How to Do a Brooklyn Accent | Accent Training

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Learn how to do a Brooklyn accent from voice and speech coach Andrea Caban in this Howcast video.

[Background Music]

There are so many different types of people who live in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is an amazing place because of that. So we're going to go for a very stereotypical, general Brooklyn accent. Just to give you a flavor of it. So you put your lip corners really far forward. And it's a very urban sound. You see? In my oral posture that my lips are doing a lot of the work. It's also fun to notice that the Brooklyn accent, where your lip corner's very far forward, is also very similar to that urban London sound. That cockney sound. So Saul's daughter studied law.

You'll notice that it's a very similar shape in the mouth. Let's look at some sound changes for the Brooklyn accent. So there are no r's at the ends of some words. So like, there, player, flatter become theah, playah, flattah. And the ah sound in thought, dog, and law become a diphthong. So they become a two element sound. For thought, dog, law. Sometimes that th sound, thin, thick, this, that become very dentalized. So it's thin, thick, this, that. So you hear those hard, flat sounds. The back of the teeth. Thin. Thick. This. That.

You start to hear the musicality of the accent. T's are very dentalized. So they're very pushed up against the teeth. So Tony takes his time becomes Tony takes his time. Do you hear the difference there? Tony takes his time, and Tony takes his time. The st sound in stretch becomes stretch. I love that one.

So what's the musicality of this general Brooklyn accent? Well it's a very urban sound, like we'd said. It's got a lot of power to it. You use emphasis with volume, and less with pitch variety. But don't take my word for. Go listen to some native Brooklyn speakers, and let the accent reveal itself to you.

[tnewm]

People saying "I live in Brooklyn and no one sounds like that!" If you live in a country you don't usually hear an accent in your voice. I Australia and I think I don't sound like that but I do.

[Brollyssweetface]

Everyone saids they're here for Harley Quinn, but I'm here wondering what Captain America would sound like if they gave him a Brooklyn accent.

[MrsHedgehogify]

I'm trying to figure out what Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes sound like

[loveamerica]

What is so funny about watching this: I am 35, grew up raised by my grandmother who was born and bred in. Brooklyn. We did not live in Brooklyn when I was living with her and I still have a very heavy accent. Fast forward to today, my 2 year old now has a very strong Brooklyn accent. It's quite amusing and a very interesting anthropological study in accents and speaking. My grandma would be proud.

[chimchimeroo]

Lol Tony. Now I can imagine how Steve calls him

[Tweaks]

she sounds more like an italian new yorker from back in the 80's or something 

[dechha]

This might be partly why Margot Robbie is so good at that Brookly accents, we Australians don't pronouce R at the end of words either.

[ZiaMoon]

Best word to say in a brooklyn accent: coffee

[daniharkness]

Now I'm kinda angry that Steve and Bucky don't sound like this. And Peter doesn't sound like he's from Queens either.

[The_Beast_]

Most professional accent teacher i have ever seen! I mean look at her freakin confidence!!!!

[iasminaysha]

I wish we could see Steve Rogers, a known Brooklyn dude, with some accent

[Fairy]

I just finished "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" and they mention the main character having a strong Brooklyn accent. This was during early 1900s though and Brooklyn had many Germans, Irish, etc at that time. I'm curious if the accent was different then vs now.

[_aishaal-sharifaajiwibo]

Yo enough harley quinn and more bucky barnes and steve rogers

[castiel]

I love the fact that she used 'tony' as example, because I'm here to get an idea how Steve would sound...

[JoeyTorre]

😂 Speaking as a fellow Brooklynite, she NAILED IT!

[nuisance]

This is a Vinny Babarino accent. But they way she was saying to emphasize certain letters and words is actually what creates the classic Brooklyn accent. Unfortunately the Brooklyn accent is dying do to gentrification and so many Brooklyn natives moving out of Brooklyn like my family and many many more every day

[kyttiegirl]

I needed a Brooklyn accent refresher and so fun to get your video! HI ANDREA!! I know you! AND this was super helpful, thanks! I hope you and M are well:) xo

[TheFlatEarthChannelcom]

I was born and raised in Canada but I have a Brooklyn accent. Probably because I can’t pronounce my R. I’m also Vietnamese and was in French school in a black neighborhood. But now I know why people think I’m from Brooklyn now with your explanation

[GeneralWarburg]

The advice about lip placement was actually super helpful!

[ihavepowers]

This video is so helpful!! I need to play a character with a brooklyn accent in this musical and this video really helped me get started on my accent, thanks!