The Dictionary
lists some words associated with the Southwestern Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh
area. Not all of these words are still in use, but some are still
quite common in the area today. Examples of these words used in
print are from the Dictionary of American Regional English.
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Babushka
Definition:
A scarf traditionally worn to cover the head.
- Text example:
"This headpiece is a cross between a babushka and a snood."
-From the 1945 New Leader, Richmond, VA
- Origin:
The exact origin of the word is unknown, but it is originally
from the Russian language. It probably came into use in the US
in places where Eastern European immigrant women used these scarves.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Berm
Definition:
Shoulder of the road. Also common in Ohio, Indiana, and West
Virginia.
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- Origin:
The bank of a canal opposite the tow path. Later used for
a ridge at the side of the road used by loggers and road builders,
then the shoulder of a road
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Butterbread
Definition: Bread spread with butter.
- Text example:
1907: "I only had butterbread and coffee soup,"
-Betrothal (Martin, 1970)
- Origin:
The exact origin of this word is unkown, but it appears to
come from Pennsylvania German.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Chipped Ham
Definition:
Very thinly sliced ham.
-
- Origin:
Isaly's, a local delicatessen, chipped ham on a beef chipper
to use for luncheon meat.
- Source:
Klondikes, Chipped Ham, and Skyscraper Cones: The Story
of Isaly's, Brain Butko, (Stackpole Books, 2001)
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Diamond
Definition:
Town square. Pittsburgh's "Diamond" was the square around
the old city market (now Market Square). Diamond Street still
leads to this square.
- Text
example: "In all the towns of Pa. of any size, the public
buildings and offices are built on squares, in the centers of
their towns, called "diamonds."
-Pennsylvania(Royall, 1829).
- Origin:
Used in Northern Ireland; its language of origin is English.
- Source:
Dictionary of American Region English (DARE).
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Drooth
Definition:
Drought; a state of dryness or aridity.
-
- Origin:
This is the Scottish pronunciation of the word. Its language
of origin is Scots-Irish English.
- Source:
Dictionary of American Region English (DARE).
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Flanken
Definition: A cut of beef similar to short ribs or flank steaks.
- Text example: "
Flanken soup-3lbs plate flank, beef bones, etc."
-Gossenger Jewish Cooking, 1958
- Origin:
Its language of origin is likely Yiddish;
'flanken' in Yiddish means 'sides of beef'.
- Source:
Dictionary of American Region English (DARE).
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Gesundheit
Definition: Used as an expression of goodwill for one who has sneezed.
- Text
example: "Zur Gesundheit," a good wish addressed by
Germans to one who has sneezed."
-Century Dictionary Supplement, 1911
- Origin:
Its language of origin is German; it literally means 'health'.
- Source:
Dictionary of American Region English (DARE).
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Golumpki
Definition: Pigs in a blanket, or stuffed cabbage
holishkes.
- Text
example: "Dishes made with meat ... that everybody around
here would know, but that people in other places might not."
-Dictionary of American Regional English.
- Origin:
There are many different variations of this word.
They all stem from Eastern European roots:
golabki (Polish), holub (Ukranian, Czech), and holep
(Yiddish).
- Source:
Dictionary of American Region English (DARE).
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Gumband
Definition: Rubberband
- Text example:
"When they asked for a gumband they (Georgians)
had no idea I was asking for a rubberband."
-1972 Atlanta letters
- Origin:
The source language is English. 'Gum' is a common alternative
for 'rubber', as in 'gum boots' and 'gumshoe'. It is possible
that rubberbands were originally sold in the Pittsburgh area under
the trade name 'gumband'.
- Source:
Dictionary of American Region English (DARE).
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Halushky
- Definition:
Dumplings or broad noodles in fried cabbage or onions.
- Text
example: Fry [cabbage in butter]. Now take the wide noodles
[halushki] ..put into fried cabbage.
-Randle Cookbooks, 1965.
-
- Origin:
The exact origin of the word is unknown, but the source language
is Slovak and Carpotho Russian. It was brought to the Pittsburgh
area by Eastern European immigrants.
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- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Hap
Definition:
A comforter or quilt.
- Text
example: "A wadded covering for a bed; a comfort"
-German American Annals, 1907.
- Origin:
Scotch-Irish English.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Hidey-go-seek; hide and seek
Definition:
Hide and go seek, a popular children's hiding game.
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- Origin:
The exact origin of these alternate forms of 'hide and go
seek' is unknown; they were originally recorded in Pennsylvania
and may no longer be in use.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Hoagie
Definition:
Throughout Pennsylvania, a hoagie is submarine sandwich.
- Text
example: "When my mother was dating, a common thing to do
was to go to one of the neighborhood groceries on the south side,
in the Italian area, and get a hoagie."
-author unknown, Philadelphia, 1937.
- Origin:
The exact origin of the word is unknown. This word is believed
to have originated in Philadelphia.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Hokey-pokey
Definition:
An inexpensive confection, especially flavored ice or ice
cream.
- Text
example: "In Pittsburgh around 1900 we boys bought from the
itinerant 'hokey-pokey ice-cream man' a ... confection called
a snowball."
-quoted in a 1960 dictionary of slang.
- Origin:
The origin and source language of this word are unknown.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Hutch; hutch-cupboard
- Definition:
A chest of drawers. (This word is widely used for a different
furniture item; its use for a chest of drawers is limited to an
area including Pennsylvania, however.)
Origin:
The origin of this word is unknown, but the source language
is likely English.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE); The Oxford
English Dictionary (OED).
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Jag (as in jag off or jagging around)
Definition:
Various forms involving jag have to do with annoying,
irritating, teasing, or playing tricks on. To jag someone
or jag someone off means to irritate or tease.
To jag around means to fool around, goof off. A jagoff
is a person who is irritating because of being inept or stupid.
- Text
example: "I don't know why she keeps jagging me all the time"
-Dictionary of American Regional English,
1968.
- Origin:
The exact origin of this word is unknown, but the source
language is probably Scotch-Irish English. "To jag"
means to turn sharply.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Jagger
Definition:
A thorn or burr.
- Text
example: "Jagger: any small, sharp-pointed object or implement.
Applicable chiefly to thorns or briars."
-Dictionary of American Regional English,
1923.
- Origin:
In British English, a 'jag' is a prickly tendril.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Jaggerbush
Definition:
A bush with thorns or burrs.
-
- Origin:
In British English, a 'jag' is a prickly tendril.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Jumbo
Definition:
Bologna sausage.
- Text
example: "How do you recognize a Pittsburgher? Where else
but here does one serve 'jumbo' (bologna) for lunch?"
-New Haven Register, Connecticut,
1978.
- Origin:
A derivative of 'jumbo' bologna, which was likely originally
a trade name.
- Source:
The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
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Nebby
Definition:
Nosy, snoopy, inquisitive. Used as an adjective or noun.
Another noun form is "nebnose."
-
- Origin:
In British English, the 'neb' is the nose or snout of an
animal.
- Source:
The Oxford English Dictionary.
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Need
x-ed ("The car needs washed"; "The grass needs
cut", etc.)
Definition:
"The car needs washed" = "The car needs to
be washed", or, in some British dialects, "The car needs
washing."
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- Origin:
This grammatical construction was brought to the American
colonies by Scotch-Irish immigrants in the 18th century.
- Source:
Thomas E. Murray et al., Need + Past Participle
in American English. American Speech, Fall 1996.
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Pop
- Definition:
a carbonated soda or soft drink.
-
- Origin:
In British English, 'pop' is an effervescent drink, as in
ginger pop or soda pop. This form is widespread in the
US as well, as an alternative to "soda," "soft
drink," etc.
- Source:
The Oxford English Dictionary.
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Redd up
- Definition:
To clean up or tidy.
-
- Origin:
In Scotch-Irish English, 'to redd' is to clear an area or
make it tidy.
- Source:
The Oxford English Dictionary.
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Slippy
Definition:
Slippery
-
Origin:
The exact origin of this word is unknown, but it is likely
Scotch-Irish English. This form of the word 'slippery' is still
in use in Belfast.
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- Source:
The Oxford English Dictionary.
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- Yinz
(also spelled Yunz, Younz, etc.)
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- Definition:
You, plural; you guys.
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- Origin:
Scotch-Irish English. Other forms that are also from Scotch-Irish
are you'uns (another version of yinz) and y'all
(in widespread use in the southern US).
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