PA dialect question

[Embraer]

i grew up with lots of people who spoke like that. the one that still gets under my skin....

"put that up." instead of "put that away."

unless the object is being physically being placed at a higher elevation, it's not being put up. it's being put away.

and yes, people in northern indiana would always say something "needs fixed" "needs painted" "needs planted" etc

[Tim Walsh]

My wife's from the Pocono's and they speak like that... Someone even made a website dedicated to it.

Coal Region of Pennsylvania

[R K T]

I just moved to Arkansas.....

Ya'll fixin ta git reddy? Ya caint do that rat now. Boy I tell you somthin. That'l go for a fair-thee-well! I'll carry you to the store, if'n ya want.

[dennis in se pa]

My ancestors are from the "coal region" - Tamaqua specifically. My grandfather was a coal miner. I live in Reading, PA, not far away. When I go up there for whatever reason I notice the people are extremely "guarded" until I let them know my family is from the area. Then it's like "old home" week. Interesting people. Good people.
That coal region link Tim put up will keep you entertained for awhile.

[masraum]

Living in the Northeast would definitely require a long period of adjustment. The accents and dialects up there, PA, NY, NJ, MA, etc..., drive me bonkers.

[Lothar]

Typical conversation:

A: Jeet?

B: No, Jew?

A: Oh, yizzle hafta call when ur dun.

[pmajka]

YouTube - Philly Tawk: The Phluphian Dialect

[dennis in se pa]

"The accents and dialects up there, PA, NY, NJ, MA, etc..., drive me bonkers."

Accent? What accent?
When I lived in California my co workers knew I was from the PA Dutch part of PA by my accent, they said. I never realized i had an accent until then.

It's the "Philwy","New Joysey" and "Baastin" accents that drive me nuts.

[Taz's Master]

There is no "b" nor is there an "l" in the word chimney, neither is there an "r" in the word wash.

[imcarthur]

And there is a second D in didn't.

My Canadian-born father picked up the R in Washington during our stint in DC. He kept it for the rest of his life.

Ian

[Tim Walsh]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

My ancestors are from the "coal region" - Tamaqua specifically. My grandfather was a coal miner. I live in Reading, PA, not far away. When I go up there for whatever reason I notice the people are extremely "guarded" until I let them know my family is from the area. Then it's like "old home" week. Interesting people. Good people.
That coal region link Tim put up will keep you entertained for awhile.

HA! My wife's from Coaldale, the next town over from Tamaqua

[sammyg2]

Wierd. I spent several weeks working in the Lancaster area and never noticed anyone talking differently.
Maybe I wasn't paying attention to it or something.

[Rick Lee]

East, west and central PA have different dialects. Philly's is very distinctive and it extends almost up to Wilkes Barre. Central PA is not too distinctive, but they do have that R in "Washington." Listen to Newt Gingrich say "Washington." He grew up in central PA. Pittsburgh is totally different. I would say the dialect is dying out a little, since Pittsburgh has become a more cosmopolitan city. When I started college there in 1989, it had just shed its steel mill town image and was starting to become a modern, corporate city. Now they have a new airport and a lot of international companies there. So the true blue Yinzers are a little harder to find.

[R K T]

The letter "R" seems to be the big problem.....
They either add the letter where it doesn't belong, warsh, sawr, Hondar or leave it out completely, pahk the cah outside the bah.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by R K T

The letter "R" seems to be the big problem.....
They either add the letter where it doesn't belong, warsh, sawr, Hondar or leave it out completely, pahk the cah outside the bah.

That's more of a NE and MA thing. I'm thinking of the Kennedy way of saying "Cuber" instead of Cuba. Central PA is not that odd of a dialect.

[Eric Hahl]

I don't know what yinz all say up air in Valhalla, but down ear in Johnstown we tenda blur sumwerds.

I moved West about 25 years ago, it's fun talking on the phone with my parents and family still in the area, hearing the SW PA accent. I think I miss it.

[targa911S]

I say "ya'll" but then i'm from Floriduh. My wife is from here but as an airline brat, she has lived all over the U.S. and has lost all the W. PA speak.
I made pot of ham and black bean soup with some yellow rice one day and took it into the shop I work at here. They were very cautious until one guy took the leap. Then once he said it was good, the finished the pot. Some day I'll try shrimp and grits.

[masraum]

"What's a grit?". Hahahaha.

Black beans and yellow rice, yummy.

Yeah, I've never understood adding letters where they don't exist. There's a road here in Houston named kuykendahl. They pronounce it kirk-in-doll. Where in the he'll did the "r" come from?

Aothermgood speech oddity, the silent "h". "That thing is ewe-j.". "uman being"

Or the ghetto pronunciations of ask and Buick.
How about, "let me aks you a question about your bruick."

I say ya'll which doesn't bother me. Also, since I've moved to Houston, I've started saying "howdy" and I can't stop myself.

[mossguy]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

My ancestors are from the "coal region" - Tamaqua specifically. My grandfather was a coal miner. I live in Reading, PA, not far away. When I go up there for whatever reason I notice the people are extremely "guarded" until I let them know my family is from the area. Then it's like "old home" week. Interesting people. Good people.
That coal region link Tim put up will keep you entertained for awhile.

I'm from New Philly. Maybe I know your grandfather.

Best,
Tom

[drcoastline]

I'm from "down the shore" my accent has a little philly some joisey wit-a-tuch a New Yawk threwn in.