How to talk right in Chicago

August 20, 2003 | from an e-mail

[Chi-townChief]

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, or 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 four. "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. 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, Cellular Field formerly known as 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. BoysTown: 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 uze in Boystown 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.  Takes place 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?"

[habs4ever]

The trots?

[tiamat]

Well NO! I'm not gonna do anything that silly! About four of the jalapeno babies is all I will take on at a time, but then that leaves plenty for breakfast!

Tia

(urping gently)

[Charles Henrickson]

Illinois: Downstate. "Naah, I'm not from Illinois. I'm from Chicago."

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

That's no big deal, you just make sure you make a window of 'private time' 4 hours after a meal.

[lizma]

"Way to detect a non-Chicagoan. There is no East Side."

Sure there is. East Chicago, where they hang clothes on hanggurs.

[Salman]

A beef: An Italian beef sandwich. "I'll take a beef wid sweet peppers and hot peppers, extra juice, some fries, and a large ruht beer."

Pepper and egg on Friday. And not just for "Catlicks". You could only get the pepper and egg on Friday and it was good.

[nutmeg]

bump

[Charles Henrickson]

Downstate: Anywhere in Illinois outside Chicago, even if it's north or northwest of Chicago.

[1rudeboy]

LOL. I can't tell you how many times I've walked out of the Stadium absolutely bullet-proof.

[sharkhawk]

"And join Wayne Messmer in the singing of our National Anthem". I was there during the all-star game in 1991, where they measured the sound as something like 125 decibels, about the same level as standing next to a jet engine. God I miss that place, the 107 stairs to the second balcony, the foghorn from dollar bills yacht that went off when the Hawks scored, and would scare rookie goalies. Of course I don't miss the bathrooms.

[eleni121]

gotta love Texas talk.
http://omni.cc.purdue.edu/~guzmanr/textalk.htm

Ah gotta code (cold) in mah nose

[habs4ever]

It belonged in the Smithsonian.It rumbled like the Voice of God ;-)

[sharkhawk]

Downstate is anything south of I-80, or west of I-59.

[Salman]

Soda: A drink made with ice cream, purchased at a soda fountain. Not to be confused with "pop" (which may also be called "soda pop").

No religious flames, please!

[Charles Henrickson]

Make sure its a Clincher! You wanna play third?!

How about short-center?

[Milwaukee_Guy]

Milwaukee Speak - Smelt = Schmelt

[tet68]

"Now it's spring and children sing,
It's back to Robert Hall again......."

Man, I could kill for a real corned beef sandwich.
crusty rye, brisket piled about two inchs high, brown mustard.
Oho now I'm getting hungry, cabbage rolls, maybe a liverwurst sandwich with a thick slice of bermuda onion.

Or a dog, man chicago dogs, used to go to a little bar across from the State Lake theater, some kind of baseball
theme had THE best dogs, chrunchy dogs that popped when you bit into them. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[DrNo]

Are you that bad?!

[mhking]

Garfield Goose was good, but Ray Rayner always made my morning.

Don't forget Dirty Dragon; and my mom got on the Bozo's Circus list and had to wait four and a half years before we got to go....

[habs4ever]

I never figured out why the hockey dressing rooms were down a story in that old pile.They'd make these exhausted guys walk down a steep flight of steps into a dark abyss where only the Roto-Rooter Man should go.It was a dump, with charm ;-)