How to speak Chicagoan... (Names play an important part in this, just fyi)

[Frank Abate]

What is interesting to me about these that Lynn HW very usefully sent around
(assuming they are fairly accurate representations), is how much they are
similar to eastern urban blue-collar dialects (say Brooklyn, or South
Philly), but not r-less.  They ARE similar in being th-less.  I smell some
greaseballs.

Frank Abate (half greaseball, so I CAN use the term with near impunity)

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How to speak Chicagoan...
Those of you not from Chicago may find these a bit extreme, but as a
lifelong Chicagoan I assure you they are pretty on target save for some
deviations in socioeconomic factors (education, ethnicity, race,
neighborhood, etc.)

Grachki (grach'-key) as in, "Yo, Theresa, waja do wit da grachki? Howmy
supposta cut da grass if I can't git intada grach?''
(garage key)

Uptadaendada (up-ta-da-en'-dada) as in, "Joey, you kin ride yur bike
uptadaendada alley but not crost or I'll bustyur butt. . . . OK, honey?''
(up to the end of the alley)

Frunchroom (frunch'-room) as in, "Getottada frunchroom wit dose muddy
shoes.''
(front room/living room)

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.


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.


Da Jewels. Not family heirlooms or a tender body region, but a popular
appellation for one of the region's two 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.


Field's: Marshall Field, a prominent Chicago department store: also
Carson Pirie Scott, a major department store chain, is called "Carson's,"
etc.


Tree. The number between two and four. "We were lucky dat we only got tree
inches of snow da udder night"


Prairie. A vacant lot, especially one on which weeds are growing.


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.'


KaminskiPark. 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, ComiskeyPark.


Frunchroom. 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."


Use. Not the verb but the pronoun "you". "Where's use goin'?"


Downtown. Anywhere south of the zoo and north of Soldier Field near the
lake.


The Boot: Short for the Denver Boot (yes, not a purelyChicagoitem), a
nasty yellow metal device that locks a car wheel. Imposed by the city for
repeated, unpaid parking ticket violations. Used in Chicago and other
major metropolitan cities.


Braht: Short for Bratwurst. "gimme a braht wit sourkraut"


Cashbox: Traffic reporter slang for tollbooths. "Dere's a delay at da
cashbox on da Kennedy"


Chi-Town: Nickname for Chicago


Goes: Past or present tense of the verb "say." For example, "He goes, 'you
cheesehead!'"


Guys: Used when addressing two or more people, regardless of each
individual's gender.


The Lincoln Park Pirates: Nickname for Lincoln Towing, who lovingly tow your
car and charge you well over $100 to get it back. "Da pirates got Joeys
car again"


Pop: A soft drink. Don't say "soda" in this town. "what kinda pop you
got?"


Sliders: Nickname for hamburgers from White Castle, a popular Midwestern
burger chain "Dose sliders I had last night gave me da runs"


The Taste: The annual Taste of Chicago Festival, a huge extravaganza in
Grant Park featuring samples of Chicagoland's fine cuisine. Takes place
around and before the Fourth of July holiday.

Top of the Cock: Top of the John Hancock Building.

Windchill Factor: The temperature that the weather actually feels like.

Because of the wind, the temperature may feel colder. As a result, it's
possible to have a temperature of 32F, but strong winds make it feel close
to 0F.

Winter and Construction:
Punchline to the joke, "what are the two seasons in Chicago?

Jieetyet : this is used to ask if you "did you eat yet"?

Buckingham Fountain: The rest of the world thinks of this as the Bundy
Fountain (from the TV series Married with Children), but real Chicagoans
know better and wouldn't miss the light show on a summer evening - without a
doubt the most romantic place in the city