If You Can Pronounce These 8 Words, You've Lived In Buffalo For Far Too Long
By Samantha Gill|Published May 26, 2018
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Samantha Gill
Author
Samantha Jo is a freelance copywriter, proofreader, and social media manager. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys drinking coffee, crafting, camping, blogging at kinandkindling.com, and sipping only the finest of boxed wines – not necessarily in that order.
If you were born and raised in Buffalo (or anywhere in Western New York, for that matter), chances are out-of-towners have commented on your “accent.” And while we might agree that our A’s sound a bit harder than most people’s, we’re certainly not ashamed of the language we’ve picked up while living in the 716. If you can pronounce these eight words, you’ve lived in Buffalo for far too long. (Or just long enough, if you ask us!)
It takes a while, but eventually, all Buffalonians learn how to pronounce Scajaquada. This popular route in the city is just as tongue-twisting as it is busy with traffic. Repeat after me: Ska-jack-quah-duh.
If you thought our street names were tricky, wait until you see our towns! First up: Cheektowaga. This town has plenty of nicknames, but its original moniker is the most challenging to pronounce.
The next town on our list that doesn't exactly roll of the tongue? Tonawanda. Or, as Buffalonians typically say, the "Town of Tonawanda" (which usually sounds more like "tonna-Tonawanda"). Say that five times fast!
We're not even going to attempt to spell this one out phonetically. If you're from Buffalo, you know how to say it. You also know it's the only way to eat BBQ chicken.
Last but certainly not least (or the least cringe-worthy): Youse. This slang is equal to a Southerner's "y'all," and while it's not accepted in English textbooks (or by most Buffalonians), it's certainly heard often in Western New York!
The next time someone comments on your WNY dialect, challenge them to sound out any of the above words. We’ll see who gets the last laugh!
Are there any other Western New York or Buffalonian words that you hear others mispronounce? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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