12 Vocabulary Words You Need To Know If You're Going To Live In Pittsburgh
By Beth Price-Williams|Published September 03, 2018
×
Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Okay, yinz guys, let’s have some fun today! Every city’s got its own dialect, right? But, no one does it quite like Pittsburgh. After all, we’ve got our very own language of Pittsburghese, complete with a dictionary. For those of us who grew up or have lived in the Burgh a long time, we have little trouble with Pittsburghese. But, if you’re a newcomer, here are 12 vocabulary words, you’ll definitely want to start using.
Y’all is to southerners as yinz is to Pittsburghers. Don’t be surprised if a waitress or waiter at a restaurant greets you with a "Yinz want a drink?" Just about everyone in the Burgh has the word yinz in their vocabulary.
We're goin' dahtahn n'at. What does n'at mean? Well, pretty much "and that." However, some Pittsburghers just use it as a way of ending their sentences.
Jagoff’s certainly one of the most popular words in Pittsburghers’ vocabulary. Snag a parking spot someone else was waiting for? Jagoff. Pull in front of another car with only inches to spare on the parkway? Jagoff. Yep, jagoff is a pretty popular term for someone who acts like a, well, jerk.
Rid up your room! NOW! If you grew up in Southwestern PA, you’ve likely had that yelled at you a few times during your childhood. Then, you just might have grown into an adult who had to tell your own kids to rid up their room. All it means is clean up.
Sometimes it’s downright impossible not not to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. Especially when you’re in a restaurant or on a bus, and the person is talking really loud on their phone. But, if you purposely try to listen in on conversations, well, you’re just nebby!
Tell a non-Pittsburgher you had a jumbo sandwich for lunch, and you might just get looked at as though you’ve sprouted a second head. What’s jumbo to us Pittsburghers is typically bologna to everyone else.
Get used to hearing about chipped ham and, in particular, the great chipped ham sandwich. It’s been a Pittsburgh staple for years and features Isaly’s famous chipped chopped ham, a little BBQ sauce, and a fresh bun.
Nothing goes better with a meal than a tall, cold glass of pop. What kind of pop is your favorite: Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, or another? Pittsburghers call it pop, not soda.
We, Pittsburghers, use gumbands to keep our bags of chips and pretzels fresh once their opened. Sometimes we use them to put our hair in a ponytail. To most, they’re rubber bands. To Pittsburgher’s, they’re gumbands.
If someone tells you "Kennywood’s open," he doesn’t mean the amusement park. Look down. Your fly’s unzipped.
Okay, yinzers, it’s your turn! What other vocabulary words would you say are essential for newcomers to the city to know? Let’s start a running list in the comments below! Then, click here to read about the 10 things that will always make us, Pittsburghers, think of home.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
