Wp/pgh/Pittsburghese Wiki:Dictionary

'Iss article's written in Standard Inglish.

Return to the Pittsburghese Wiki Guide

This is a list of Pittsburghese words with Standard English equivalents. Please do not hesitate to use this list to brush up on your vocabulary. Not all words with dialectal pronunciations are listed here because it's just too much to list, and you can easily figure them out based on the pronunciation rules and sounds of other words.

Orthography
Main article: Wp/pgh/Pittsburghese Wiki:Guide

This dictionary is written using a modified English orthography to suit Pittsburghese sounds. It is as follows:
 * e for the ai sound in words like rail
 * el for the al sound in words like alligator
 * i for the ee sound in words like steel
 * w for the l sound in words like well
 * aw for the o sound in words like rob
 * oe for the o sound in words like go
 * u for the oo sound in words like pool
 * ah for the ou sound in words like out
 * d for the th sound in words like the (this may also be spelled with an apostrophe, as the sound can be removed ex.  'e )

Dictionary
A
 * abaht - (prep./adv.) about
 * ablow, ablo - (prep./adv.) below (from Scots ablow )
 * aethecite - (n.; archaic) a mean eccentric person
 * afterclap - (n.; archaic) a child born long after its siblings (possibly from Scots efterclap )
 * agin - (prep.) against (from Scots agin )
 * aht - (many uses) out
 * ahten - (v.) turn out
 * ahr - (n.) hour
 * Ahia - (n.) Ohio
 * aks, ax, axe - (v.) ask (from Scots aks/ax )
 * aloose - (adj.) untied
 * anent - (prep.; archaic) opposite (from Scots anent )
 * antic, anticky - (adj.; archaic) odd, full of tricks (from Ulster-Scots antic )
 * arahn - (prep./adv.) around
 * ascared - (adj.) scared (possibly of Scots origin)
 * algerine - (v.; archaic) to unlawfully cut timber on another's property
 * alunamin - (n.) aluminum
 * arn - (n.) iron (from Scots airn )
 * arsle - (v.; archaic) to sit unquietly (form of assle)
 * artheritis - (n.) arthritis
 *  'at  - (contr.) that (from Scots  'at  )

B
 * babushka - (n.) headscarf (from Russian ба́бушка )
 * backsie, baachie - (adj.; archaic) filthy (from Scots bach )
 * bawdy - (n.; archaic) a person (from Scots body )
 * bawsie - (n.; archaic) a white faced horse or cow, a favorite name for a pet cow (from Scots bawsey )
 * bawtty - (n.; archaic) a girl's backside
 * beal - (v.; archaic) fester, suppurate (from Scots beal )
 * behint - (prep./adv.) behind (from Scots behint
 * belling - (n.) noisy wedding celebration (Appalachian Ohio, West Virginia, Western PA)
 * berm - (n.) edge of the road, curb: an accepted alternative to "shoulder of the road"
 * betwixt - (prep./adv.) between (from Scots betwixt )
 * bitzle (n.) piece of dirt on the floor (Possibly of Pennsylvania German origin)
 * blackie - (n.; archaic) small pot for cooking
 * boal - (n.) a small press or cupboard in the wall (from Scots boal )
 * brahn - (n./adj.) brown
 * brickle - (adj.; archaic) brittle ; changeable, uncertain (from Scots bruckle )
 * brudder - (n.) brother (possibly of Hiberno-English origin)
 * bubbly-jawck - (n.; archaic) the gobbler of a turkey (from Scots bubbly-jock )
 * buggy - (n.) shopping cart
 * baby buggy - (n.) baby carriage
 * bull-driver - (n.; archaic) a farmer from the back country
 * bunty, bunny - (n.; archaic) a tailless fowl (from Scots bunty )
 * da 'Burgh - (n.) Pittsburgh
 * butterbread - (n.) bread with butter (from Pennsylvania German butterbrot )

C
 * cahch - (n.) couch
 * cahnny - (n.) county
 * camra - (n.) camera (widespread)
 * canty, canny - (adj.; archaic) merry, talkative (from Scots canty )
 * carbon oil - (n.; archaic) kerosene
 * carbarn - (n.; archaic) streetcar depot
 * carline - (n.; archaic) streetcar line
 * cats-heads - (n.; archaic) breasts
 * caw - (v.) call (from Scots caw )
 * cawg - (n.; archaic) small wooden cup or dish (from Scots cog )
 * cawidge - (n.) college
 * cawntrary, cawntrairy - (adj.; archaic) wilful, unreliable (possibly of Scots origin)
 * cawt-betty - (n.; archaic) a man fond of women's work (possibly of Scots origin)
 * chancy - (adj.; archaic) fortunate, good-natured (from Scots chancy )
 * chimley - (n.) chimney (from Scots chimley )
 * chipped ham - (n.) very thinly sliced chopped ham loaf for sandwiches (from a local brand name)
 * city chicken - (n.) cubes of pork loin and/or veal on a short wooden skewer, breaded, then fried or baked
 * clahd - (n.) cloud
 * clahdy - (adj'') cloudy
 * clicker - (n.) remote control
 * clip - (n.; archaic) a mischievous girl (from Scots clip )
 * clipe - (n.; archaic) a blow with a club (from Scots clipe )
 * comb - (n.; archaic) crest of a hill, mountain, or ridge (possibly from Scots kame )
 * conniption - (n.; archaic) fit of anger
 * cooser - (n.; archaic) stallion (from Scots cooser )
 * crick - (n.) creek
 * croppie - (n.; archaic) girl with bobbed hair
 * crud - (n.) curd (from Scots crud )
 * crudd(l)ed melk - (n.) cottage cheese
 * crusie - (n.; archaic) a small oil lamp (from Scots crusie )
 * cucky - (adj.) yucky
 * cumpny - (n.) company
 * cupboard - (n.; archaic) closet
 * cutty - (adj.; archaic) short (from Scots cutty )

D
 * dahn - (many uses) down
 * dahnstreet - (adv.) downstreet
 * dahntahn - (n./adj.) downtown
 * dawll baby - (n.) complimentary term for an attractively childlike girl or woman (reversal of "baby doll")
 * dawnsie - (adj; archaic) lightheaded; giddy; weak (from Scots donsie )
 * dawtie - (n.; archaic) a sweetheart, darling, or favorite (from Scots dautie )
 * deil - (n.; archaic) devil (from Scots deil )
 * dennis(t) - (n.) dentist
 * de(v)il('s) strip - (n.) strip of grass between the street and sidewalk (Akron, Youngstown, parts of Western PA)
 * diamon(d) - (n.; archaic) town square (possibly of Scots origin)
 * dinge - (n.) a dent (from Scots dinge )
 * dippy - (adj.) appropriate for dipping into, such as gravy, coffee, egg yolks, etc.
 * disremember (v.; archaic) to forget (from Scots disremember )
 * dornick - (n.; archaic) a round stone picked up in fields to throw at cattle (from Ulster-Scots dornick )
 * doubletree - (n.; archaic) a crossbar or pair of crossbars on the front of a wagon or plow (from Ulster-Scots doubletree )
 * dour - (adj; archaic) difficult, hard to manage (from Scots dour )
 * drooth, drawth - (n.; archaic) drought (from Scots drooth )
 * dupa - (n.) a person's backside, usually a child's (from Polish dupa )
 * drug - past tense and participle of drag

E
 * Eltoona - (n.) Altoona
 * elum - (n.) elm
 * end - (v.) end
 * et - (v.) simple past tense and past participle of eat (ate and eaten respectively)

F
 * fahr - (n.) fire
 * famly - (n.) family
 * favor - (v.; archaic) to resemble (from Scots favour )
 * fell - (v.) fail
 * fernent, fernenst, ferninst - (prep.; archaic) against, in contact with anything (from Scots forenent, forenenst, forninst'' )
 * fetch - (n.; archaic) a spirit that fortells death (from Hiberno-English fetch )
 * fey - (adj.; archaic) doomed to death or calamity (from Scots fey )
 * filled - (n.) field
 * filum - (n.) film (from Scots filum )
 * finely (adv.) finally (shared with some other American dialects)
 * flahr - (n.) flour, flower
 * flit - (v.; archaic) to move to a new house (from Scots flit )
 * footery - (adj.; archaic) flimsy, insignificant, comtemptible (from Scots footer'' )

G
 * gad - (n.; archaic) whip (from Ulster-Scots gad )
 * gallavant - (v.; archaic) to wander idly; to move about in search of a good time
 * gawb - (n.) whoopie pie
 * gawm - (v.) to smear, make sticky, muddy, dirty, or greasy; to disarrange, make untidy (Appalachia)
 * gawmmed up - (adj.) sticky, muddy, dirty, or greasy (Appalachia)
 * gawndola - (n.) trash can/bin
 * git - (n.) get (Appalachia, Southern US, AAVE; possibly of Scots origin)
 * gilly, gillie - (n.; archaic) an easily led person, a fool (from Scots gilly-gawkie )
 * glakid - (adj.; archaic) stupid (from Scots glakit )
 * glede - (n.; archaic) a red-hot coal (from Scots glede )
 * graip - (n.; archaic) pitchfork (from Scots graip )
 * grawj - (n.) garage
 * grinnie - (n.) chipmunk
 * gumban - (n.) rubber band;  elastic fastener
 * gutchies, unnergutchies - (n.) term used to describe undergarments of any variety (of Hungarian origin)
 * gype - (n.; archaic) a fool (from Scots gype )

H
 * hahse - (n.) house
 * hahscome, hahs-come - (adv.) why
 * hait - (n.; archaic) a matter of no consequence (from Scots hait )
 * han - (n.) hand (from Scots han )
 * hap - (n.) comfort; or, comforter or quilt (from Scots hap )
 * hisself - (pron.) himself
 * hoagie - (n.) a submarine sandwich (Philadelphia, Central PA, Western PA)
 * hunk, hunky - (n./adj.) an ethnic slur used to refer to labourers from Central Europe (not considered derogatory when used by the people themselves)
 * hunnert, hunnerd, hunderd - (num.) hundred (from Scots hunert, hunderd )
 * hutch - (n.) chest of drawers (possibly from Scots hutch )

I
 * icebawx - (n.) refrigerator, freezer
 * iggle - (n.) eagle
 * ignernt - (adj.) ignorant
 * ill - (n.) eel
 * innernet - (n.) internet
 * in-unner - (prep.; archaic) underneath, below (from Scots in unner )
 * Itly - (n.'') Italy
 * Itahyin - (adj.) Italian

J
 * jag - (v.) to prick, stab, or jab; to tease (from Scots jag )
 * jagger - (n./adj.) any small, sharp-pointed object or implement, usually thorns (from Scots jagger )
 * jaggerbush - (n.) briar
 * jagawff - (n.) stupid, inept, irritating, or contemptible person
 * jag awff - (v.) to annoy, irritate, play tricks on; to disparage; to reject
 * jes(t) - (adj./adv.) just (from Scots jest )
 * jestice - (n.) justice (see jes(t) above for origin)
 * jimmies - (n.) sprinkles (Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New England)
 * jumbo - (n.) bologna

K
 * keller - (n./v.) color
 * ketch - (v.) catch (often regarded as a widespread alternative pronunciation)
 * kirtle - (n.; archaic) petticoat (from Scots kirtle )
 * kist - (n.; archaic) chest or locker (from Scots kist )
 * Klawndike - (n.) any kind of ice cream bar (from a local brand name)
 * kolbawssi, kilbawssi - (n.) variant pronunciation of kielbasa

L
 * lectric - (n./adj.) electricity, electric
 * lenth - (n.) length (from Scots lenth )
 * livergrown - (adj.; archaic) having an enlargement or adhesion of the liver
 * lookit - (v.) look at

M
 * mawss - (n.; archaic) swamp or bog (from Scots moss )
 * mayzhure - (n./v.) measure
 * mel - (n./adj.) mail, male
 * melk - (n.) milk
 * mill - (n.) meal
 * monkey bawll - (n.) fruit of the Maclura pomifera or monkey ball tree
 * muley - (n.; archaic) hornless cow (from Ulster-Scots moily )
 * mum - (n.) mom (Commonwealth, New England, Appalachia)
 * mudder - (n.) mother (possibly of Hiberno-English origin)

N
 *  n'at, an 'at  - (general extender) and that (of Scots origin)
 * nawb - (adj.; archaic) fine, showy, swell looking (from Scots knab )
 * neb - (v.) to pry into a conversation or argument intrusively or impertinently (from Scots neb )
 * neb aht - (v.) to mind one's own business
 * neb-nose or nebby-nose (obscene form: nebshit) - (n.) the kind of person who is always poking into people's affairs; inquisitive person
 * nebby - (adj.) given to prying into the affairs of others;  inquisitive

O
 * onest - (adv.) once
 * ornery - (adj.) stubborn, disagreeable (Appalachia)
 * orrnj - (n./adj.) orange

P
 * paht - (v.) pout
 * pahn - (n./v.) pound
 * pahr - (n./v./adj.) power
 * patayta - (n.) potato
 * peanit - (n.) peanut
 * Pennsyvania - (n.) Pennsylvania
 * poke - (n.; archaic) bag, sack (from Scots poke )
 * parking chair - (n.) a chair placed in the street to reserve a parking space (unique to Pittsburgh)
 * Picksburg, Pixburg (n.) - Pittsburgh
 * pitcher (n.) picture
 * piece - (n.; archaic) snack (from Scots piece )
 * pismire, piss meyer - (n.; archaic) ant, winged ant (from Scots pishmire )
 * pome - (n.) poem
 * poorly - (adj.; archaic) failing in health, 'going down hill' (from Ulster-Scots poorly )
 * poor mahth - (v.; archaic) to discant on one's poverty (from Scots poor mouth/mooth )
 * pawp - (n.) soda (Western PA, Midwestern US, Canada, parts of Britain; possibly of Scots origin)
 * prahd - (adj.) proud
 * progrim - (n./v.) program

Q
 * qourt - (n.) quart

R
 * rahdiator - (n.) radiator
 * rair - (v.; archaic) to be terribly angry or excited (from Scots rair )
 * redd up - (v.) to clean up, tidy up  (from Scots redd )
 * redd-up - (n.) cleanup
 * reek - (n.; archaic) smoke, fumes from cooking (from Scots reek )
 * rel - (n.) rail
 * relation - (n.) relative
 * revren(d), revrent - (adj.; archaic) extreme; extraordinary, powerful
 * rift - (v.; archaic) to belch (from Scots rift )
 * rill - (adj./adv.) real
 * rinch - (v.; archaic) to rinse (from Scots rench )
 * rinch tub - (n.; archaic) utility sink/laundry tub
 * roarer - (n.; archaic) broken-winded horse (from Ulster-Scots roarer )
 * rubbidge - (n.; archaic) rubbish
 * ruff - (n.) roof
 * run - (n.) a small creek (Western PA, Eastern Ohio, West Virginia, Western Maryland; from Scots rin )

S
 * saft - (adj.; archaic) weak, silly, characterless (from Scots saft )
 * sahr - (n./v./adj.) sour
 * sahn - (n./v.) sound
 * sammitch, sammich - (n.) sandwich
 * scape - (n.; archaic) beehive (from Scots skep )
 * schull - (n./v.) school
 * scrunt - (n.; archaic) anything shrunken, stunted or worn down by usage, age, etc (from Scots scrunt )
 * scrunty - (adj.; archaic) stunted or worn down (see scrunt above for origin)
 * severals - (n.; archaic) several (from Ulster-Scots severals )
 * shahr - (n./v.) shower
 * shoofly pie - (n.) mollases pie
 * skift - (n.; archaic) a passing fall of snow (from Scots skift )
 * skitters - (n.) diarrhea (regional?; from Scots skitter )
 * skite, skyt - (v.; archaic) to go or leave quickly (from Scots skite, skyt(e) )
 * slew - (n.) a large quantity or amount of something (originally regional, now widespread)
 * slippy - (adj.) slippery (from Scots slippy )
 * snake doctor, snake feeder - (n.) dragonfly (Western PA, Midland, South)
 * spahting - (n.) eaves (from Ulster-Scots spouting )
 * spicket - (n.) alternate pronunciation of spigot, specifically an outdoor faucet used to connect to a garden hose (of Scots origin)
 * spilly pahl - (n.) spoil tip
 * sputzee - (n.) any kind of small bird (possibly of Pennsylvania German origin)
 * spreckled - (adj.; archaic) spotted, speckled (from Scots spreckled )
 * sprucie - (n.) frizzle (a breed of chicken)
 * stawb - (n.; archaic) a dead hemlock tree (from Scots stob )
 * still - (n.) steel
 * strenth - (n.) strength (from Scots strenth )
 * su'm - (n.) something
 * sweeper - (n.) vacuum cleaner (Western PA, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan; from carpet sweeper)

T
 * tahn - (n.) town
 * thahsan(d) - (num.) thousand
 * through-other - (adj.; archaic) untidy, disorganized (from Scots throuither )
 * tamayta - (n.) tomato
 * tawssle cap - (n.) knit hat designed to provide warmth in cold weather
 * telepole, tellypole - (contr.) telephone pole
 * temprature gauge - (n.) thermometer
 * til, till - (prep.; archaic) to (common in infinitives and expressions of time; from Scots til, till )
 * trayzhure - (n.) treasure
 * trick - (n.) a job shift (as used in West-Central Pennsylvania)
 * twunny (num.) twenty (from alternate pronunciation of Scots twinty )

U
 * ungion - (n.) onion (possibly from Scots ingan or Hiberno-English)
 * ungion snow - (n.; archaic) early spring snow (Western and south central PA; of Pennsylvania German origin )
 * unner - (prep.) under (from Scots unner )
 * usquebaugh - (n.; archaic) whiskey (from Scots usquebaugh )

V
 * vaunty - (adj.; archaic) boastful (from Scots vauntie )

W
 * wha - (contr.) what (in fast speech)
 * well - (n.) whale
 * wer - (contr.) we're
 * we uns, we unz, we'uns, we'unz - (pron.; somewhat archaic) we (from Scots  we'uns  )
 * whinge - (v.; archaic) to whine (from Scots whinge )
 * whistle pig - (n.) groundhog
 * winda - (n.) window
 * winner - (n.) winter
 * wit - (prep.) with
 * worsh - (v.) wash
 * worter - (n./v.) water
 * wuff - (n.) wolf

Y
 * ya - (pron.) you (without emphasis)
 * yawnder - (adv.; archaic) over there
 * yer - you're; your ( of Scots origin)
 * yella - (n./adj.) yellow
 * yins, yinz, yunz, you'uns, or youns - (pron.) plural of you (from Scots  uou'uns  )
 * yinz guys - (pron.) plural form of you (a relatively new term, from a combination of you guys and yinz)
 * yinzer - (n.) a resident of Pittsburgh; a native speaker of Pittsburghese
 * yinzes - (adj.) your
 * yoeder - (n.) colloquial term for an Amish person or Mennonite (from the Swiss surname Yoder)
 * yoeder toeter - (n.) large van Amish people use to travel long distances

Z
 * zackly - (adv.) exactly
 * zapper - (n.) remote control

Phrases

 * An aw - used in multiple ways. This phrase is typical of Scottish English and Scots. See for uses
 * Deil's own buckie - one of the devil's kind (archaic)
 * Fer to, fer til - in order to; for; to (archaic)
 * Kennywood's open - idiom used to inform someone that their fly is open ("Kennywood" referring to the Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania)
 * That's it Fort Pitt! - task completed, case closed, end of discussion (originated from a local beer slogan)

Notes from creator
I know that some of these sources may not be the most reliable, but they're the best we've got for the dialect. I have tried to sort through them and get rid of ridiculous words. Some of these sources may be primary sources, so they must always be taken with a grain of salt. I have also used my own firsthand experience to back up some of my entries, which may not be the best thing to do. I have tried my very best to create a useful word list that anyone can use and learn from. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to contact me. CanadianToast (talk) 00:37, 22 December 2020 (UTC)