I was very blessed to grow up in Pittsburgh, PA.

It is a wonderful place and in this post, I alluded to the fact that it has a language all its own. It is called Pittsburghese.

I never thought I had any kind of accent until the day my friend Heather called me when we were living in Rhode Island and said, “Susan! I just heard a caller on Regis and Kathie Lee and she sounded EXACTLY like you!” It turns out that the caller was from my hometown and she did sound just like me!

If you ever visit, it’s important that you know the language of  the natives…so here goes:

Steelers = “Stillers”

Downtown = “Dahntahn”

If you want your kids to clean up their rooms, you say, “It’s time to ‘redd up’ your room!” (My kids still make fun of me every time I say, “Okay, it’s time to redd up the house!”) 

Speaking of house, it is pronounced “hause.”

A rubber band = “gum band.”

Did you eat yet? No, did you? = “JeetJet? Nodju?”

Pittsburgh = “Pixburg”

Soda = “pop”

Giant Eagle (a local grocery store) = “Jynt Igle”

Out = “aht”

Northside = “Norseside”

(This one is for you, Ida Mae) : Iron = “arn”

She makes me say “iron” then collapses into a fit of giggles every time. 

And…my all-time favorite:

You all = “Yinz”

I love my hometown.