Pittsburgh Dialect

[Patti J. Kurtz]

I'm doing a research project on the dialect of Pittsburgh and western
Pennsylvania and would appreciate any information particularly about
studies that have been done on this dialect in the areas of lexical
variation (vocabulary) and/or syntactical variation.  I am also
interested in anyone with theories or any published theories about the
origins of some of the terms and syntax of Pittsburgh's dialect and
possible ties to the variety of languages spoken by those who first
immigrated to the area (Germans, Hungarian etc.).  Have any studies been
done to determine ethnic origins or lexical terms or syntax?

I have viewed the "popular" web sites and books on "Pittsburghese" but
am hoping to locate some more scholarly sources of information on this
dialect.

My private e mail is kurtpatt at isu.edu and I am a doctoral student in
English writing a paper for a graduate level dialects class.  Any help
you can give me would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Patti Kurtz