What is a "Yinzer"? (Pittsburgh: employers, accent, accept)

[irishvan]

Originally Posted by Caladium

SCR, since you've said several times that you want to run for city council, perhaps the most important definition you need to know is: Yinzers are voters.

WAIT!! is this true??? You want to run for City Council???? Let's hear a little about your platform and changes you will make!!

[ditchdigger]

Yinzers are....


...easily drawn into pointless, protracted discussions about what Yinzers are.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

Yinzers are....


...easily drawn into pointless, protracted discussions about what Yinzers are.

Cool, that makes me a yinzer. So free beer for me, right?

[raubre]

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

Yinzers are....


...easily drawn into pointless, protracted discussions about what Yinzers are.

That narrows it down to....

all of us...

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Cool, that makes me a yinzer. So free beer for me, right?

I want some free beer! I turned 21 yesterday.

[ML North]

For what it's worth, I work with a couple of PhD scientists that grew up in places like Swissvale who say yinz, 'nat, and dahn 'ner. I really don't think it's a function of wealth, or education, or anything else of the sort.

New Yorkers say "cwafee", Texans say "ya'll", Canadians say "a boat", and Pittsburghers say "lemme ride ya dahn tahn." I think that's just about all there is to it, and I really have a hard time understanding why some people have such a difficult time accepting that.

And that being said, if there does come a day when you can no longer have a conversation with a complete stranger in some random part of the world and not immediately be able to tell that he's from Pittsburgh, I'll be disappointed.

[WINDCHIMES]

Thank you ML...a voice of reason! Thanks!

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by ML North

For what it's worth, I work with a couple of PhD scientists that grew up in places like Swissvale who say yinz, 'nat, and dahn 'ner. I really don't think it's a function of wealth, or education, or anything else of the sort.

New Yorkers say "cwafee", Texans say "ya'll", Canadians say "a boat", and Pittsburghers say "lemme ride ya dahn tahn." I think that's just about all there is to it, and I really have a hard time understanding why some people have such a difficult time accepting that.

And that being said, if there does come a day when you can no longer have a conversation with a complete stranger in some random part of the world and not immediately be able to tell that he's from Pittsburgh, I'll be disappointed.

Well said. This deserves a rep boost.

[ML North]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I've done seems to imply that a "yinzer" is a socially regressive type of person who resists progress, holds the area back, is loud and boorish in public, has an obssession with the Steelers, is a chain-smoker, loves free beer, etc.

That's a "jagoff."

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I blurted this out at the husband of the woman who totaled my vehicle on 09/29 as he got in my face harassing me, and he was quite offended to be called that, which is why I also assumed "yinzer" had a negative connotation.

Well, when arguing with someone, you can typically yell "You ______ !" and it will most likely be taken as an insult. Probably even if the person you're insulting has never even heard the word.

EDIT: And if you really want to insult someone, do it right. "Prick", "****in' prick", "stupid ****in' prick" -- all options. "Yinzer" not so much.

[BrianTH]

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).