A Nu Yawk Accent? Whaddya Talkin’ ‘Bout?

May 6, 2013 | Filed Under Films, New Yorkers | 14 Comments

Recently, I spoke to a long-time blogging friend, for the first time, over the phone.

“You have a New York accent,” he said to me, soon after I’d introduced myself.

That observation tickled me and I laughed.

I SO do NOT think I have an accent – especially a Nu Yawk accent.

Years ago, I was walking down a street in Venice, Italy, talking to my sister. A young couple walked past by, stopped, and then called out to us. The woman was quiet and the man cautiously asked, “Excuse me, are you from New York?”

When I affirmed that I was, he got all excited and jumped up and down.

“I knew it! I just knew it!”” He had one of the hugest grins I’d ever seen on a person’s face.

He went on to explain, “When we passed you, we heard you talking and when you said the word, ‘stupid’, I knew you were from New York.”

The couple beamed at us. They were tourists from the U.S. I don’t remember where. The man’s excitement that he’d correctly guessed where I lived, based on the way I spoke, amused me.

We smiled at each other for a few more seconds and then finally said good bye. The guy practically floated away, elated that he’d detected a New York accent on the streets of Venice.

A few days ago, I heard about a documentary, directed by Heather Quinlan, called “If These Knishes Could Talk: A Film about the New York Accent”. Following the latest comment about my so-called New York accent, the movie perked my interest, so I checked out its official website for more information. It stars Penny Marshall, Alan Dershowitz and, of course, many New Yorkers. The film looks fun and funny and will premier at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival on May 16, 2013, and later at the Hoboken Film Festival, June 1, 2013.

One MTA (transit) worker, interviewed in the film, said it best, "New Yorkers don’t have accents — Everyone else has an accent".

LOL! I agree!