PHILADELPHIA – Mastering Philadelphian slang requires more than just learning the correct pronunciations – it’s about capturing the essence of the local accent that gives it its unique charm.
For example, the way “Schuylkill” becomes “skool-kill” and “Passyunk” transforms into “pash-shunk” showcases the distinctiveness of the dialect. Other notable features of the Philadelphia accent include changing “water” to “wooder,” replacing “st-” with “sht-” as seen in “shtreet” for “street,” pronouncing “our” as “are,” and starting “orange” as “are-ange.”
Philadelphia Dictionary
- Center City /sen-ter sit-ee/noun: Philadelphia’s downtown. My hotel is in Center City, and it’s easy to get everywhere from there.
- the El /th? el/ noun: Market-Frankford Line that runs east-west (note: the subway, or Broad Street Line, runs north-south); rooted in “the elevated rail.” Hop on the El to get to Independence Mall to see where it all started.
- gravy /grey-vee/ noun: a South Philadelphia term for red Italian sauce. Villa Di Roma makes gravy like my grandmom’s.
- hoagie /hoh-gee/noun: a hero or sub sandwich. The party is sure to have hoagies, cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and the like.
- independence /in-di-pen-duhns/ noun: the state of being independent; free from control; declared in Philadelphia. Our Founding Fathers declared independence and forged a nation right in Historic Philadelphia.
- jawn /jawn/ noun: a thing, person or place; multi-purpose fill-in-the-blank word. Wave that jawn when the parade goes by.
- the Linc /th? lingk/ noun: short for Lincoln Financial Field. “E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles!” echoes from the Linc throughout the fall.
- Mummers /muhm-er/noun: costumed musicians and revelers who march up Broad Street on New Year’s Day; known for the Mummers strut. The Mummers Parade makes for quite a sight on New Year’s Day.
- yo /yoh/ interjection: greeting; used to get someone’s attention. Yo! Do you know who’s on top of City Hall?
- water ice /wood-er ahys/ noun: Italian ice treat. Following a full day of touring, he cooled down with a Rita’s water ice.
- Whiz Wit /Wiz-Wit/ adjective: The proper way to order a cheesesteak.
- Wooder /wood-er/ Noun: The liquid from of Di-hydrogen Monoxide, found on tap in all the best bars.
- Wawa /wah-wah/ noun : convenience store native to Philadelphia region; rated best in the country; just go there. Stop at Wawa for a hoagie before the game.
In casual conversations, it’s common to hear “jeet?” as a shortened form of “Did you eat?” and to use terms like “jawn” for an object or person and “gravy” for red Italian sauce. Ordering a cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and onions might involve asking for it “Wiz Wit.” And a trip to the local favorite convenience store, Wawa, for a hoagie is a quintessential Philadelphian experience.
By embracing these linguistic nuances, one can truly embody the spirit of Philly and connect with the warm and welcoming residents of the City of Brotherly Love on a deeper level.
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