How long have you lived in the city? New here or native? There’s no doubt about it, native New Yorkers have an accent, so if you are find it hard to fit in, WikiHow have compiled a list of tips and tricks to sound like a stereotypical New Yorker.
For our money method 1 is a lot better than method 2, but check out the WikiHow article for more details on both. Take a look, then you can tell us if you think they missed the mark or not:
Method 1: Learning the Crucial Accent and Sounds
1. Only pronounce your “r” sounds if they are before a vowel.
Park → “Pak.” · Nurse → “Nuhse.” · Water → “Watta” · River → “Rivva” · Fear → “Feah”
2. Replace a “th” at the beginning and end of words with a percussive “d” or “t” sound.
The → “teh” · That → “tat” or “dat” · Three → “tree”
3. Elongate your vowels into an “awww” sound, especially “a”s and “o”s
Talk → “Tawk”
4. Learn the tricky “split a” sound to extend out your vowels naturally
Cab → “ca-AHB” · Avenue → “ahav-enue.”
5. Pronounce New York English as if projecting forward in front of the mouth, almost like a open-mouthed pucker.
Sunday → “sun-dA” · Monday → “Mun-dey” · Tuesday → “Twos-dey” · Wednesday → “Wehn-s-dey” · Thursday → “Thuhs-dey” (err being kind of rolled r) · Friday → “Fry-dey” · Saturday → “Satuh-dey”
Method 2: Committing to a Stronger Accent
1. Speak nasally, with your throat feeling almost constricted, to really take your accent over the top.
Huge → “Yuuuuge.
2. Pick up the “attitude” in your speech rhythms.
Speak quickly and succinctly. · Use loud, expressive tones when speaking. · Really draw out those vowels for emphasis.
3. Mash your words together and spread your vowels out for the Long Island (Lawn-Guyland) classic accent.
4. Use some local, if cliched, colloquialisms
5. Listen to native New Yorkers, online or in person, to get the subtle range of different accents.
Check out the WikiHow article for more detail HERE.
Featured image source [wikihow]