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?"

[DrNo]

What say you: Brickhouse or Carey?

[mhking]

What say you: Brickhouse or Carey?

Bite your tongue! Brickhouse all the way!

[tiamat]

LIncoln -5-6927!

I remember my Mom giving it out. Long defunct!

Tia

[flaglady47]

Olson's Waterfall, a phony waterfall with steps up and around it, with the ice cream man down below, named for the Olson's Rug Company next door. A real family treat to go there on the weekend, get an ice cream cone or bar, and climb up and down, through and around the waterfall. That and Amling's Haunted House. Another great kid place to go.

[plsvn]

Everybody LOVES White Castles!(and everybody pays the price)

Truer words were never spoken! I have to have some when we visit. ONCE. Okay, maybe twice :-)

My favorite places to get sliders are 79th and Harlem and 63rd and Cicero right by Midway. yum.

[DrNo]

GLadstone 3-3392; it was a "party line!"

[tiamat]

Oh MY!

[Charles Henrickson]

Fahey Flynn and P.J. Hoff:

[DrNo]

Cool!

Where's the "Vice-President-in-Charge-of-Looking-Out-the Window?!"

[lizma]

Before I roast it, I make about 30 or so slits in the meat and place pieces on garlic in the slits. Cover the roast with oregano and a some fennel seeds. I put about an inch of water in the baking pan also.

I know what I'll be doing this weekend!

[Charles Henrickson]

What say you: Brickhouse or Carey?

Bite your tongue! Brickhouse all the way!

Absolutely! Harry Carey was an interloper! A Cardinals announcer, a White Sox announcer, fer cryin' out loud!

Now Jack Brickhouse . . . he's a Cub man, through and through. I grew up listening to two voices--two father figures, if you will--Jack "Cubs" Brickhouse and Frazier "Garfield Goose/"Family Classics" Thomas.

[Boiler Plate]

It is darndest thing. I was born in Chicago, but we moved away when I was three. Yet Chicago culture was so prevelant in my upbringing that anything about Chicago, be it a movie, an article, a story, or a news clip and I feel as though it is part of my life and there is a real tug at my heart.

The south has "Gone with the Wind" but Chicago has "The Blues Brothers.
The Blues Brothers was a great movie enjoyed by millions but if you are from Chicago it is the greatest movie ever.

It is the greatest city with the greatest people, this country has ever known.

[Petruchio]

An' when yer comin' in on da Ike, waach out when ya go troo da Strangler.

Dat's where I live!

[lizma]

This may date me a bit.

[DrNo]

Don't forget Frances Horwitch (sp?) and Uncle Johnny Coons!

I've enjoyed, gotta turn in, I ain't on Central Time no more!

See ya.

[sharkhawk]

I was flipping between the Cubs and White Sox games today, and Mrs. Brickhouse was on the White Sox telecast, reminding Hawk that Brickhouse used to also do the Sox games. (plus Bears). Does anyone remember when Harry was with the Sox in the early 70's and was the Falstaff man? There was the big grain elevators with his pictures. Can anyone remember WHY he couldn't be the Bud man back then?

[One_American]

This post brings back fond memories of me going over to my grandmas house in the 'back of the yards' neighborhood around 47th and Ashland. The smell was kinda bad but you got used to it after about 10 minutes. And my dad would take me to the corner bar to watch da bears games and he would have a couple, two, tree beers while I would play that game where you slid the metal disks down the long polished wooden table. There were small bars on almost every street corner.

[One_American]

Wow! Riverview. I remember going as a young kid. They had some cool rides. The parachutes, Aladins Castle, the Bobs and the Wild Mouse.

[sweetliberty]

"they stole that from us New Yorkers"

And both stole it from us southerners. ;-)

[sweetliberty]

"I hear that more here in the south than in the midwest."

Always heard "warsh" in parts of Kentucky.