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I don't have that "old time" NY accent (erl/oil, etc) but my NYC accent is still alive and well. I HATE when people born and raised in NY try to sound like they're from Connecticut or the Midwest (waaaahhhter, New YoRk, etc). It's so phony and ridiculous. I'm a New Yawka and proud of it... now where's my Hot Chawclet? LOL!!!
No, the New York accent is still alive. At least, to those of you who feel the need to move down here to Tampa. It's pretty humorous, I must admit. Especially the hard knock attitude that they try to pull off with their overly exaggerated accent.
I read an article about this recently. The "old school" NYC accent is disappearing, I think. For example, when I first moved here 20+ years ago, I encountered a few old-timers who said "erl" for "oil" and "toid" for "third". You don't see that anymore. Also, maybe it's me, but I can't tell the difference between a Bronx accent and a Brooklyn accent although I've heard people claim that you can. I suspect that is a thing of the past, as well.
However, although the accent may have moderated somewhat, New Yorkers still sound like New Yorkers. Last weekend at a party, a girl picked up on my Midwest accent (I'm from Chicago but have lived in NYC for 25 years). So a New York accent is still distinct from a Midwest accent.
One test is how do you pronounce Mary, merry and marry. To a Midwesterner, they're all pronounced the same but New Yorkers pronounce them differently.
Regarding mary/merry/marry, here's the difference:
"mairy"/"meeeehry"/"maaaahry". When speaking, you'll feel the "ai" sound in the upper part of the throat, the "eeeeh" sound in the middle of the throat, and the "aaaah" at the base of the throat. One of my best friends is from suburban Saint Louis and pronounces all three as "mairy"
Now that there was another anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, there was all kinds of things on TV showing the events of that day. I saw an interesting thing on the History Channel where they showed all kinds of clips of New Yorkers reacting to the events of that day.
In these 9/11 Anniversary TV specials, I was amazed at the large number of New York City police and firemen who displayed every stereotype of a New Yorker. They were classic. But what really stood out was the many really rich New York Accents I heard in the piece.
I travel to New York on business and there are so many classic New Yorkers I come in contact with especially in Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx. Their accents are as strong as the movies.
But everyone tells me that the New York Accent is gone. Is this true?
Yes, it is history. Just go almost anywhere in Manhattan, particularly the Upper East Side...where you will only hear "valley girls" and the "like like like" after each and every word...thrown in with a "totally" or an "omigod"...do notice that even women in their late 30's , 40s and such speak in this manner.
I do not know how or when, but the California Valley Girl speak has infiltrated new york. Do not think it is just the women. Some men are to blame as well!
Could it be also a result of the film Cluless? Who knows, but do not get too annoyed by the species I call the "like likes"
For those who watch The King of Queens, does Carrie have a New York City accent? Or does Rosa Acosta have a New York City accent? I don't think I know anybody that has what I thought was a New York City accent.
No, the New York accent is still alive. At least, to those of you who feel the need to move down here to Tampa. It's pretty humorous, I must admit. Especially the hard knock attitude that they try to pull off with their overly exaggerated accent.
The accent isn't "overly exaggerated"... it just sounds different to people who live in other states. And the NY attitude is just that.... a NY attitude.
I'm sure it sounds very different to those of you who live in FlORRRRRida and drink ORRRRRange juice all day.
Rosie Perez has a very Brooklyn/NewYorican accent.
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