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The Prompt — Do you identify as a ‘yinzer’ or ‘jagoff’ or some other Pittsburghese term altogether? How so? Is there anyone in your life that fits your perception of these terms?
In my mind, jagoff is an insult and yinzer is a posture.
I use both terms liberally, including variants like “a jag” and “yinz”
Jagoff can be a good-natured insult amongst friends or a genuine expression of disdain and disgust. Intent matters. Tone matters. Context matters. Check out Yajagoff.com for more information.
Example — a friend is horsing around instead of helping me accomplish a task. “Don’t be a jag, hand me those totebags.”
Cut me off in traffic? Run a redlight? Hurt an animal or kid? “Fucking jagoff “
Yinzer, on the other hand, is a cross between white redneck MAGA-light culture and hipsters. It’s an affectation whether you lean in to your stereotypes or appropriate them.
Think of how some people drink Pabst Blue Ribbon by preference and others drink PBR ironically. That’s your yinzer, only drinking Iron City beer. Or Rolling Rock.
I use yinzer more with irritation and eye rolls to describe pretentious behavior than prototypical Pittsburghers.
