OT: Local Dialects.

[Kibitzer]

I just observed a birthday (celebrations are for young 'uns) and one gift was a copy of "The Yinzer Bible," which describes all things Pittsburgh (history, culture, sports, Terrible Towels. inclines, eateries, etc.), especially its unique linguistic flourishes. Among them:

yinz = plural of you
dahntahn = downtown
slippy = an icy sidewalk
nebby = an excessively curious person
jagoff = an idiot, jerk
redd up = tidy up
Stillers = the hometahn NFL team

. . . and many more​

OK, Boneyarders, many of you live in communities with a similar gift for idiomatic expression, Weigh in with a few examples of your local dialect.

​

 

[HoopsFan21]

If you like the Pittsburgh dialect, there's a book called Pittsburghese or something like that. It's basically a little dictionary of Pittsburgh words and phrases.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

As you may know, Coach Stringer is from the general Pittsburgh area. Apparently, back many years ago (around the Essence Carson years) she got extremely annoyed at some point and slipped into serious Pittsburgh dialect, causing someone (possibly Essence) to make the comment that it sounded like she was "talking in eubonics or something".

My wife worked with a Pittsburgh native (in central NJ) who also used some "odd" expressions. The first time I heard a couple of them, I had no idea what she was saying.

Not necessarily a dialect, but "old time" Jersey City natives pronounced the word "oil" closer to the name "Earl". You know, that you would use in the b-earl-er to heat the furnace. And I heard it from both young (at the time) and old folks, of families that originated in a variety of European nations, so I have no idea where it came from.

 

[Bliss]

Rural folks in central and southern IL sometimes say "prolly" (probably), "pertneer" (pretty near, as in nearly completed), "fer" (for) "git" (get) "I swan" (well, I'll be....."), "pshaaw" (see "I swan"), and others that currently escape me.

 

[Kibitzer]

Rural folks in central and southern IL sometimes say "prolly" (probably), "pertneer" (pretty near, as in nearly completed), "fer" (for) "git" (get) "I swan" (well, I'll be....."), "pshaaw" (see "I swan"), and others that currently escape me.

One that may have escaped you is the common rural usage of "fixin' to. . ." as a prelude to doin' sumpin' or other.

 

[Intpseeker]

This is a wicked pissah thread

 

[Bigpetunia]

Happy Birthday, Kib!
As you may know, I am from New Orleans, where a unique culture, or, as we say, cultcha, spawns endless colloquialisms. Here are just a few:

Neutral ground = median
Dressed = lettuce n tomato on dat poor boy
Yamama = standard response to any perceived insult
Whereyat? = self-explanatory
Trout = local girl of distinct local ethnicity
Mynez = mayonnaise
Turlet = bathroom fixture
N'Awlins = In all my life, I've never heard ANY local say it that way

 

[Kibitzer]

Whereyat? = self-explanatory

Did you forget nome sane?

Or is that a nationally expressed statement?

 

[VAMike23]

I'm not from Philly, but "jawn" is like a whole little world unto itself ...

LINK

 

[Kibitzer]

I'm not from Philly, but "jawn" is like a whole little world unto itself ...

LINK

View attachment 14417

Fascinating to learn how White Philadelphians have columbused "jawn" from the Black community.

 

[Crisper]

Not sure just where, west of the Allegheny Mts., the word 'roof' starts to rhyme with the 'woof' of a dog. My 'roof' has always rhymed with the 'hoof' of a horse.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

OK, how about right here in Connecticut. Some people in Fairfield County say "yooz guys" and "dem guys", or "demz guys". Heard that before?

Then over in eastern Connecticut, people totally swallow the "nt" in words. So, Clinton, Connecticut becomes "Kli-(stop)- n."

 

[RockyMTblue2]

There are accents and then there are regional ways of behaving. The most vivid example of this I have ever observed was in a golf pro shop in Bozeman, MT a few years ago. A short, loud self important jerk with a Manhattanish accent came storming in announcing his tee time was just 5 minutes away and he was hungry. We all went back to our business. He spied this little franks and buns operation at the end of the counter with a self-serve sign. He paced around for a couple of minutes, then declared in great indignation: Who is going to serve me! To a man, we all replied: You are. Yes, he left in a huff.

 

[Kibitzer]

Let me describe what might comprise the dialogue between a young man (on the hunt) and young lady (coyly available). It could only sound like this in my native Pittsburgh.

M-F strangers meet at Happy Hour
Small talk
Drinks
Eye contact
More drinks
Increasingly personal conversation
Still more drinks
Both emit positive signals by body language
Time for our male Yinzer to make his move:

M: "Jeet yet?" (Have you dined yet?)
F: "No, joo?" (I have not eaten, how about you?)​

Success! They hail a waiter, book a table, and each feels a strong hormonal rush.

 

[Icebear]

Have you ever red up you place?

 

[Kibitzer]

Have you ever red up you place?

Of course. But now you're being nebby.

 

[pinotbear]

OK, how about right here in Connecticut. Some people in Fairfield County say "yooz guys" and "dem guys", or "demz guys". Heard that before?

Then over in eastern Connecticut, people totally swallow the "nt" in words. So, Clinton, Connecticut becomes "Kli-(stop)- n."

Having lived in SE CT for 27 years before migrating a tad north, let me add to this observation about eastern Nutmeggers. Whatcha got here, in yer "Kli-(stop)-n", is the Rhode Island Glottal Stop, so eloquently explained in Mark Patinkin's "The Rhode Island Dictionary" (pronounced Roe-Dyelin, of course). In Roe-Dyelin, they's f'evah rearranging words in pronunciation, removing syllables here, adding letters there. So, Westerly becomes W'st-ley, Pawtucket becomes P'tucket, but "bras" becomes brarers and "bananas" becomes bananers.

The Rhode Island Dictionary and it's companion book, The Rhode Island Handbook are both written by Mark Patinkin (former Providence Journal-Bulletin columnist) and illustrated by Don Bousquet, renown cartoonist of all things New Englandish. If you enjoy good, clean fun, I recommend both.

My favorite entry from The Dictionary is a toss-up between ba'day'duh and P.S.D.S.

Ba'day'duh is the word that Dan Quayle had trouble spelling.

P.S.D.S., pronounced rapidly, is "pierced ears"

 

[SCGamecock]

As a southerner, this is all fascinating!

 

[Tontobruto]

I'm from New Mexico. Don't even start.

 

[Zorro]

Well, y'all have mentioned a right smart of intrestin words. I might could come up with some Texianisms, while the bait of beans I've got on the far is a-finishin up. I like't'a split my britches over some un um. I reckon if y'all could come up with some more of um I could stand to read um. Purt neart amazin how downright interstin linguistics can be!

 

[Mike75]

OK, how about right here in Connecticut. Some people in Fairfield County say "yooz guys" and "dem guys", or "demz guys". Heard that before?

Then over in eastern Connecticut, people totally swallow the "nt" in words. So, Clinton, Connecticut becomes "Kli-(stop)- n."

How about a wedge for lunch?

The pronunciation of New Haven and East Haven will seperate out the natives from the transplants.

Non-CT natives also don't know how to pronounce Wolcott and Berlin correctly.

 

[Kibitzer]

I invite those interested in local or regional dialects to the book, "Do You Speak American?," by Robert MacNeil (formerly of PBS News) and William Cran. It is an exhaustive analysis of regional dialects throughout the USA and Canada.

The authors identify 13 regions, geographically. A couple are vast (Canada and USA West) and two are small (Charleston and NYC). I was surprised that neither Bahston nor The Burgh were accorded similar distinction but hey -- these scholars had only 230 pages and some time on PBS to make their case. A few tidbits:

- Within the large South region were sub-regions: Florida, Texas South, Mid Atlantic, and Charleston.
- Ditto for the Northeast region, with several local ones.
- MacNeil and Cran identify how "American" has often been enriched by imported words; e.g., broccoli-Italy, waffle-Dutch, corral-Spanish, and a smorgasbord of Yiddish expressions.
- What with all the breakdown of dialects by region, locale and community, the authors found the unique dialect spoken by African Americans to be consistent across all boundaries.
​

"Do You Speak American?"contains a blend of scholarship and humor that I find appealing and enriching.

 

[rvwsleep]

There are accents and then there are regional ways of behaving. The most vivid example of this I have ever observed was in a golf pro shop in Bozeman, MT a few years ago. A short, loud self important jerk with a Manhattanish accent came storming in announcing his tee time was just 5 minutes away and he was hungry. We all went back to our business. He spied this little franks and buns operation at the end of the counter with a self-serve sign. He paced around for a couple of minutes, then declared in great indignation: Who is going to serve me! To a man, we all replied: You are. Yes, he left in a huff.

Since I am a resident of Manhattan isleisle I have to ask; Just what does a Manhattanish accent sound like ? I'm curious especially because I've met very few people who live in Manhattan that were actually born here.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Rural folks in central and southern IL sometimes say "prolly" (probably), "pertneer" (pretty near, as in nearly completed), "fer" (for) "git" (get) "I swan" (well, I'll be....."), "pshaaw" (see "I swan"), and others that currently escape me.

I'm from that part of the country. My Dad pertneer all the time, only it was more like "preertneer." My sister says prolly all the time. She also says "cepts" for "except."

One of the 5th-grade teachers (an old girl in about '66) in my school said "pshaaw" all the time. We thought she was cussing.

We also say "aigs" instead of eggs. Also "thayk" and "thayng (not "thang")." Some of the good ol' boys will say "ry-cheer" for "right here."

Nobody says "Illinoise."

I'm afraid I've never heard of "I swan."

 

[Gus Mahler]

Should be "My Dad said" and "thaynk."