New York Accent

person   Tuesday, December 28, 2004, 21:45 GMT
Why is it that the New York accent sounds so similar to the Italian accent? I went to NYC and I was so suprised to hear this because I have never heard NYC people speak before.
New Yawka   Tuesday, December 28, 2004, 22:30 GMT
Do yous want to heah any noo yawk tawk? Some people say dat noo yawk has da strangest sounding accent in da whole wide woild.
Brennus   Tuesday, December 28, 2004, 22:57 GMT

The New York accent evovled out of late seventeenth century British English.

It as a rare r sound which is written kind of like a pitchfork in the International Phonetic Script. I understand that this r sound is found elswhere only in two Polish dialects and a few South American Indian languages. Quite a stretch.

An Italian accent sounds nothing like a New York accent but it is ironic that the New York accent is now most closely associated with New York Italian-Americans like Anne Paolucci, Joe Dimaggio and Tony Danza just to name a few. Of course, it is also ironic that much of New England (that former Puritan bastion) is now mostly Irish and French-Candian. Times do change.
Brennus   Tuesday, December 28, 2004, 22:58 GMT
*French-Candian = French Canadian
Joanne   Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 17:20 GMT
>>Why is it that the New York accent sounds so similar to the Italian accent?<<

Because there are Italian-immigrant communities (and their descendants) scattered throughout all the boroughs of the city, and New Jersey. They might not be the largest minority group, but they became the most recognized, due to movies like Goodfellas and the Godfather Trilogy.
Tiffany   Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 17:32 GMT
My fiance who has an Italian accent (seeing as he is from Italy) sounds nothing like a New Yorker. He sounds foreign. New Yorkers just sound like they are from New York because there is a regional accent there.
Ed   Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 18:39 GMT
I used to like that accent, but now i think it's pretty low-class (no offense). There are some extremes that are just too hard to stand. I hada math teacher with the thickest Brooklyn accent you could ever imagine - i had never heard anything like that- so the first week of classes I could not concentrate on what she was teaching but rather, I was trying to make out what se was saying LOL
Joanne   Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 18:41 GMT
Really? You don't find the Bensonhurst accent sounds a bit like the Sicilian accent? I think it does... but that's just me, I suppose.
mjd   Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 21:52 GMT
It would certainly make sense seeing that Bensonhurst is a heavily Italian neighborhood.
Hahoo   Friday, December 31, 2004, 00:38 GMT
" could not concentrate on what she was teaching but rather, I was trying to make out what se was saying"
does "make out" mean "understand" here? examples pealse
Tiffany   Friday, December 31, 2004, 01:00 GMT
yes, "make out" means "understand" here.

"To make out something" always means "to make clearer". This may not always mean "to understand", but also "to see better"

Ex. "I was trying to make out the building"
The person is obviously trying to see the building better. Probably squinting to do so.

Ex. "I was trying to make out the words."
This sentence would have to be in context. If the previous sentence had said the person had opened a book or a newspaper, it would mean they were trying to read the words and for some reason could not see themcslearly. On the other hand, if the person was listening to song, this would then mean the person was trying the hear/understand the words of the song better.

Do not get this confused with the phrase "to make out with" - this means two (or more) people are intensely kissing each other.
Hahoo   Friday, December 31, 2004, 08:10 GMT
"On the other hand, if the person was listening to song, this would then mean the person was trying the hear/understand the words of the song better"
This is my case, that's why I always run to the lyrics of the song. Don't seem to get any better in understanding the words of a song
Tiffany   Friday, December 31, 2004, 08:38 GMT
? I'm confused. Are you saying you are still confused as well?
Joe   Sunday, January 02, 2005, 01:56 GMT
I'm both part Italian-American and a native New Yorker. I really don't think the typical NY accent sounds at all like an Italian accent. It's attributed to many Italian-Americans because of those mob movies, plus the fact that many Italian-Americans live or come from New York, especially the city or Long Island or over in New Jersey, but it has no connection.

In fact, I would say if anything Yiddish has had one of the greatest influences on a New York accent and vocabulary. Everyone seems to pick up some Yiddish expressions, even when you aren't Jewish.

I used to have a typical Long Island accent, but I lost that when I moved here. To be honest, I'm happy I did because I don't know why, but the accent drives me a bit nuts sometimes. lol
Ed   Sunday, January 02, 2005, 02:23 GMT
<<? I'm confused. Are you saying you are still confused as well? >>

No, he/she is saying that when he/she can't understand/make out the lyrics of a song, he/she goes online to actually read them.