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Old 12-09-2011, 04:33 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
6,327 posts, read 9,097,627 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
I also think some people have an irrational amount of shame when it comes to the Pittsburgh dialect (the South does this right--they are very proud of their "y'alls" these days).
I think it's because of people not familiar with this area, "intellectuals", and hipsters who characterize people who say yinz as "dumb hicks".
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Old 12-09-2011, 04:35 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bradjl2009 View Post
I think it's because of people not familiar with this area, "intellectuals", and hipsters who characterize people who say yinz as "dumb hicks".
In part, but I have heard the strongest condemnation of the Pittsburgh dialect from natives telling stories of their mothers washing their mouths out with soap (or some such) if they dared to use it.

You can argue about the conventional nature of language and equal validity of regional dialects all you want, but you can't argue with their memories of Mom.
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Old 12-09-2011, 04:37 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
In part, but I have heard the strongest condemnation of the Pittsburgh dialect from natives telling stories of their mothers washing their mouths out with soap (or some such) if they dared to use it.
That's interesting. My parents never said anything like that about saying yinz, but my mom always said saying "jagoff" was forbidden when she was growing up.
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Old 12-09-2011, 04:40 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bradjl2009 View Post
That's interesting. My parents never said anything like that about saying yinz, but my mom always said saying "jagoff" was forbidden when she was growing up.
The biggest sticking point seems to be grammar issues (some people are willing to accept that terminology is conventional, but not grammar).
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Old 12-09-2011, 04:53 PM
 
Location: ɥbɹnqsʇʇıd
4,599 posts, read 6,684,453 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
I also think some people have an irrational amount of shame when it comes to the Pittsburgh dialect (the South does this right--they are very proud of their "y'alls" these days).
I admittedly am one of them. I've pretty much eliminated all of my Yinzer dialect on purpose. I wouldn't say it was out of shame though, but more along the lines of most employers will immediately dismiss you as a hick if you talk like that during an interview. Believe me, only open minded HR people find it endearing, and their ain't too many of those.
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Old 12-09-2011, 04:55 PM
 
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The key is to switch back and forth depending on your audience (something humans can do naturally).
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Old 12-09-2011, 05:00 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
6,327 posts, read 9,097,627 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
The key is to switch back and forth depending on your audience (something humans can do naturally).
I agree. Afterall, no one talks around certain people the same way as others.
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Old 12-09-2011, 07:23 PM
 
Location: Troy Hill, The Pitt
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At worst they're urban rednecks, which is usually what I utilize the term to describe.

Could also describe people who are from the area and have THE accent.

Nothing wrong with it really. I don't get pissy when people refer to me as being a hillbilly (being from WV although I lack the local accent from there), so I don't get why people don't laugh about it and utilize it as a term of endearment.
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Old 12-09-2011, 07:24 PM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SammyKhalifa View Post
My neighbor.
Sorry, but that was a funny one.
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Old 12-09-2011, 07:28 PM
 
249 posts, read 801,235 times
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Had to look it up, but I know now that the OP is probably attached to the word 'yinzer' because ii is easier to type that ....'a person who speaks Pittsburghese'.

People, let's do away with the labels, thank you.
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