How to Speak With a New Jersey Accent

Some accents are undeniably unique. Boston accents, Southern accents, and, of cours,e New Jersey accents. The Jersey accent is a very distinctive and unmistakable dialect that not only utilizes its own pronunciation methods but also employs some very unique vocabulary changes. Follow some steps to help you speak with a New Jersey accent and capture a bit of the regional charm that categorizes this area of the eastern United States.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Make an effort to visit the New Jersey area so you can experience the accent firsthand. Visit multiple areas of the state to help you access a wide range of dialect differences. Take a recording device if possible and recording random conversations so you have a frame of reference.

2. Watch movies where the characters have New Jersey accents. Many accents will be overdone because of the dramatic effect, and many mob movies also utilize a stereotypical Jersey accent. However, you can still get a good idea of how some of the language is used in that region. Rent movies starring New Jersey native Frank Sinatra or even funny movies, such as "Jay and Silent Bob", are set in New Jersey and give a good overview of the colloquial language.

3. Drop the "r" in most of your words to begin encompassing one of the major phonetic differences of New York and New Jersey dialect; for example, saying "ba" instead of "bar" is common in New Jersey. Practice dropping your "r"s as a good primer for speaking with a valid Jersey accent, but don't overdo it.

4. Relax your consonant sounds in other words. Particularly pay attention to the relaxation of "d", "t", "l", "s", and "o". These sounds will result in a lazier and more languished feel to the overall word and capture a bit of the New Jersey style of speaking.

5. Learn a bit of the New Jersey colloquial language as different words are used to describe different things, a shopping cart is a carriage and a hero sandwich is a grinder. Noticing distinctions in language usage will make your accent more believable and authentic.

Tips & Warnings

• Write down words that use r's and hard consonant sounds in the manner that you would say them, such as instead of writing "borrow" you would write "barrah". It will help you visualize the difference on pronunciation.
• Shortening words and phrases is very common in the Jersey area; "do you want to go with me" becomes "do you want to go with", and "go ahead" becomes "g'head". Try shortening phrases and words whenever possible.

Resources

• For travel information, visit the official New Jersey site.

[nothinmuch]

on 6/30/2009 Uhm this ehow is entirely inaccurate...
Generally speaking, a grinder/hero sandwich is referred to as a "sub" in North Jersey and a "hoagie" in South Jersey.
The pronunciation tips are just awful... :-/

[Myshashi]

on 6/21/2009 It depends on which language influences your accent and which accent you wish to acquire. You need to find a specialist. Someone who knows why you speak the way you do, and how to speak the way you want to.
Book: http://www.neutralaccent.com

[sjscheer92]

on 6/20/2009 maybe people from north jersey call a "hero" a sub but i've lived in south jersey my whole life and we call it a hoagie. you gotta keep in mind that people from north jersey and people from south jersey dont have the same "jersey accent". oh and another thing, no one says "do you want to go out with". that just sounds stupid. if i was gonna ask someone out id say wanna go out with me. a lot of people usually say "wanna" and "gotta" instead of "want to" and "have to". and something else i've noticed is that many people i know pronounce trenton as "tren'n".

[selfparadoxical]

on 6/18/2009 I agree with Kellyag. I spent the first 22 years of my life in New Jersey. No one in Jersey speaks like that, unless they moved south from New York. The dropping of "r"'s is something people from farther north, like Massachusetts and Rhode Island do, not Jersey. No one in Jersey would call a "hero" a "grinder", it's called a "sub". Again, "grinder" is used farther north. Also, having grown up in Jersey, I have never ever heard anyone call a shopping cart a "carriage". I currently live in Los Angeles, and not one person has ever claimed that I have any accent whatsoever. Why? Because most people from New Jersey don't have one.

[intrimazz]

on 4/16/2009 grr i give up