So you think you speak with a Jersey accent...
Well, this may very well be true, since I've spent a good part of my life living there. Though, the problem is - I don't know exactly what constitutes a Jersey accent, so I don't know if I speak with one... So, let's ask Google...
Thus far, my conclusions are inconclusive. This leads me to believe that the "all powerful" Google doesn't know either.
Clearly, the Jersey accent exists, but there are a lot of disagreements regarding its characteristics - and furthermore, it's disturbing that many of these so-called "Jersey accent experts" haven't even lived in New Jersey - which means, much of the folklore surrounding the Jersey accent is largely derived from movies and pop culture.
True, movies and pop culture may provide a good starting point for examining the subject, but a lot of the references I saw didn't seem to jive with my own personal experience. Maybe I'm just tone-deaf (which is always a possibility). And to their credit, it makes sense that an outsider would be able to discern a Jersey accent (more so than an insider, like myself, who's heard Jersey-speak all of their life).
So, keeping an open mind (and an open ear), below are some "clip-its" from my findings -
wikipedia - Uses the example "over deir" (v. "over there") to denote the Jersey accent. Hmmm... any teenager in America who slurs their words together would sound like that. And where's the reference to the word "water"???
eHow.com - Claims the Jersey accent requires dropping the "r" in words - for example, saying "ba," instead of "bar" or "ca," instead of "car." Hmmm... isn't that the Bostonian accent? Later on, in the comments section, someone writes, "a grinder/hero sandwich is referred to as a "sub" in North Jersey and a "hoagie" in South Jersey." But, isn't the word "sub" pretty common vernacular throughout the US (not just Jersey) - after all, even Californians stop by their local Subway to "eat fresh."
Antimoon.com - Recommends their readers to listen to Frank Sinatra or Jon Bon Jovi speak to truly understand the Jersey accent. Ummm... yeah, they're from Jersey, but that doesn't tell me much. And doesn't Frank Sinatra have a New York accent???
Then, in the comments section, one of the commentators presents this ditty as a representation of the Jersey accent:
Toity little boids
sittin' on a coib'
a choipin' and a boipin'
and eatin' doity woims
along came a squoit (squirt) named Moyt (Myrt)
and a floit (flirt) named Boyt (Bert)
Hmmm... that sounds more like a Brooklyn gangsta accent than a Jersey mall rat accent to me.... am I wrong?
youtube - According to someone there, Jersey folks misplace their "t's" from words. This might be the case (I'll have to listen more carefully). Though, I would like to provide the disclaimer that I generally "talk" (not "alk") to people. Plus, I had no clue what she was writing on her sign, so maybe I'm not a "true" Jersey boy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQJv04Y1rhc
Urban Dictionary - They actually provided a list! Incidentally, water was their first entry (which is promising).
War-der (Water)
Daw-der (Daughter)
Tawk (Talk)
Dawg (Dog)
Ax-cent (accent)
Wud-ever (whatever)
Jur-zee (Jersey)
Draw (Drawer)
So, there you have it. The Jersey accent in a nutshell. We slur our words, misplace our t's, r's, and every other letter from the alphabet, call a "sub" a "sub," and don't know what clear liquid we're drinking when we turn on the tap (i mean, fauce(t))....
Thus far, my conclusions are inconclusive. This leads me to believe that the "all powerful" Google doesn't know either.
Clearly, the Jersey accent exists, but there are a lot of disagreements regarding its characteristics - and furthermore, it's disturbing that many of these so-called "Jersey accent experts" haven't even lived in New Jersey - which means, much of the folklore surrounding the Jersey accent is largely derived from movies and pop culture.
True, movies and pop culture may provide a good starting point for examining the subject, but a lot of the references I saw didn't seem to jive with my own personal experience. Maybe I'm just tone-deaf (which is always a possibility). And to their credit, it makes sense that an outsider would be able to discern a Jersey accent (more so than an insider, like myself, who's heard Jersey-speak all of their life).
So, keeping an open mind (and an open ear), below are some "clip-its" from my findings -
wikipedia - Uses the example "over deir" (v. "over there") to denote the Jersey accent. Hmmm... any teenager in America who slurs their words together would sound like that. And where's the reference to the word "water"???
eHow.com - Claims the Jersey accent requires dropping the "r" in words - for example, saying "ba," instead of "bar" or "ca," instead of "car." Hmmm... isn't that the Bostonian accent? Later on, in the comments section, someone writes, "a grinder/hero sandwich is referred to as a "sub" in North Jersey and a "hoagie" in South Jersey." But, isn't the word "sub" pretty common vernacular throughout the US (not just Jersey) - after all, even Californians stop by their local Subway to "eat fresh."
Antimoon.com - Recommends their readers to listen to Frank Sinatra or Jon Bon Jovi speak to truly understand the Jersey accent. Ummm... yeah, they're from Jersey, but that doesn't tell me much. And doesn't Frank Sinatra have a New York accent???
Then, in the comments section, one of the commentators presents this ditty as a representation of the Jersey accent:
Toity little boids
sittin' on a coib'
a choipin' and a boipin'
and eatin' doity woims
along came a squoit (squirt) named Moyt (Myrt)
and a floit (flirt) named Boyt (Bert)
Hmmm... that sounds more like a Brooklyn gangsta accent than a Jersey mall rat accent to me.... am I wrong?
youtube - According to someone there, Jersey folks misplace their "t's" from words. This might be the case (I'll have to listen more carefully). Though, I would like to provide the disclaimer that I generally "talk" (not "alk") to people. Plus, I had no clue what she was writing on her sign, so maybe I'm not a "true" Jersey boy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQJv04Y1rhc
Urban Dictionary - They actually provided a list! Incidentally, water was their first entry (which is promising).
War-der (Water)
Daw-der (Daughter)
Tawk (Talk)
Dawg (Dog)
Ax-cent (accent)
Wud-ever (whatever)
Jur-zee (Jersey)
Draw (Drawer)
So, there you have it. The Jersey accent in a nutshell. We slur our words, misplace our t's, r's, and every other letter from the alphabet, call a "sub" a "sub," and don't know what clear liquid we're drinking when we turn on the tap (i mean, fauce(t))....
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