Most of my life I’ve been slightly embarrassed by my New Yawk accent. People now tell me it’s not that bad, but I remember traveling as a kid and everyone knew where I was from the minute I opened my mouth.
New Yawk accents are dying out, so I’m kind of proud to have one these days. I love to guess which borough people are from or to try to decipher if they’re from Lung Iyland or New Joisey.
Love or hate the accent? Check out this film “If Knishes Could Talk“. There’s a screening tomorrow night at The Brooklyn Heights Cinema. Tickets here.
“If you don’t like the way I tawk, f*ck you”.
2 Comments
I don’t think the accents are dying out. If you spend any amount of time here, the accent takes you over.
Hmm, I dunno. Maybe “dying out” is a bit drastic, but I’m a third generation New Yorker. My grandfather said things like “terlet” and “erl” (for oil). My parents’ accents weren’t as strong as their parents and mine certainly isn’t as strong as my parents.
I think accents still exist deep in sections of boroughs where newcomers don’t bother to move. But the middle of the city or a completely gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood? Nah.