For Philly natives, slang and the pronunciation of words come second nature. For newer Philadelphians, without knowing what keywords and phrases are, it is very easy for ‘youse’ to get lost in the conversation. Whose Your Landlord has the Philly dictionary you need to hold a conversation with all Philadelphians, born-and-raised.
1. Cheesesteak
Philadelphia’s beloved sandwich, made with sliced steak served on a long roll. Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
2. Whiz
The gooey, cheesy deliciousness found atop a cheesesteak. (Ex. What type of cheese should I get on my cheesesteak- American, provolone, or whiz?)3. Wit/Witout
How to order fried onions on your cheesesteak, meaning with or without the onions. (Ex. Whiz wit means you will be getting a cheesesteak, smothered in cheese whiz and topped with fried onions)4. Youse
Philly Version of y’all (Ex. What are youse doing later?)
Point Breeze
5. Shore
Also known as ‘The Jersey Shore.’ These are the beaches on the New Jersey coast and are the most popular vacation destination for Philadelphians. (Ex. Can’t wait to go down the shore this summer!)6. Jimmies
No ice cream cone is complete without Jimmies, which are known to the rest of the world as ‘sprinkles.’ (Ex. Can I have a vanilla cone with rainbow jimmies?)7. MAC machine
Money Access Center’, or more commonly referred to as an ATM. (Ex. Where’s the nearest MAC machine I need to get out money?)8. Jawn
A noun to describe anything. A jawn can literally be any person, place, or thing.
(Ex. Can you pass me that jawn?)
Photo by @Makewonderspa[/caption]
9. Water Ice (Pronounced Wooder Ice)
A delicious summer treat that is synonymous with Italian Ice. (Ex. It’s hot out- let’s go to Rita’s to get water ice!)10. Drawlin’
Acting out of character/Doing something that others don’t approve of. (Ex. If you don’t come out tonight you’re drawlin’).11. Boul
A word to describe a male. (Ex. The boul over there has on fresh kicks.)12. Ard
Philly slang for alright. (Ex. Gotta go but I will see you later! Ard. Talk to you later!) [caption id="attachment_1055" align="aligncenter" width="5472"] Photo by @Makewonderspa[/caption]
#WYLCommunity, what Philly slang do youse use the most? Let us know!