CoalSpeak: Dictionary of the Coal Region

CoalSpeak
The Official CoalRegion Dictionary

galloping consumption : tuberculosis, or some virulent strain of TB. Consumption was a common word for tuberculosis many years ago ("consuming" the lung tissue). "Galloping" refers to the speed at which the disease progresses.

gawann witcha! : literally, Go on with you. Expression of disbelief. "Gawann Witcha! Dey kutn'a seen a mountain lion up at Raven Run. They're all extinct!". Also used to tell someone to get away. "Gawann witcha, before I give ya a puck in da puss!"

get a shower, get a bath : take a shower, take a bath

goat the : go to the. "I have to goat the store."

Gawd Love Ya! : exclamation that can mean anything from "Oh, what a beautiful baby" to "I'm sorry your house burned down".

gemovies, jemovies : long underwear.

gerbil races : a popular weekday afternoon event during the 1970's on WNEP-TV, Wilkes-Barre. The station had a daily contest where people would phone in and pick one of three gerbils that were to race in a ten-foot track. If you picked the winner, you won a prize. (I am not making this up.)

get your ears moved : to get a haircut (only applies to men)

giggy : backside or "arse". "Up in yer giggy!"

gin mill : slang term for a local or neighborhood bar

glizzdies : big fat earthworms or night crawlers. The kind that lay in the grass at night and you put in a coffee can so you can go fishin at Lake Irene!!! "Where are you goin' fishin' wit dat can of glizzdies?"

Go to grass! : what polite women said instead of "Go to Hell!"

Goldstar Highway : road between Frackville and Shendo.

goonie/goozie : a large rock suitable for throwing. When thrown, it may hit you and cause a "goozie", or lump on your head.

gotchies : underwear. Comes from the plural form of the Polish (or Ukranian?) word for underwear. "Holy Cripes! The priest showed up at my door yesterday and alls I was wearin' was my gotchies!"

gothemall : go to the (Schuylkill) mall. "After dinner we can gothemall and hang out."

gotnee : have you got any. "Gotnee nickels for the parking meter?"

grammam : grandmother. Can be shortened to "gram" or "grammy".

gownd : gown. See also night gownd "She wore a white gownd to the prom"

Greek : member of an Eastern Orthodox rite or Greek Catholic Church. "He goes ta da Greek Church". Historical note: St. Michael's in Shenandoah is the oldest active Greek Catholic parish in the United States.

Greenie : Swimmin' hole outside Shendo.

da Grove : another name for Knoebels Grove Amusement Park. See Knoebels. "Hey! Let's go ta da grove; it's handstamp night!"

grog sick : hungover. "Butchie didn't go to work today. He's pro'bly grog sick from last night's beer party."

growler : 1. a small, galvanized metal pail with an inner bucket and a lid. In the morning, the miners would put their food in the inner bucket and fill the bottom with hot coffee - this would be their lunch (presumably, the coffee and food would stay somewhat warm, but I doubt it this worked too well). On the way home, they would stop by the local drinking establishment and the bartender would fill it with beer. See rush the growler.
2. at Tony's in Girardville, the hot dog equivalent of the screamer.

gum boots : rubber mining boots

gun club : place to drink beer and shoot guns (always a fun combination!!!)

Guntown : Girardville

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