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It may not sound like that to you. But that's roughly what it sounds like to those of us with highly rhotic accents.
There is an "R" in the word. Jer-zee. ER RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Except for a few towns close to New York, like Jersey City or Bayonne or Kearny, people in New Jersey speak with a hard "r". We do not say "New Yawk", or drop the "R" from the end of words.
Yours is a common misconception based on TV and movies. Ask anyone from NJ who has traveled somewhere else and is always told "You don't SOUND as if you are from New Jersey!" No doubt you also think that most of New Jersey looks like the oil refineries and warehouses you see from the Turnpike.
This is a great thread! Coming from North-Central Connecticut, but now living in Northern New Jersey, I never thought I had an accent. I do remember thinking my great-grandmother sounded exactly like Katherine Hepburn, haha.
My wife thinks it is funny the way I pronounce the word "idea". I don't annunciate the vowels like they do in NJ, and instead it sounds like "idear". However, don't tell me I have a Boston accent, I grew up on the border of the Western Mass area, which is where the Boston accent suddenly dies. However, I do drop my "r's" when upset or excited. Another thing my wife pointed out.
My wife on the other hand does not have that noticeable NJ accent, despite living here her entire life.
Also, she thought it was odd how often I used to say wicked. Not really an accent, but more like a geographical phrase. "The Celtics are wicked awesome!"
There is an "R" in the word. Jer-zee. ER RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Except for a few towns close to New York, like Jersey City or Bayonne or Kearny, people in New Jersey speak with a hard "r". We do not say "New Yawk", or drop the "R" from the end of words.
Yours is a common misconception based on TV and movies. Ask anyone from NJ who has traveled somewhere else and is always told "You don't SOUND as if you are from New Jersey!" No doubt you also think that most of New Jersey looks like the oil refineries and warehouses you see from the Turnpike.
I do not labor under any misapprehension based on TV, movies, or otherwise, that there is a singular New Jersey accent, or that all (or even a significant portion) of its residents speak with a stereotypical "Joisey" accent. That's precisely why I specifically grouped the portion who do speak that way with the general New York accent instead of listing it as a seperate, supposed New Jersey accent. So please, retract the claws.
I do not labor under any misapprehension based on TV, movies, or otherwise, that there is a singular New Jersey accent, or that all (or even a significant portion) of its residents speak with a stereotypical "Joisey" accent. That's precisely why I specifically grouped the portion who do speak that way with the general New York accent instead of listing it as a seperate, supposed New Jersey accent. So please, retract the claws.
Sorry. I am from Jersey, ya know.
Last edited by Mightyqueen801; 06-03-2010 at 07:17 PM..
It makes me think of those old Bowery Boys movies.
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