Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Pittsburgh

Specialty Definition: Pittsburgh accent

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas of Western Pennsylvania have had a distinctive accent for quite some time, which is similar to the regional accent used throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and a small part of Maryland. The Pittsburgh accent is a combination of the German, Italian, Polish, Slovak, and other accents of the many European immigrants who came to the area to find work in the steel mills or associated industries. With the advent of mass media, along with an influx of technology industry workers, in recent years the accent has become markedly less pronounced among younger generations, though still definitely noticeable. Within the city, density of the Pittsburgh accent tends to be highest in the North Side area of Pittsburgh, and becomes radially less thick with distance from the North Side.

A hard Pittsburgh accent is characterized by: (incomplete; also, please feel free to translate to IPA)

• Words tend to run together in certain situations, mostly involving short words. Example: "Djyu eat?" (Did you eat?) "No, djyu?" (No, did you?)
• to becomes ta, and is often contracted onto the end of the previous word. Example: "I'm really not s'posta leave" (I'm really not supposed to leave); "Wanna?" (Want to?)
• o as in down becomes ah. Example: "dahntahn" (downtown). Similarly, 'out' becomes 'aht', with the 'a' as in mat or bat.
• Long i as in iron and tire becomes ah (a as in affect). Examples: "ahrn", "tahr" (iron and tire).
• Long e sound as in steel tends towards i as in impress. Example: "Stillers" (Steelers, the local football team)
• You (singular) sometimes becomes ya; you (plural) becomes yunz or yunz guys. Example: "Yunz guys wanna pick up some Ahrn City?" (Do you guys want to pick up some Iron City [local brand of beer]?)
• Final 'g' in words ending in '-ing' is sometimes dropped. Example: "goin'" (going); "doin'" (doing)
• L sounds are swallowed. So in the "Stillers" example above, the L sound is substituted by a glottal stop.

In addition, there are numerous unique dialectic terms, such as:

• chipped ham (pronounced "chipp'tam") or chipchopped ham n. very thinly sliced ham for use on sandwiches.
• crick n. creek
• dippy eggs n. eggs over easy which are not fully cooked, so that the yolk is still runny
• gumband n. a rubber band.
• hoagie n. a submarine sandwich
• jag-off n., vulgar an asshole; an extremely disagreeable person
• jagger bush n. any shrub with thorns
• jag around v. 1) to waste time; 2) to mess with someone in a non-serious fashion
• jimmies n. candy flecks put on ice cream or cupcakes; sprinkles
• jumbo n. synonym for bologna lunchmeat. Isaly's, a local chain of delis, sells a popular variety known as square jumbo
• Kennywood's open interj., said to men only indicates that the zipper of one's pants is open. Kennywood is a popular amusement park that is only open during the summer months.
• meer n. mirror
• n'at contraction "and that". Means, "along with some other stuff", as in, "Yunz wanna go dahn ta Isaly's n'get sommadat square jumbo n'at?" (Do you all want to go down to Isaly's and get some of that square baloney, and a few other things?)
• neb v. to investigate or take interest in things which are none of one's business. He was nebbin' around in my business.
• nebshit n., vulgar An individual who persistently or habitually cannot mind their own business.
• nuh-uh interj. No way. Opposite of yuh-huh
• pierogie (often shortened to progie) n. a macaroni product filled with mashed potatoes
• pop n. a flavored carbonated beverage; what is referred to in most other parts of the country as a soda.
• pronounciation n. pronunciation
• rilly adv. really
• rubbers n. galoshes
• Sahside n. the South Side district of Pittsburgh
• shahr n. shower
• soda n. refers strictly to only unflavored carbonated water
• Sliberty n. the East Liberty district of Pittsburgh
• slippy adj. slippery
• street car n. a trolley
• sweeper n. a vacuum cleaner
• tennies n. tennis shoes
• the tube or tubes n. either the Fort Pitt or Liberty Tubes, tunnels drilled through Mt. Washington which separate the South Side from the South Hills
• up Mike's 'n dahn Jake's ("up Mike's and down Jake's) n. fictitious location used when one is asked where one is going and does not wish to answer or doesn't know
• worsh n.,v. wash
• yuh-huh interj. Yes, absolutely. Opposite of nuh-uh

Older idioms not used much among younger generations:

• Jiminey Christmas! interjection of amazement or surprise.
• Kiss my ass under Kaufmann's Clock! "Go to hell!" Refers to an ornate clock on a busy streetcorner in downtown Pittsburgh attached to the Kaufmann's department store.

External link

• [1]

  Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Pittsburgh accent."

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Pittsburgh Penguins

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Main Logo

Alternate Logo

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a National Hockey League team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Founded: 1967-1968

Arena: Mellon Arena (capacity 17,537), formerly known as the Civic Arena

Current Coach: Eddie Olczyk

Uniform colors: Black, Yellow, and White; some Grey

Logo design: a penguin skating, holding a hockey stick

Stanley Cup Finals Appearances: 2 (2 wins: 1990-1991, 1991-1992)

Franchise history

Pittsburgh was one of the six teams added when the NHL doubled in size in 1967. The new teams were hampered by restrictive rules that kept all major talent with the "original 6". The Penguins finished just six points out of first place in the closely fought West Division, but finished out of the playoffs.

Tragedy struck the Penguins in 1970 when rookie center Michel Briere, who finished third in scoring on the team during his only season in the league, was injured in a car crash. He died in 1971 after spending a year in hospital.

The Penguins would never be a force in the league until they drafted Mario Lemieux in 1984. After four more years out of the playoffs, Lemieux led the league in scoring in 1988-1989 and the Penguins would advance to the playoffs, where they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers.

In 1990-1991, the Penguins reached the top. They drafted star Czech right winger Jaromir Jagr, and through the 1990s, Jagr and Lemieux were two of the league's biggest scoring threats. Add that to up-and-coming Mark Recchi and Kevin Stevens, stalwart defenseman Paul Coffey, and the goaltending of Tom Barasso, and the Penguins became the league's best team, defeating the Minnesota North Stars (since relocated to Dallas) in the Stanley Cup finals. They repeated the feat by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks the following season, despite losing coach Bob Johnson to cancer.

Cancer nearly dealt the Penguins a double whammy in 1993. Not only were they reeling from Johnson's death, Mario Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. His comeback only two months after the diagnosis was one of the league's greatest "feel-good" stories of all time. The Penguins, however, would be stunned in the second round of the playoffs by the New York Islanders.

The Penguins continued to be a formidable team through the rest of the 1990s, but it came with a price. They had paid so much for their talent, they almost went bankrupt, and it took Lemieux (who retired in 1997) to take over the team in bankruptcy court and prevent it from moving to Portland, Oregon. Lemieux shocked the hockey world by deciding to come back in late 2000 and lead the Penguins into the 2001 playoffs, where they lost to the New Jersey Devils in the second round.

Still, they needed to cut costs. They did so in a big way by dealing Jagr to the Washington Capitals in the summer of 2001 for a song. The absence of Jagr proved devastating to the Penguins, as in 2002 they missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. Further difficulties on and off the ice saw them trade fan-favourite Alexei Kovalev the next season.

Players of Note

Hall of Famers

• Scotty Bowman (coach 1991-1992, inducted 1991)
• Mario Lemieux (inducted 1997)
• Mike Lange (announcer 1975-Present, inducted 2001)

Current stars

• Mario Lemieux (drafted in 1984)
• Martin Straka (drafted in 1992)
• Aleksey Morozov (drafted in 1995)

Not to be forgotten

• Jaromir Jagr (traded to Washington Capitals in 2001)
• Ron Francis (traded to Carolina Hurricanes in 1998)
• Kevin Stevens (traded to Boston Bruins in 1995; reacquired from New York Rangers in 2000)
• Tom Barrasso (traded to Ottawa Senators in 2000)
• Alexei Kovalev (traded to New York Rangers in 2003)
• Markus Naslund (traded to Vancouver Canucks in 1996)
• Mark Recchi (traded to Philadelphia Flyers in 1991)

Retired Numbers

• 21 Michel Briere (retired January 5, 2001)
• 66 Mario Lemieux (retired November 19, 1997 until December 27, 2000)
• 99 Wayne Gretzky (retired league-wide by the NHL 2000)

External Links

• Pittsburgh Penguins official web site
• Pittsburgh Coupons and Penguin ticket sales

  Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Pittsburgh Penguins."

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Pittsburgh Pirates

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are in the Central Division of the National League.

Founded: 1882, as a charter member of the American Association. Transferred to the National League in 1887.

Formerly known as: the Alleghenies in the 1880s, and then the Innocents. In 1891, after being accused of stealing second baseman Lou Bierbaur from his previous club in 1891, they were first called the Pirates. The name stuck.

Home ballpark: PNC Park, Pittsburgh.

Uniform colors: Black and gold

Logo design: Pirate caricature superimposed on crossed baseball bats.

Wild Card titles won (0): none

Division titles won (9): 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1992

National League pennants won (9): 1901, 1902, 1903, 1909, 1925, 1927, 1960, 1971, 1979

World Series championships won (5): 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, 1979

Franchise history

In its early days, the club benefitted three times from mergers with defunct clubs. The AA club picked up a number of players from a defunct Columbus, Ohio team in 1885. In 1890, they merged with the Pittsburgh team from the Players League after that league folded. In 1900, the Pirates picked up star players from the defunct Louisville, Kentucky club, including greats like Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke, triggering a long string of pennants.

The 1901-1903 Pirates completely dominated the National League, in part because they lost few star players to the rival American League. However, owing to injuries to their starting pitchers, they lost the first World Series ever played, in 1903, to Boston. Deacon Phillippe pitched five complete games, winning three of them, but it was not enough.

(Say more about: Honus Wagner, the 1909 World Series, the Waner brothers, the 1960 World Series, Roberto Clemente, Forbes Field, the "We Are Family" 1979 team, etc.)

Players of note

Baseball Hall of Famers

• Jake Beckley
• Jim Bunning
• Max Carey
• Jack Chesbro
• Fred Clarke
• Roberto Clemente
• Joe Cronin
• Kiki Cuyler
• Pud Galvin
• Hank Greenberg
• Burleigh Grimes
• Ned Hanlon
• Billy Herman
• Waite Hoyt
• Joe Kelley
• George Kelly
• Ralph Kiner
• Chuck Klein
• Freddy Lindstrom
• Al Lopez
• Connie Mack
• Heinie Manush
• Rabbit Maranville
• Bill Mazeroski
• Willie Stargell
• Casey Stengel
• Pie Traynor
• Dazzy Vance
• Arky Vaughan
• Rube Waddell
• Honus Wagner
• Lloyd Waner
• Paul Waner
• Vic Willis

Current stars

• Jason Kendall

Not to be forgotten

• Babe Adams
• Barry Bonds
• Doug Drabek (Cy Young Award, 1990)
• George Gibson
• Brian Giles
• Vern Law (Cy Young Award, 1960)
• Sam Leever
• Dave Parker
• Deacon Phillippe
• Randall Simon

Retired numbers

• 1 Billy Meyer (manager)
• 4 Ralph Kiner
• 8 Willie Stargell
• 9 Bill Mazeroski
• 20 Pie Traynor
• 21 Roberto Clemente
• 33 Honus Wagner
• 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball)

External links

• Pittsburgh Pirates official web site

  Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Pittsburgh Pirates."

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Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is one of the major orchestras in the United States. It is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The orchestra was founded by the Pittsburgh Arts Society in 1895, and played its first concert the following year. Its first conductor was Frederic Archer, who brought in a number of players from the Boston Symphony Orchestra to strengthen the new ensemble.

Archer left in 1898 to be replaced by Victor Herbert, who was himself replaced by Emil Paur in 1904. The orchestra attracted a number of prominent guest conductors in these early years, including Edward Elgar and Richard Strauss, but had to be disbanded in 1910 due to financial difficulties.

It was 1926 before the orchestra was resurrected with its members rehersing for no fee, and each contributing money to make a new season the following year possible. The orchestra's leader, Elias Breeskin, was also its conductor for the first few years. In 1930, Antonio Modarelli was brought in as conductor. In 1937 Otto Klemperer was brought in to reorganise the orchestra, and he is credited with raising the orchestra to an international level.

Since then, the orchestra's existence has been unbroken. Its principal conductors have been Fritz Reiner (1938-48), William Steinberg (1952-76), André Previn (1976-85) and Lorin Maazel (1986-96). In 1996 Mariss Jansons became conductor.

After playing concerts in its earliest form at Carnegie Music Hall, the orchestra moved to the Syria Mosque. In 1971 they moved to Heinz Hall, a move funded by Henry J. Heinz II of the famous H J Heinz Company.

External link

• Official home page

  Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra."

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Pittsburgh is a city located in Allegheny County in western part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 334,563 (metropolitan area 2,358,695).

Pittsburgh skyline at night

History

Beginning in the early 19th century, Pittsburgh's proximity to large coal deposits and excellent positioning along major trade routes made it one of the world's leading industrial powerhouses. Steel production was a major industry for many years, earning the city its nickname, "The Steel City". Pittsburgh lies at the confluence of the Monongahela River and Allegheny River, which merge to form the Ohio River, ultimately draining into the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. As an industrial city, Pittsburgh was also a major hub of early railroad activity. Millions of European immigrants settled in and around Pittsburgh in the 19th and early 20th centuries to seek employment in the steel mills, coal mines, railroads, or numerous associated industries.

On July 21, 1877, a day after bloody rioting in Baltimore from Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers and the deaths of 9 rail workers at the hands of the Maryland militia, workers in Pittsburgh staged a sympathy strike that was met with an assault by the state militia - Pittsburgh then erupted into widespread rioting.

With the recessions of the 1970s and the advent of cheap foreign labor, Pittsburgh's steel mills found themselves unable to compete with foreign steel mills, and most closed down. This created a ripple effect that decimated the local economy, as railroads, mines, and factories across the region shut down, one by one.

Thanks to the presence of the nearby Bettis Laboratory and the Shippingport power plant, Pittsburgh became the world's first nuclear powered city in 1960.

The collapse of the US steel industry in the 1970s marked a major turning point for the city of Pittsburgh, and brought with it an unexpected renaissance as the mills closed and Pittsburgh shed its image of a dirty, smoky place. Pittsburgh was spared the fate of other postindustrial rust belt cities as the basis of the economy dramatically shifted from heavy industry to services and high technology.

Geography

Pittsburgh is located at 40°26'29" North, 79°58'38" West (40.441419, -79.977292)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 151.1 km² (58.3 mi²). 144.0 km² (55.6 mi²) of it is land and 7.2 km² (2.8 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.75% water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 334,563 people, 143,739 households, and 74,169 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,324.1/km² (6,019.0/mi²). There are 163,366 housing units at an average density of 1,134.9/km² (2,939.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.63% White, 27.12% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.75% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 143,739 households out of which 21.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.2% are married couples living together, 16.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 48.4% are non-families. 39.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.17 and the average family size is 2.95.

In the city the population is spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $28,588, and the median income for a family is $38,795. Males have a median income of $32,128 versus $25,500 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,816. 20.4% of the population and 15.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 27.5% are under the age of 18 and 13.5% are 65 or older.

Economy

Pittsburgh has exhibited amazing adaptability in the wake of the steel industry's collapse. The primary industries have shifted from steel manufacture and heavy industry to high technology, biomedics, banking, and service based fields.

Major Pittsburgh Corporations

Incomplete list

• Alcoa
• Allegheny Technologies
• American Eagle Outfitters
• Bayer Corporation
• Calgon Carbon Corporation
• 84 Lumber
• Gulf Oil
• GNC
• H.J. Heinz
• Mellon Bank
• National Steel
• PNC Bank
• PPG Industries
• Rockwell International
• US Airways
• U.S. Steel
• WESCO International
• Westinghouse Electric

Culture

Wealthy area businessmen of the 19th century donated large sums of money to local educational and cultural institutions. As a result, Pittsburgh is rich in art and culture. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is world-class. It owns and performs at Heinz Hall, which also plays host to a number of other events throughout the year. The Benedum Center and Heinz Hall provide venues for numerous musicals, lectures, speeches, and other performances. There is a large museum dedicated to the works of Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol. The collection of the Carnegie Museum of Art is home to works by such luminaries as Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and many others, along with galleries of sculpture, modern art, the Heinz Architectural Center, a large film and video collection, and various travelling exhibits. The Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park College has four resident companies of professional actors. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has extensive dinosaur collections on display, including the complete first Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton ever discovered, and an Egyptian wing. Kennywood Park is widely regarded by rollercoaster connosieurs to have one of the best collections of functional rollercoasters in the world, including several early 20th century wooden coasters.

See Also:

• Pittsburgh accent
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, a popular children's television program produced by local celebrity Fred Rogers

Links:

• Andy Warhol Museum
• Benedum Center
• Carnegie Museum of Art
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History
• Pittsburgh Cultural Guide
• The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
• Pittsburgh Children's Museum
• Pittsburgh Playhouse
• Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
• Kennywood Park

Education

Pittsburgh is home to many universities and research facilities. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has over 2.1 million cataloged items available for circulation. The Health Sciences Department at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center operate some of the finest hospitals in the world, and an advanced medical research center that performs pioneering work in organ transplantation, AIDS and cancer research, and many other fields. Carnegie Mellon University is a leading computer science research center, and also has a renowned music program.

Links:

• Carnegie Mellon University
• University of Pittsburgh
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
• Community College of Allegheny County
• Point Park College
• Duquesne University
• Robert Morris University

Airports

• Pittsburgh International Airport

Sports

• Pittsburgh Steelers(NFL)
• Pittsburgh Penguins(NHL)
• Pittsburgh Pirates(MLB)

External Links

• City of Pittsburgh Government
• About Pittsburgh - Guide to Pittsburgh & Western PA

Outlying Areas:

• Blackridge, Pennsylvania, a small suburb

  Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."

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Abbreviations & Acronyms: Pittsburgh

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Modern Usage: Pittsburgh

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Commercial Usage: Pittsburgh

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Image Slideshow: Pittsburgh

Photos: Pittsburgh More pictures...

Illustrations: Pittsburgh More pictures...

Computer Images: Pittsburgh More pictures...

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Photo Album: Pittsburgh

Thumbnail	Description & Credit	Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	Joe Shevchik, NRCS District Conservationist, William Towns, NRCS Engineering Technician, and Executive Director, Keystone Economic Development Corporation survey plans for a new park and nature trail for the Bethel A.M.E. Park in Pittsburgh, PA. [Slide 9. Credit: Bob Nichols.		The Laboratory of Godfrey and Cook / Photo courtsey of Fisher Scientific Co., Pittsburgh. Credit: National Library of Medicine.
	Warships in the Reserve Basin, 18 November 1919, as seen by a Philadelphia Evening Ledger photographer. Ships are (from left to right): USS Wisconsin (Battleship # 9); USS Illinois (Battleship # 7); USS Alabama (Battleship # 8); a Pittsburgh class armored cruiser; two battleships, probably Connecticut class; USS Stringham (Destroyer # 83); USS Craven (Destroyer # 70); USS Maury (Destroyer # 100); and USS Sigourney (Destroyer # 81). Credit: NAVY.		Crewmen slip anchor stoppers in preparation for anchoring. On the order "let go", the anchor detail will knock out the single remaining stopper with a sledge hammer, starting the anchor on its way. Pittsburgh is at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, during her initial post-reactivation trials, circa September 1951. She was recommissioned on 25 September. Credit: NAVY.
	Soldier's Memorial, Pittsburgh, Pa. Credit: Library of Congress.		Ingomar Community Methodist Church, Franklin Road, Ingomar, Penna., suggestion for w.i. bracket-lanterns at main entrance / The Iron-Craftsmen, art metal work, 12 S. Orianna St., Phila 6, Pa. ; Braziell & Smart, architects, Pittsburgh, Penna. Credit: Library of Congress.
	Pittsburgh / Robt. Minor. Credit: Library of Congress.		Exterior of Forbes Field, a baseball stadium(?), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Credit: Library of Congress.
	Bridge of Sighs, Pittsburgh, Pa. Credit: Library of Congress.		Cleveland & Pittsburgh ore docks, Cleveland. Credit: Library of Congress.
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

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Digital Photo Gallery: Pittsburgh
 

"Times details 1" by Jen Dixon Commentary: "A few architectural details on the Times Building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA."

Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers.

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Non-Fiction Usage: Pittsburgh

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Spoken Usage: Pittsburgh

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Usage Frequency: Pittsburgh

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

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Usage in Company Names: Pittsburgh

Source: compiled by the editor from Icon Group International, Inc.

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Cities: Pittsburgh

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Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.