Chicago-speak
awilliams
258 Posts
As a Yankee outcast here in Tennessee, I very much appreciated this dictionary of Chicagoese that I received today. I was rolling on the floor laughing. All you Chicagoans out there surely must agree that this is dead on right. I'd give anything for a beef sammich right about now - I'd even eat it out in the grach.
How to speak Chicagoese .. (enjoy it - have to read aloud!!
I dare you)
1. Grachki (grach'-key):
is Chicago for "Garage Key" as in, "Yo, Theresa,waja do wit da
grachki? Howmy supposta cut da grass if don't git intada grach?''
2. Uptadaendada (up-ta-da-en'-dada):
as in, "Joey, you kin ride yur bike uptadaendada alley but not acrost or
I'll bust yur butt..."
3. Sammich.
Chicagoese for sandwich. When made with sausage, it's a sassage sammich;
with shredded beef, it's an Italian beef sammich, a local delicacy
consisting of piles of spicy meat in a perilously soggy bun.
4. Da.
The definite article is a key part of Chicago speech, as in "da tree
bears" or "da Mare"-- the latter denoting, for as long as he wants it to,
Richard M. Daley, or Richie, as he's often known.
5. Jewels.
Not family heirlooms or a tender body region, but a popular appellation
for one of the region's dominant grocery chains, to wit, "I'm goin' to da
Jewels to pick up
some sassage." As in most Chicago pluralizations, the "S" is pronounced
with a hissing sound, rather than the usual "Z" sound of American
pluralization.
6. Field's:
Marshall Field, a prominent Chicago department store. Also Carson Pirie
Scott, a major department store chain, is called "Carson's," etc.
7. Tree.
The number between two and fuh. "We were lucky dat we only got tree
inches of snow da udder night!
8. Prairie.
A vacant lot, especially one on which weeds are growing.
9. Over by dere.
i.e. "over by there," a prolix way of emphasizing a site presumed
familiar to the listener. As in, "I got the sassage at da Jewels down on Kedzie,
over by dere."
10. Kaminski Park.
Perhaps the high concentration of ethnic Poles makes people want the
White Sox to be playing in this mythical ballpark, rather than in their true
home, Comiskey Park.
11. Frunchroom
as in, "Getottada frunchroom wit dose muddy shoes. ''It's not the
"parlor." It's not the "living room." In the land of the bungalow, it's the
"frunchroom," a named derived, linguists believe, from "front room."
12. Use.
Not the verb, but the plural pronoun "you". "Where's use goin'?"
13. Downtown.
Anywhere south of the zoo and north of Soldier Field near the lake.
14. Boys Town:
A section on Halsted Ave., between Belmont and Addison, which is lined
with gay bars on the west and east sides of the street. "Didn't I see use in
Boys town in front of da Manhole?"
15. Braht:
Short for Bratwurst. "Gimme a braht wit kraut"
16. Cashbox:
Traffic reporter slang for tollbooths. "Dere's a delay at da cashbox on
da Skyway."
17. Goes:
Past or present tense of the verb "say." For example, "Then he goes, I
like this place!"
18. Guys:
Used when addressing two or more people, regardless of each individual's
gender.
19. Pop:
A soft drink. Don't say "soda" in this town. "What kinda pop you got?"
20. Sliders:
Nickname for hamburgers from White Castle, a popular Midwestern burger
chain.
"Dose sliders I had last night gave me da runs!"
21. The Taste:
The annual Taste of Chicago Festival, a huge extravaganza in Grant Park,
featuring samples of Chicagoland's fine cuisine that takesplace around
and before the Fourth of July holiday.
22. "Jieetyet":
this is used to ask "Did you eat yet?"
23. Winter and Construction:
Punch-line to the joke, "What are the two seasons in Chicago?"
Anne Williams
Former Chicagoan
How to speak Chicagoese .. (enjoy it - have to read aloud!!
I dare you)
1. Grachki (grach'-key):
is Chicago for "Garage Key" as in, "Yo, Theresa,waja do wit da
grachki? Howmy supposta cut da grass if don't git intada grach?''
2. Uptadaendada (up-ta-da-en'-dada):
as in, "Joey, you kin ride yur bike uptadaendada alley but not acrost or
I'll bust yur butt..."
3. Sammich.
Chicagoese for sandwich. When made with sausage, it's a sassage sammich;
with shredded beef, it's an Italian beef sammich, a local delicacy
consisting of piles of spicy meat in a perilously soggy bun.
4. Da.
The definite article is a key part of Chicago speech, as in "da tree
bears" or "da Mare"-- the latter denoting, for as long as he wants it to,
Richard M. Daley, or Richie, as he's often known.
5. Jewels.
Not family heirlooms or a tender body region, but a popular appellation
for one of the region's dominant grocery chains, to wit, "I'm goin' to da
Jewels to pick up
some sassage." As in most Chicago pluralizations, the "S" is pronounced
with a hissing sound, rather than the usual "Z" sound of American
pluralization.
6. Field's:
Marshall Field, a prominent Chicago department store. Also Carson Pirie
Scott, a major department store chain, is called "Carson's," etc.
7. Tree.
The number between two and fuh. "We were lucky dat we only got tree
inches of snow da udder night!
8. Prairie.
A vacant lot, especially one on which weeds are growing.
9. Over by dere.
i.e. "over by there," a prolix way of emphasizing a site presumed
familiar to the listener. As in, "I got the sassage at da Jewels down on Kedzie,
over by dere."
10. Kaminski Park.
Perhaps the high concentration of ethnic Poles makes people want the
White Sox to be playing in this mythical ballpark, rather than in their true
home, Comiskey Park.
11. Frunchroom
as in, "Getottada frunchroom wit dose muddy shoes. ''It's not the
"parlor." It's not the "living room." In the land of the bungalow, it's the
"frunchroom," a named derived, linguists believe, from "front room."
12. Use.
Not the verb, but the plural pronoun "you". "Where's use goin'?"
13. Downtown.
Anywhere south of the zoo and north of Soldier Field near the lake.
14. Boys Town:
A section on Halsted Ave., between Belmont and Addison, which is lined
with gay bars on the west and east sides of the street. "Didn't I see use in
Boys town in front of da Manhole?"
15. Braht:
Short for Bratwurst. "Gimme a braht wit kraut"
16. Cashbox:
Traffic reporter slang for tollbooths. "Dere's a delay at da cashbox on
da Skyway."
17. Goes:
Past or present tense of the verb "say." For example, "Then he goes, I
like this place!"
18. Guys:
Used when addressing two or more people, regardless of each individual's
gender.
19. Pop:
A soft drink. Don't say "soda" in this town. "What kinda pop you got?"
20. Sliders:
Nickname for hamburgers from White Castle, a popular Midwestern burger
chain.
"Dose sliders I had last night gave me da runs!"
21. The Taste:
The annual Taste of Chicago Festival, a huge extravaganza in Grant Park,
featuring samples of Chicagoland's fine cuisine that takesplace around
and before the Fourth of July holiday.
22. "Jieetyet":
this is used to ask "Did you eat yet?"
23. Winter and Construction:
Punch-line to the joke, "What are the two seasons in Chicago?"
Anne Williams
Former Chicagoan
Comments
Wish I could contribute something funny in Oregon-speak, but since we only speak pure, unaccented, American English I don't have anything to add. x;-)
Yous, I say that a hundred times a day. Yous guys want to go to lunch?
Thanks for the laugh!
Anne Williams
Attorney Editor
M. Lee Smith Publishers, LLC
When will the rest of the country come around?
Instead of boat, it's also bo-et.
We eat lots of brats, but I heard some states don't know what brats are, they only have sausages. What a shame for them. Nothing like a Packer game with brats and beer.
Anne Williams
Attorney Editor
M. Lee Smith Publishers, LLC
A water fountain is a form of fancy landscaping in front of a fancy building, eh?
Don, still can't log in from home, huh?
A good one. Initiate. "I took my sister with me to eat. She ate two double cheese burgers, initiate a double order of french fries".