OT: Local Dialects.

[bags27]

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.

It's very funny, indeed, and we have some of the cartoons on our fridge; but Patinkin would be worried to hear that he is now "former".... he still writes for the ProJo.

Re: Pittsburgh: it's pop, never soda.

 

[bobstertwo]

Have you ever red up you place?

Grew up in the Philadelphia, PA area and mom would ask after dinner "Who is going to red the table?" I always understood that it meant who was going to clear and wash the dishes. Mom's family is from Tyrone, PA which is west of State College.

 

[alexrgct]

As a southerner, this is all fascinating!

And as a Southerner, you dangled a modifier.

Some others:

Rum for room, as in "Go to your rum!" I guess the implication is you're calling a child an alcoholic.

Extraneous Rs: "idear", "warsh", "worder [instead of "water]"

"Swimmin' trunks" rather than "swimsuit".

Random other contractions like "t'eat" rather than, "to eat": "you want sumpin' t'eat?"

Supper instead of dinner. I HATE that word!!

The classic Rhode Island exclamation: " Jeepahs" instead of the already-comical "jeepers!"

 

[alexrgct]

It's very funny, indeed, and we have some of the cartoons on our fridge; but Patinkin would be worried to hear that he is now "former".... he still writes for the ProJo.

Re: Pittsburgh: it's pop, never soda.

and in other places, it's Coke, never soda or any other brand thereof.

 

[Kibitzer]

One of my daughters, and her family, live in Ballmer. That's a big city in Merlin (whose capital is Napplis). Many citizens are Arsh (cuz their ancestors came from Arlin). When a farr occurs, someone calls for a farn gin to put it out. A breakfast favorite is hard-biled aigs. And when a wedding takes place, the bride walks down the owl.

 

[alexrgct]

A real feat of wizardry from Merlin, especially Ballmer: the production of the classic TV show The Wire.

 

[Zorro]

The authors of "Do You Speak American?" did not seek to emulate Professor Henry 'Higgins, who could identify distinctive London linguistic quirks almost block by block.

They suggest that (somewhere in) Manhattan was a hotbed of new Black English words and phrases. I feel confident that, had they focused exclusively on Manhattan-speak, they would have heard the variations from Harlem to Hell's Kitchen to Upper East Side to Little Italy. Then, by simply crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, they may have heard "goil" for girl and "erl" for oil. A short drive eastward to Lon-GUY-land and. . . .

You get the idea. So much diversity demands a reincarnation of either Professor Higgins or his erstwhile creator, George Bernard Shaw.

Louie; "Hey, listen; I hear a boid choipin.
Teacher; "No, Louie, that is a bird and it is chirpingl
Louie; "Well, it choips like a boid!

 

[Kibitzer]

A real feat of wizardry from Merlin, especially Ballmer: the production of the classic TV show The Wire.

'Kay, I erred on one: "owl" goes in the crankcase but a bride walks down the "oll."(BTW, 'Kay is short for OK, and is the traditional start to an explanatory sentence.)

And I overlooked a few:

- Ballmer is south of Worshnin
- Some citizens are Jews, some Protestant, others are Calf-licks
- Jews consider Drooslim to be The Holy Land
- The environment is threatened by plooshin
- When you go to the baffroom you might set on the tawlet
- Then you may worsh tour hands and wrench them with wooder
- Until you get tarred
​

Old Ballmer Christmas joke: "Why are the three kings covered with soot?" (Because they came from afar.)

 

[BroadwayVa]

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.

One Arkansan phrase that flattened me---among many--was you're the least of your family? Mean are you the youngest? Also--you'd complain if you were hung with a new rope.
But old time Yankee Nutmeggers had a language of their own too. (I know they took away my Nutmeg, and I was making billions selling that wood.)
Do you own a " naave"? (phonetically spelled, never saw it in jot-em down (western Arky) Virginian country folk (I love every last one of them) use it.
Those of you old enough to remember the Lum and Elmer's Jot -em Down Store --a real place near Fort Jaffee.

 

[BroadwayVa]

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.

I wish I could remember what those in the Pine Barrens spoke--I lived among them, near where the A10's practiced bombing runs.
One Arkansan phrase that flattened me---among many--was- you're the least of your family? Meaning are you the youngest? Also--you'd complain if you were hung with a new rope.
But old time Yankee Nutmeggers had a language of their own too. (I know they took away my Nutmeg, and I was making billions selling that wood.)
Do you own a " naave"? (phonetically spelled, never saw it in jot-em down (western Arky) Virginian country folk (I love every last one of them) use it.
Those of you old enough to remember the Lum and Elmer's Jot -em Down Store --a real place near Fort Jaffee. Jaffee housed the 101 Airborne and Cuban mentals and criminals during the Carter Admin
For the majority of Americans the melting pot of Language sounding the same or similar has happened. Most think my accent is middle America--until I slip and say Warter (water)

 

[BroadwayVa]

'Kay, I erred on one: "owl" goes in the crankcase but a bride walks down the "oll."(BTW, 'Kay is short for OK, and is the traditional start to an explanatory sentence.)

And I overlooked a few:

- Ballmer is south of Worshnin
- Some citizens are Jews, some Protestant, others are Calf-licks
- Jews consider Drooslim to be The Holy Land
- The environment is threatened by plooshin
- When you go to the baffroom you might set on the tawlet
- Then you may worsh tour hands and wrench them with wooder
- Until you get tarred
​

Old Ballmer Christmas joke: "Why are the three kings covered with soot?" (Because they came from afar.)

That's onlyest if ya-all live in Hard County .. Near NSA --lived in Laurel too. don't ask why!

 

[BroadwayVa]

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.

Did you know transatlantic cables run from two location in mid Jersey one is in Tuckerton NJ--and NSA taps both??
My Bro in law lived near Brooklyn and told all the gullible Conn people that he lived in Brklyn near toidy toid and flatbush where boids cherp and the bergesr and pernters gangs fight over turf.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

One thing no-one mentioned is the Amish way of speaking. Much over-tourist advertised these days.

However, my grandmother, who grew up in eastern PA knowing some Amish folk, used a couple of unusual expressions having their root in the dialect. Particularly, "off" the light and something being "all" (finished).

Growing up my Mom taught me an Amish phrase that she had learned from her mother in her youth (the 1920's) - "Ain't Ma, when the little red car goes by, the trains all?".

 

[Kibitzer]

One thing no-one mentioned is the Amish way of speaking. Much over-tourist advertised these days.

I believe those same Amish who gave all of us this wisdom:

"Ve grow too soon aldt, but too late schmart!"​

 

[alexrgct]

I believe those same Amish who gave all of us this wisdom:

"Ve grow too soon aldt, but too late schmart!"​

Probably because a bunch of them go on Rumspringa. The heavy partying ages them, and they return to the flock with their brains rotted