ize | I was. Ize so tired when I got home from work that I missed the Stiller game |
Ja Wanna | Do you want to. Ja wanna go withs me? |
Jano | Did you know. How jano that answer? |
Jeet jet | Did you eat yet. |
Jeez-o-man | Expletive. Jeez-o-man, your skirt is so short I can see Picksburg! |
Jimminy Chrismas! | Term used by old fogies when something goes wrong. Jimminy Chrismas. I lost my babushka! |
Jisabaht | Just about. It's jisabaht time ta go. |
Kennywood's Open | Said to men only. Means your zipper on your pants is down. (Kennywood is an amusement park.) |
Ki | Can I. Ki help yinz? |
Kimm'awn | Come on. A statement of surprise or disbelief. "Aw Kimm'awn, git aht!" |
Laid Aht | Refers to the tradition of viewing our deceased loved ones in funeral homes. Sorry to hear abaht your uncle. Where's he being laid aht? Also may be used to refer in the past tense to sunbathing. |
Lassnite | Last night. Lassnite we went dahn STRATUS! |
Lazyman's load | To carry a large load of groceries in at once because you're too lazy to make two trips. . I could hardly git up the steps 'cause I was carrying a lazyman's load. |
Like at | Like that. I can't do it like at. |
Like iss | Like this. Hold da ball like iss. |
Living Daylights | Referring to a beating. He beat the living daylights out of him. |
Mallanar | Miles per hour. That jagoff was drivin' fittee mallanar! |
Mandar | Man did our. Last summer was hot, we runned the air every day, and mandar lectric bill go up. |
McCaddum Road | Asphalt road. As referred to by older Pittsburghers. |
Meechinsdahnair | I will meet you down there. I actually said this to my best friend and he had NO clue as to what I was saying! |
Mills on Wills | Meals on Wheels. Mills on Wills don't never bring halupki, haluski, or kolachis. |
Mize well | I might as well. Are yinz gonna eat this last sammitch? Mize well. |
Mm-ah | Odd phrase uttered by sportscaster Myron Cope. Mm-ah -- dis is Myrn Cope on sports |
Molahta | I'm all out of. Jeez, molahta jumbo! |
Momanem's | Your mother and her friends. Momanem's dahn at da gian igl shoppin'. |
Morrenat | More than that. Yinz musta had at least twenty arns. Response: "Naaa man, morrenat!" |
Mummell | Mom will. Mummell do it. |
Muppear | I'm up here. Muppear from Picksburgh! |
Needs swept | Needs to be swept. Performed with a "sweeper", known in other parts of the country as a vacuum cleaner. |
Nothurn | Another one. I don't like thisson, why don't yinz bring me nothurn? |
Nuh-uh!! | I can't believe it. Nuh-uh, yinz didn't rilly meet Jaromir Jagr dahn Chauncy's! |
Nunya | None of your. It is nunya business. |
Oh call Arnold Slick from Turtle Crick! | Another Mike Lange quote. Makes fun of the way we "crickers" say the word "creek." |
Oh mah gersh | Oh my gosh. Oh mah gersh, ers a sputzee up air. |
One Snawall | Once in a while. I seen him one snawall |
Onnat | For that. He give me the price onnat truck, but I said no way. |
Open da light | To turn on a lighting fixture in the room. Open da light -- I can't find my arn! |
Or not | Hamlet's famous speech, had he been a Pittsburgher. (They don't use "to be" in the Burgh.) |
Or whatever ennat, ya know? | The proper ending to a statement. We went dahnna sahside and hadda couple Ahrns or whatever ennat ya know? |
Out bacca | Behind. She lives out bacca Eastvail. |
Out the road | Far, in no specific direction.. "Where's he live?" "Way out the road somewhere." |
Ovaderr | Over there. Take iss box and put it ovaderr. |
Ow-No | I don't know. Ow No hah many Ahrns I kin drink in an ahr. |
Partly Clah-dy an' Mahld | Partly Cloudy and Mild. As said by Pittsburgh's favoritemeteorologist, Joe DeNardo. |
Putemen | Put them in. Gimme a poke ta putemen. |
S'muny | Some money. Hey mom can I have s'muny? |
S'not | It is not. As in "No it's s'not." |
S'up | What's up. |
Safternoon | This afternoon. Are you guys coming over the safternoon? |
Same difference | Same thing or no difference. |
Sappenin | What's happening. It is a substitute for, or a response to (s'up). Example: S'up? Sappenin? Dunno, Sappenin wichew? |
Scratch my back with a hacksaw | Said by (announcer) Mike Lang when the Penguins score a goal. |
Sees Ya! | Words for goodbye. After yinz leave da Eroler game you tell your friends Sees ya! |
Sgo | Let's go. |
Sgoinon? | What's going on. |
Sheeps leg | Wipe your nose. Hey man, you gotta sheeps leg hanging from your nose. |
Shil | She will. Ask mom for da car, shil let you borra it. |
Shutda light | Turn off the light. Uhm tahrd, shutda light. |
Sick'n tard | Sick and tired. Um sick'n tard uh d'way yinz guys talk. |
Sposda | Supposed to. We're sposda go dahntahn for da Stiller game. |
Spread some chicken on the hill, Will | Said at the pirate games when Willie Stargell was up to bat. If he hit a home run people would get a free chicken dinner in his restaurant. |
Squattna | Let's go out on the. Squattna porch 'n eat sum jumbo. |
Squeet | Let's go eat!. |
Stan, Guy, love the show | What most callers to Sportsbeat say before they ask a question. |
Stoofar | It's too far. |
Summina | Something to. Do yinz wanna get summina eat? |
Takin' da Brahns to da Super Bowl. | Defecating. "Hey, wucha doin' in dere!?" "I'm takin' da Brahns to da Super Bowl." |
That's it, Fort Pitt | That's right or it's all over. This comes from an old advertising slogan for Fort Pitt beer. |
The fact of the matter is... | A wordy expression that attempts to make the speaker apppear knowledgable and articulate. |
These unz or Those unz | These and Those. |
Took a heart attack | Had a heart attack. |
Tsgadahntahn | Let's go downtown. Tsgadahntahn en clahnarahn! (clahnarahn=clown around) |
Umina | I am going to/I'm gonna. Umina break some fingers da next time I catch you with my woman. |
Up Mike's in dahn Jake's | Response to the question "Where ya goone". If you're headed no where in particular or it's none of the person's business (this may be unique to the Clairton/Jefferson area). |
Up Under | Where to find something you're looking for. Where are my shoes? Up under the bed. |
Up air | Up there. Opposite of down. "The incline goes up air." |
Upagin | Against. Where should I put da rake?... Lean it upagin da wall in da graaj. |
Usetto be | A phrase used when giving directions. Make a left where the ____ usetto be. This phrase is always followed by a "Yinz can't miss it" even though it is no longer there. |
Wach a Stillers | The traditional monday morning greeting asking whether or not you watched the Steelers win. |
Wachatice | Watch out for that ice. Wachatice, it's slippy there. |
Waidon | Wait for. I waidon you fer an ahr. |
Walleye erd | Well I heard. Walleye erd yinz wuz goin dahn nere en pants en at. |
Whaddyagittinat? | What are you getting at. |
What the cobb | What happened. What the cobb went on in here yinz two? |
What-r | What are. What-r yens doin? |
Whatchadoind'day | What are you doing today. You call up you friend and say "whatchadoind'day" normal response "I dunno." |
Whona | Who in the. Whona world ate my tater chips? |
Wir | We are. Wir goin dahnna ragada. |
Wir Uh Family | We Are Family. The Pittsburgh rally song by Sister Sledge |
Wutzername | What is her name. I jes seen wutzername dahntahn. |
Ya Gatta Ragatta! | Go to the Pittsburgh Ragatta. |
Ya' gotsta | You have to. |
Ya-hunh | Oh, but indeed it is!. Used only as a response. "Nuh-uh!" "Ya-hunh!" |
Yabbut | Yes, but. To qualify a statement. "Goin' dahntahn? Yabbut I ain't gonna stay late." |
Yabyinat | (Are) you buying that?. When you're with your friends at the store you may ask "Hey donnie, are yabyinat?" |
Yagottabekidden | You have got to be kidding. Yagottabekidden, if you think I can learn to talk like you now! |
Yagottaseediss | You have to see this. Yagottaseediss web site! Checkitaht! |
Yainga bleevis | You aren't going to believe this. |
Yan-to | You want to. Yan-to watch dem stillers? |
Yel'low | Yeah, hello. Phrase used to answer the tawlfone. |
Yer-in-yer-aht! | You are in, and then, you are out.. Phrase made popular by Myron Cope in radio advertisement for convenience store. |
Yizzel | You will. Yizzle hafta waid onnat pizza; Dey just turned onny oven. |
Yo Ho On | In the 40's-50's, when you called your buddy, you wouldn't dare knock on the door. His mother would hit you with a broom. So, you stood out on the street and yelled, "Yo HO On Joey," until he came out or his mother chased you away. |
You kids are driving me to Dixmont | You're making me crazy. |
Yoy, yoy, double yoy! | Famous phrase by (Steeler sportscaster) Myron Cope. |
12 comments:
I should send some Texas terms to ya'll so you would know what we are saying. My son is a coach with the Cowboys so I cant pull for the Steelers if they are playing us. Love your blog!
I'm originally from South Philly. We tawk almost the same way. Jeet? No, jew?
Mango: Thanks for stopping! My brother is a HUGE Cowboy fan. I told him I think Mom dropped him on his head. lol I'd love any input!
TCL: Hope all is well; long time no see. Isn't it amazing how certain pockets of the country have their own language? We use jeet jet also. I just thought it was kinda cool and it gave me a chance to use my pic of my beloved city.
Dis whole thing gives me da green weenie! (That's for Pirates Old-Timers)
I remember that Nickie! Didn't Myron start that too?
Looks like the Buccos are gonna go for the Cubs' record of most years without a championship. At the very least, I think they're going for 17 yrs. straight without a winning season. At least training camp is soon! I'm about 25 min. from St. Vincent's, so training camp is a yearly ritual.
That was awesome!! My hubby and I have lived in Pittsburgh for about 3 yrs and having definitely noticed most of those sayings. I am used to some slang language since I am originally from the eastern shore of MD.
You forgot "Saaside" for the South Side, where Station Square 'nat is at.
BTW--From the idiocy file: Tom Smith, a black preacher from the Hill District has invited protesters to camp out in a tent city next to his church for the summit.
What could possibly go wrong?
Teresa: It's really cool how you can always find out who's from da 'burgh no matter where you go in the country. It definitely is a 'burgh thing!
cbullitt: I gaht my tattoo on the Saaside. I love that section of town!!!
What could go wrong? Hmmmmmm...... It's gonna be interesting if anything! Glad I'm in the burbs.
Git aht! Dat's a good refresher fer when I go up air in two weeks, n'at.
Tanks fer posting dat, blackandgoldfan.
Dr. Dave: You were the first one I thought of when I came up with the idea. Thought you'd enjoy it!
When you come up, don't forget to go to Primanti's for a 'burgh sammich!
Hi B & G! That was fun and really informative. You know our chicawga accents are just as thick....I couldn't even BEGIN to translate. There are lots of colorful sayings too, such as "I don't want nobody nobody sent", etc.
Hope your weekend was grand!
Hi Sweetie! The weekend...well it's over now. lol
There are soooo many more words and phrases that couldn't be listed. When I lived in Florida, I went to the grocery store and asked for chipped ham. The guy looked at me like I had just grown another head.
Hope mac is still being good to ya!!! :-D
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