It's a busy day here in the office, so I'm cutting and pasting for your pleasure.

Right now I'm listening to a compilation of Smashing Pumpkins vinyl stuff and they just played a cover of Syd Barret's Terrapin. Very cool.

My friend Darcell sent me a the following definitions (I don't know who the original author is or I would give credit where credit is due) and I find 'em kinda funny. A little true too. Well, a lot true. I do tend to say "sammich" from time to time...

How to speak Chicagoese..

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, for 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, 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?"