Yinzer

Yinzer is a term intending to denote a stereotypical blue-collar Pittsburgh native. The term comes from the use of the term Yinz, an invented second person plural pronoun common to the local vernacular. While generally pejorative, Yinzer has to some extent been re-claimed as a term of endearment and pride among Pittsburghers and those from the surrounding areas.

Recently, merchandise such as bumper stickers and license plates have picked up on Yinz and Yinzer as a way to display Pittsburgh pride. They have proven popular with many that have migrated out of the Pittsburgh area but are still sentimental about their roots in the city and region.

Perhaps the most notable fictional yinzer is "Stanley P. Kachowski", a character on the WDVE morning show voiced by Jim Krenn.

The yinzer stereotype often includes the following facets:

* European ethnic heritage, such as Irish-American, Italian-American, or Eastern European (particularly Polish, Slovak, Croatian) often referred to as Hunkies
* Heavy Pittsburgh accent
* Working-class employment, particularly Blue Collar
* Men: the ubiquitous "Pittsburgh mustache"; mullet haircut
* Women: big hair and overdone makeup
* Rabid support of the Pittsburgh Steelers via mass amounts of "Stiller" paraphernalia even when its not football season
* Diet: pierogies, kielbasa, steak salads (smothered with sizzling french fries), pizza, hoagies, and chipped ham sandwiches
* Drink: Iron City Beer (pronounced "Airn"), I.C. Light, Pop (not soda)
* Musical taste: 1970s-early 1980s era Classic rock and "oldies". Donnie Iris, Steve Miller, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Rush and Ted Nugent are perennial favorites in Pittsburgh. Strangely enough for a major urban city in the Northeast, contemporary country music is intensely popular with yinzers
*Travel: An intense sense of locality pervades. One might say that the typical yinzer believes that a passport is required in order to go east of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel or west of the West End Circle. Another common point against traveling outside Pittsburgh is "if I have to cross a river, its too far." All driving directions in Pittsburgh will take you either up or down a hill. Or both.

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