Yo! Wanna Talk Like a Philadelphian? - Brief Article

Information Outlook, Jan, 2000

Before embarking on any trip it is always important to learn about the area's venues and language. That way the locals can understand you and vice versa.

It was once said that England and the United States are two countries separated by a common language. This article will attempt to provide you with a brief overview of the idiosyncracies of the Philadelphia version of English to make your stay during the conference an even more enjoyable one.

The most eye-opening thing to me as I began my research was the realization that growing up in the 'burbs hadn't really changed the basic city speech patterns. You can take the Philadelphian outta da city, butcha can't take the city outta da Philadelphian. The more I read, the more I realized that the accent that I thought I was sublimating was lurking everywhere in my speech.

To begin, we may as well mention the most well known ones first so you have lots of time to practice them before you arrive. While being known for talking quickly and swallowing letters in the oddest parts of words, there are certain multisyllabic words which we like to give more than their just due.

Read the following sentence aloud:

Anymore, Philadelphians have the attitude that they live in a beautiful municipal area.

To speak proper Philadelphian, it would be pronounced:

Anymore, Philuhdelfins have the ad-dy-tude that they live in a bee-you-di-ful myun-ee-sip-al area.

Everyone's become familiar with the infamous "Yo" thanks to Rocky Balboa. But, there are some equally important phrases for you to use which are best illustrated by this deep conversation:

Yo! Wha's supp? G'eet? No. G'ew? No. 'squeet.

Translation: Yo! What's up? Did you eat? No. Did you? No. Let's go eat.

One article I read really surprised me not because it pointed out unique pronunciations, but because I didn't realize that they were unique. The author provided a list of unusual ways we say the following words:

Powell Avenue Pal Avenue

Towel Tal

Mayor Mare

Eagles Iggles

Legal Liggle

I look forward to many attendees visiting our hospitality booth to explain how else these words could possibly be pronounced!

I was going to end with an explanation of the Philadelphia O (try pronouncing home as heouwm for the nearest approximation) but some things you just have to experience for yourself.

So, now, fully armed with your Philadelphian Lexicon, you're ready for June. To close with our mantra: Philadelphia!! Youse comin' or wha'?

And to keep your bearings while strolling downtown, remember the mnemonic:

My Cat Sam Won't Like Soft Pretzels

It's the main streets in Philly: Market, Chestnut, Sansom, Walnut, Locust, Spruce and Pine Streets.

                                Food Terms
Philadelphianism         Translation
wardder                  water
hoagie                   submarine; hero sandwich
taffy                    lollipop
scrapple                 no known equivalent
                         in the universe
Ackamee                  Acme where you
                         buy the food
Geographical Terms
Down the Shore           the New Jersey shore
(as in "Are ya goin'     communities
down the shore this
weekend?)
the Boulevard            Roosevelt Boulevard
the Ridge                Ridge Avenue
the Blue Route           Route 476
the Clothes Pin          Sculpture located at
                         15th & Market.
                         Official name is "The Kiss"
East River Drive         now called Kelly Drive
but no Philadelphian
worth their salt can
remember whether they
renamed the East or West
River Drive
Two Street               2nd Street - Home of the
                         Mummers where you do
                         "The Strut"
crick                    Creek
payment                  pavement or sidewalk