By Robin Cohn
When I moved to the Upper West Side from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I discovered “New Yawk Tawk,” a combination of accent, attitude, and humor. The sayings give you lively, effective ways of getting your point across, and work best with a New Yawk accent. Those not familiar with our responses may take them literally and out of context. Some may feel insulted. But they’re missing out on the fun. That’s why I figured a guide would be useful for outtatowners who visit the Upper West Side.
My favorite expressions include, “What’s it to you?” “Whatever,” “Getottahere,” and “Furgettabouted.”
“Whatever,” often accompanied by an eye-roll, is my go-to response in many situations. It implies something said is annoying, boring, or not worth fighting about. For instance, you say “whatever” when you like the Lincoln Center film festival, but someone else says it’s rotten. Or when you’re asked if you want to go to Zabar’s or Fairway’s cafe. Or, when someone says they don’t like Van Leeuwen ice cream.
“What’s it to you?” is a useful way of blocking nosy or rude questions. Stops folks in their tracks. Example usage, “How much is your rent?” “Why did you come home so late?” “Why are you wearing THAT.” Sorta’ adds more attitude without the rudeness of “None of your business.”
“Furgettabouted” doesn’t mean you’re forgiven. It’s a response to something unlikely or undesirable. As in “Can the Yankees win without Gerrit Cole?”, “Do you think they’ll add more parking on Central Park West?” “Can you afford dinner at Per Se?” These questions beg for “furgettabouted.”
When you hear ““Getottahere,” you’re not being told to leave. Rather, it’s when someone is making stuff up, is farfetched, or surprising. You say it to “I used to be featured on the Seinfeld show when I was in the coffee shop.” (false) “I was able to get two tickets for the Taylor Swift concert.” (true) or “I had a date with Hugh Jackman.” (??)
Then, thanks to Dustin Hoffman in “Midnight Cowboy,” there’s “I’m walkin’ here.” I have been known to use it crossing Broadway at West 72nd Street — and, when I have the light, I grandly point to the Walk sign if a cab tries to mow me down.
New York expressions have a personality all their own. Depending on the situation, they can be blunt, wisecracking, amusing, impolite, or insulting. (I shy away from insulting.) If you have other examples of New Yawk Tawk, I hope you’ll add them in the comment section. If not? Whatever. 🙄
Are you kidding me?
I think for true New Yorkese it would be: You gotta be kiddin me
It’s Unbelievable, right?
Like, literally.
Second Avenue Deli is located at the corner of Toid Avenue and Toidy Toid Street.
that’s where they caught the poipehtrator, on toid and toidy toid.
in Greenpernt or Williamsboyg?
Well, it’s soytenly not on Foist ‘an Foist, I know dat.
No “R” in fuhgeddaboudit
the author loses all credibility with that R in there. wow.
Hey, give ‘m a break. She’s (he’s?) from Faud Laudadale.
Yes!! Good lookin out!
Q: How you doin’?
A: How YOU doin’?
How about “You talkin’ to me!
Should have a question mark: “You talkin’ to me?” (Look behind you) “There’s nobody else here, you must be talkin’ to me!” (credit to Robert de Niro, in Taxi Driver)
It’s Ya (not you). As in “How ‘ya doin’?”
Don’t ask!
I can’t even…
In the MYOB category, “Who wants to know?”
Correct NYC spelling is FUHGEDDABOUDIT!
Look both ways before you cross
Tootsie Roll Pops have CHAW-ko-lat CENT-ahs
See the wonderful works of Dr. Deborah Tannen on NYC and other American speech.
Her books are fabulous!
Stop kvetching!
Oy vey!
When my New York born-and-raised husband held the door for me recently, my Portland, Oregon-grown ears heard him say “gad”. Yes, “gad”. He thought he was saying “go ahead”, or at least “gah-ed”. But I heard “gad”. I’ve lived in NYC for 45 years and have been married to this New Yorker for 42 years, so I am more than familiar with New Yawk Tawk, and most of the time I find it amusing. Yet, every once in a while the drop of an “r” or the turning of three syllables into one, jolts my sensibilities!
“You’re tellin’ me!”
“I’m tellin’ ya!”
We stand on line, not in line.
Another great NYism: When someone tells you to “enjoy your weekend” or “lunch” or whatever, reply with “Don’t tell *me* what to do!”
Or: “No thanks, I’ve got other plans.”
Boroughs have specific accents. Manhattan has not had a “NOO YAWK” accent for decades. The inflection is much more subtle and comes out in certain words and speech patterns. The pronunciation of the actual Borough name will give it away. If you grow up here, you can figure out these patterns.
It’s more a matterof ethnicity than borough.
When I first taught high school in North Carolina, the students didn’t understand my English because I apparently told them they had to submit “papuhs” or I would call their “mutha” “ or “fatha.”
From My Cousin Vinny:
Vinny Gambini: “….the two utes…”
Judge Haller: “The two WHAT?”
Gambini: “the two utes!”
Mona Lisa Vito: “Yeah, you blend!”
From “A Bronx Tale”
Sonny to the biker gang: “I asked youse guys ta leave. Now youse guys can’t leave.”
personal favorite
On rolling down your car window: “F**kyoudoin?”
I dint do it.
That was one nice Weekend Column, believe you me!
Wan a ehcreme?
whoos pa-in?
cawfee reglar
slice peetzha
lung eyeland city
Gloria Steinem (answer to “what’s that kid doing with her skates?”)
I know I’m showing myself to be non-native but can someone please explain this one?
Gloria Steinem (answer to “what’s that kid doing with her skates?”)
Translation: Gloria’s tyin’ ’em
He’s workin! (Rosco the bedbug dog)
“You kiddin’ me” is used in Queens?
Please tell me this is an early April Fool’s joke.
I’m a 2nd gen NY native having been born & raised in Bklyn, My mother was born and spent her childhood in the Bronx, my father in Manhattan.
I now live in Manhattan and have Qns born & bred friends.
These expressions are NOT how NYers talk. I don’t know who you know but this is more parody from the 1940s-50s than NY now.
You can’t talk about NY accent and not mention the voice at the intersection of 59-th and Park! “Walk sign is on to cross Park Avenue.” I’ve seen so many tourists startled by it! Luckily, someone else even created tik-tok for it:
https://www.tiktok.com/@broadway_optimist/video/7207782993820421422
Midwest: Yeah, but the choice here is clear, you either do it or you don’t.
NY: Wha-e-vuh.
Sounds like a lot of non-native New Yorkers (and the greater NY/NJ metropolitan area) supporting this article whose author has confused the mid-20th century with modern times. Accent, sure. “Fuhgettaboutit” (proper pronunciation)? Not so much.
I always liked: “You say that to say what?”
“You gotta problem wit’ dat?”
“Yer mothah!” (not p.c.)
“Youse guys”
“Who’s askin’?”
“What’s it to you” or “What the f**k is it to you?”
“No sh*t!”
Substituting “goes” for “says” i.e., “So he goes ====. And I goes ====.” “And he goes ===.”)
both uh yiz
Great comments. Read all of them. An erudite group of writers.
Just standin ON line to TAKE a haircut.
I moved to NYC from Philly decades ago and it’s the first place I ever had to stand ON line — not IN line at the Post Office or grocery store.
My husband (a NYer) would go TAKE a haircut, not get his hair cut.
Now anyone who doesn’t say that and the other local vernacular is clearly from another planet, as far as I’m concerned.