A young woman wants a family-friendly way to describe a statement that’s fraudulent or bogus, but all the words she can think of sound old-fashioned. Is there a better term than malarkey, poppycock, or rubbish? Also, listeners step up to help...
If you hear someone use the word jumbo for “bologna,” it’s a good bet they’re from Pittsburgh or somewhere nearby in southwestern Pennsylvania. A regional company, Isaly’s, sold a brand of lunchmeat with that name. This...
Your telephone is for talking, right? Or is it? We’re guessing it’s been a while since you sat next to a telephone waiting for it to ring. In fact, maybe you’re one of those people who HATE to see that voicemail message light...
Chris from Harrisonburg, Virginia, grew up in Pittsburgh saying jaggin around or jagging around for goofing off, teasing, or playing tricks. This classic Pittsburghese term is tied to the old verb jag, “to prick, stab, or jab,” so the teasing sense...
A Pittsburgh woman reports that when she went away to college, she was surprised to find people correcting her grammar when she’d say things like “the car needs washed” or “the kids need picked up.” She wonders if...
gumbander n.— Note: “Gum band” is a term for a rubberband that is common to Pittsburgh and elsewhere in Pennsylvania. «Instead, people who are now exploring start-up or self-employment opportunities find the prospect of...