What visitors should know
Learn the meaning and geography before imitating the accent. Forms such as yinz, redd up, nebby, and slippy can be ordinary regional language, while exaggerated Pittsburghese spellings often perform local identity more strongly than everyday speech does.
Reviewed words and expressions
chipped ham
In Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania food vocabulary, chipped ham is ham sliced extremely thinly for sandwiches, a local deli tradition strongly associated with Isaly's stores.
Pittsburghdiamond
In southwestern Pennsylvania regional vocabulary, diamond can mean a town square or central public square rather than the gemstone or baseball infield.
Pittsburghgumband
In Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania speech, a gumband—also written gum band—is a rubber band or elastic band used to hold objects together.
Pittsburghjaggerbush
In Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania speech, a jaggerbush is a thorny or prickly bush; related local forms include jagger for a thorn, burr, or other sharp projection.
Pittsburghjagoff
In Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania speech, jagoff is a derogatory noun for an irritating, foolish, inconsiderate, or contemptible person—roughly 'jerk' or 'idiot,' with force depending on tone and relationship.
Pittsburghn’at
In Pittsburgh speech, n’at is a sentence-final discourse extender meaning roughly 'and that,' 'and stuff like that,' 'and so on,' or 'and whatnot.'
Pittsburghnebby
In Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania speech, nebby means nosy, prying, or meddlesomely inquisitive—especially about other people's business.
Pittsburghneeds washed
Needs washed names a regional grammatical construction in which need is followed directly by a passive participle, as in 'The car needs washed,' where many other English varieties would say 'needs to be washed' or 'needs washing.'
Pittsburghredd up
In Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania speech, redd up means to tidy, straighten, or clean up a room, house, workspace, or collection of things.
Pittsburghslippy
In Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania speech, slippy is an everyday regional adjective meaning slippery or slick underfoot or under a vehicle.
Pittsburghyinz
In Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania English, yinz is a second-person pronoun used especially to address two or more people, roughly equivalent to 'you all,' 'you guys,' or 'y'all.'
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