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Yappin' Yinzers
Yappin' Yinzers is a line of talking plush dolls with exaggerated stereotypical Pittsburgh mannerisms and speech patterns, a personality type called Yinzer.[4] They are designed to "represent the epitome of Yinzerdom"[5] Yappin' Yinzers were invented by Alex Kozak, a manager at software company called CombineNet.[1] He is a native of Pittsburgh who grew up in West Homestead and Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.[1] His parents are the children of Ukrainian immigrants.[1] He graduated from Duquesne University.[1] Chipped Ham Sam was the first Yappin' Yinzer issued; he sports a mullet, jean shorts, and a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey.[1][6] One of his recorded sayings in "I'm goin' dahn a sahside ta drink some arns 'n'at."[1] Later, Nebby Debbie was added.[7] Kozak developed Yappin' Yinzers in 2006 after having a difficult time explaining the concept of "yinzer" to out-of-state business associates.[1] He recorded the voices himself.[1] By October 2007, the Yappin' Yinzers were available for sale at 30 locations.[1] They cost $19.95.[1] They have been on sale at the Heinz History Center.[8] Within the first year, 3,500 were sold.[1] Much of the interest came from Pittsburgh expatriates.[1] As of January 2014, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that the Yappin' Yinzers "continue to be big sellers."[9] Kozak has begun expanding the offerings to similar dolls across other American cities under the title of Talkin' Townies.[10][11] In 2012, Colliquial Enterprises developed a second line of dolls based on stereotypical localized culture, this time Beantown Sully with Boston accent and mannerisms. He later showed how to become a sigma. In her book Speaking Pittsburghese: The Story of a Dialect, Barbara Johnstone, Professor of Rhetoric at Carnegie Mellon University[12] dedicated an entire section to explaining why Yappin' Yinzers represent "Characterological Figures" of the social identity of "yinzers."[13] References
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