Growing up in Pennsylvania, I never realized how the slang of Pennsylvania differs depending on the location. I grew up on the eastern side of Pennsylvania towards Philadelphia. It wasn’t until I moved out towards the Pittsburgh area for college that I realized that slang differs.
1. POP!
The thing I didn’t realize is that in the western area of Pennsylvania, they call soda POP. So, if you are out to eat they usually will say they have pop.
2. Buggy
A buggy in western Pennsylvania is a shopping cart, not an Amish horse-drawn carriage or a dune buggy. When someone at Walmart says to grab a buggy, it means grab them a shopping cart for their goods.
3. Tennis Shoes
Tennis shoes is just another name for shoes in western Pennsylvania. I have always been used to just calling them shoes or sneakers.
4. Chipped Chopped Ham
It is thinly sliced ham that chunks together used for sandwiches. I still have never had chipped chopped ham, but I have a lot people vouched that it is good.
5. Yins
Yins is a substitute for the slag "y'all." Someone would say how are yins doing or what can I do for yins.
6. Stillers
The NFL team that is from Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Steelers. They say Stillers instead of Steelers, which I found rather odd.
7. Cucky
This word describes something that is disgusting in nature. Someone would say that this drink is cucky.
8. Jaggerbush
A Jaggerbush is a bush with thorns. I personally have just called them thorn bush or a pricker bush.
9. Gobs
A gob is a cake-like sandwich with icing in the middle. Back where I am from, they are formally called Whoopie Pies and western Pennsylvania is the only place that I have heard the name gobs.
10. Yinzer
A yinzer is someone who uses yins in their basic vocabulary. So, if you say yins a lot then that means you are a yinzer. I haven’t met a yinzer yet, but hopefully, I will someday.
