12 Phrases That Will Make You Swear Pittsburghers Have Their Own Language
By Beth Price-Williams|Published July 16, 2017
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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.
Let’s have some fun, fellow Pittsburghers! Every city has its own lingo, right? But, Pittsburgh? We have our own language and even our own dictionary. Whether you’ve lived here your entire life or just moved here, you eventually become fluent in Pittsburghese. Here are just 12 things that only Pittsburghers say.
Disclaimer: Pittsburghese is vast enough to fill an entire dictionary, so this is really only just scratching the surface. Share your favorite Pittsburghese below and maybe we’ll add a part two of this list.
We've all called someone a jagoff (and maybe we've even been called it once or twice ourselves) but it's usually for good reason, right? Like the driver in the photo above who clearly parked in a no-parking zone. What a jagoff.
Who among us has not been yelled at - by an exasperated parent - to redd up our sloppy room? We've all been there. And, yes, we may also have grown up to become that exasperated parent who first kindly asks then eventually shouts at our kids to "redd up your room!"
Careful out there on snowy winter days. The roads get slippy and your car might spin out of control. Or, you might fall flat on your face while walking down a slippy sidewalk.
You'll only get the reference if you're from Pittsburgh. Out-of-towners? Well, they might just give you a funny or a quizzical look if you use that phrase out of the blue.
6. It’s going to be a whole nother month til the bridge opens.
We might as well just replace the term summer with construction season. Every construction season, we must wait a whole nother few months to get back to our normal traveling routes.
Two for one in this one! All Pittsburghers say yinz. No matter where you go or in what profession you belong. After all, aren't you apost (supposed to) say yinz when referring to more than one person?
