Article: Bernie Sanders, Fran Drescher, and Jerry Seinfeld have all made this accent pretty recognizable, even if it is considered a bit over the top for every day speech. But if you're on stage, on screen, or just hamming it up, focus on breathing through your nose. Huge "Yuuuuge." Speaking like a New Yorker is less about what you say, and more about how you say it. New Yorkers are known for being direct, opinionated and confident. They are also known for talking a lot, and talking loudly. Speak quickly and succinctly. Use loud, expressive tones when speaking. Really draw out those vowels for emphasis. Throw an extra "r" at the end of words that end in vowels, like "that's a good idear." The best way to practice is the word Long Island itself, pronounced by residents as "Lawn-Guyland") Really take your time with the vowels, stretching them out for a nice long time. The "g" at the end of "-ing" isn't pronounced either. So "going" is pronounced "goin'" and "here" sounds like "hea". The following expressions aren't really used so much anymore, but they're still stereotypes. They will instantly place your listener into the NYC mindset, even if that mindset is about 15 years old by now. Typical expressions Noo Yawkez use include "Get outta hea", "Fawget aboutit" & "Ahrite ahready" Say "hey", instead of "hi" or "hello" and say it quickly. Make the classic "you guys" into the NYC plural "yous guys." It is often a deep sounding voice, and words are spoken kind of in a relaxed way. Since New York was at one point very Italian, Staten Island and Brooklyn in particular (Staten Island is still 44% Italian, the highest percentage of any county in the country), people of Italian descent that live in the areas tend to have a little bit of Italian accent mixed in. So if you've ever heard, have or done an Italian accent, it may be a little bit easier to do a NY accent. Think of Sylvester Stallone. Now think of Danny DeVito. Both have similar accents, but also plenty of uniqueness. Your own accent can be similarly unique, as long as you follow the basic rules above. Check out this list of free files containing examples of different NYC accents to help practice.
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Speak nasally, with your throat feeling almost constricted, to really take your accent over the top. Pick up the "attitude" in your speech rhythms. Mash your words together and spread your vowels out for the Long Island classic accent. Use some local, if cliched, colloquialisms. Listen to native New Yorkers, online or in person, to get the subtle range of different accents.