How to do a Boston Accent
Have you ever wanted to know how to sound like you are from Boston? How to do a Boston accent? Or how to sound like Mark Wahlberg in the Fighter, talk like Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, speak like Ben Affleck in The Town, or drop your R's like Casey Affleck in Gone Baby Gone? Well, you’re in luck. My hubby grew up in Massachusetts, and happens to have a rather sexy Boston accent, IMHO. So, if you want to speak like you’re from Boston, then you’ll want to watch this Boston accent tutorial.
Below are some bookmark links that will take you to specific times in the video. This should make it easier for you to revisit the sections of the video that you want to continue working on to sound like a Bostonian.
AR to AH 1:25
O to AWE 5:18
ER to AH 9:36
Combining Words 12:39
Letter Dropping 14:13
Intrusive R 14:50
Tricky Diphthongs 17:13
Пікірлер: 385
I grew up in Boston and went to an international camp for teenagers in Colorado. We were told to bring a pencil to the party. So I told others to bring a pencil to the party. They were puzzled and wondered why they should bring a pencil to the pottie.
@OrdenJust
Ай бұрын
If you're a mathematician, sometimes you have to work it out with a pencil.
I can finally fit into my city
@aetnalin5513
4 жыл бұрын
Christopher Mainieri same
@ljb8157
4 жыл бұрын
Nah... unless you're born here, you'll never fit in with the accent
@Icetea.617
3 жыл бұрын
Was you born here kid because if your not you can’t fit in this city
This guy has a nice, soft, gentle Boston accent that I associate with a wealthier, more proper Bostonian. It relaxes you rather than seems angry or tough guy. Its soothing.
I never knew I would click so fast for a video of an accent I never even heard before-
As an Australian I can tell you this accent is at times IDENTICAL to the Australian accent. weird.
@xxwolfrider3xx
Жыл бұрын
I routinely tell people that can't hit an Australian accent but can do any kind of British that Australian is the Bostonian of British accents 😂
@jackchihuahua
Жыл бұрын
That's what I was thinking, the way they pronounce the "ar"s as "ah"s really shows how similar it could be. It's like trying to put on the Australian dialect as an American.
@madamedellaporte4214
Жыл бұрын
Or English home counties with something a little extra. It is the silent R that does is most. His vowels are different though.
@atta1798
Жыл бұрын
not at ALL
@74artgrrl
Жыл бұрын
As a Massachusetts native I’d have to agree. But Australians tend to have a healthier sense of humor. A Boston native is influenced by Puritan restrictions and using words like “cunt” as an expletive will cause New Englanders to recoil in disgust. It never fails to amuse me how funny and wonderful Australians are in their conversations with friends.
I think the best American accent is the Boston accent.
@JustMe-gs9xi
4 жыл бұрын
lol, cool, -- i grew up in boston, and everyone sounded the same. we didn't know we had accents,,, im telling you this is true.
@ljb8157
4 жыл бұрын
Agreed! But I'm biased!
@RonnieY3
3 жыл бұрын
I like the Brooklyn accent as well both top 2
@kellyceurvels1022
Жыл бұрын
@@JustMe-gs9xi 6:14 so fucking true! I was born and raised 10 miles south of Boston in Weymouth. Never knew I had a thick accent until I moved to Florida in my late 20’s and everyone kept on repeating myself back to me and laughing .
@therealskull4786
Жыл бұрын
Nah, Chicagoan. Minnesota takes 1st for funniest, though. "He's a righteous dude"
Aw ok as a New Englander and Bostonian, I so love and appreciate this video: his authentic accent and your earnest attempts (and not for nothing, pat yourself on the pack!! I don’t sugarcoat it when people mess up our accent but I think you did very well!) Plus, like there are so many variations (thank you for addressing this, much appreciated) of the accent within Boston itself, let alone the different New England accents... It’s really difficult to catch on if you didn’t grow up hearing people talk like this
@ronmccluskey2140
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, I agree if you didn't grow up here its impossible to notice the difference in the accent from town to town city to city , But we can lol
@Contrafactum
9 ай бұрын
A little like Shaw's Henry Higgens, I swear I can tell if someone comes from Quincey or from Lowell.
@Laurelsvlogsavlogchannel
6 ай бұрын
I'm able to add to this as an Australan New Englander, due to my location being in the New England region of NSW.
Funny, a lot of this sounds very much like the Australian accent!
@anthill7774
4 жыл бұрын
I resent that mate.
@anthill7774
4 жыл бұрын
I second thoughts you may be right...damn. Australians sound like that but you will notice with a Australian accent will start low and gradually increase.
@giuseppe-sabra
4 жыл бұрын
every time i try to do the bostonian accent i end up sounding a little aussie
@HumanIsError
4 жыл бұрын
@@giuseppe-sabra I slip into it on certain words. Specifically works that start with R.
@ocelotxp
4 жыл бұрын
No, not at all
I think my new band name is going to be "tricky diphthongs" . So thank you.
@MadeleineHarveyVoice
4 жыл бұрын
LOL, best comment evah! Was “Gawker-blockers” taken? Asking for a friend.
This video was a revelation. I grew up in the suburbs of Boston and I do literally every one of these things except for the Dropped R, lol. I didn't think I had an accent because it wasn't the stereotypical urban Boston accent. But I do all those other things. I didn't know how difficult it was for people from elsewhere to pronounce vowels the way we do. Also this was really cute and funny.
@zuzu8345
Жыл бұрын
I was laughing so hard because I thought the same thing not realizing I was doing some of the things they were talking about like the awe instead of the o sound. I told my husband now I realize why he makes fun of my accent so much. xD I was so clueless and being like what'chu mean? I don't have an accent. xD
I am Australian but I worked in Boston for a while (well, just outside Boston). I actually felt at home there and no one had any trouble understanding me and, likewise!
I heard having a thick Australian accent makes the Boston accent pretty easy but that's a straight up lie. Dropping the R's were easy but saying 'lobster' with that accent gave me an aneurysm
The absence of expletives makes me call this lesson into question ;D
The ar to ah sounding words sound Australian hehe
@jdniemand
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I was watching this like "these words are just exactly how I'd normally say them"
@mickysully
15 күн бұрын
Very scouser too
The intrusive 'R' also comes at the end of a syllable when it's followed by a vowel; for example, "drawing" is pronounced "drawring". As in: "Yawe drawring? I nevah sawrit."
@braemtes23
4 жыл бұрын
When there are two words or syllables in which the first word/syllable ends with a vowel sound and the second begins with a vowel, an R is added.
@eggplantcouch1
4 жыл бұрын
Because moving from vowel to vowel is difficult. The r is inserted where it doesn't belong to make the move from vowel to vowel easier.
I really need to send this video to my online friends because I once said “do you have an elastic?” And nobody understood what I said, and this is a good start to introducing people what the Boston Accent is.
This sounds quite Australian! And yes I am an Aussie, we drop our vowels too
I have an audition for Brighton Beach Memoirs this week, you don't know how helpful this is! Thank you!
@ljb8157
4 жыл бұрын
How'd it go?
@TailWaggyDog
Жыл бұрын
Hilarious, as an Aussie hearing someone do my own accent, and calling it Bostonian, when I did Brighton Beach Memoirs a few years ago, we were all smooshing out something a bit more Noy Yoyk. I hope your production was as special and memorable as ours!
As a Bostonian.. Yeah pretty much. Wicked good. Also extra marks for the Brady jersey :) but seriously guys obviously from Boston he shouldn't be giving our secrets away ;) just kidding. Anyway if you want a movie that really showcases a real Bostonian accent well you should all watch Gone baby Gone with Casey Affleck. Me and a friend grew up with that kind of neighborhood and he had to leave the theater because it was so realistic to how he grew up. Casey and the mom are the most real in that film. Reminds me of people I grew up with in Dorchester. EDIT: Go Sox! EDIT2: "I work at camp hi howareahya" "do you teach archery?" okay that made me ma laugh out loud lol
I love this video and I'd love to see more about this accent and just more accent videos in general. Honestly the best video about the Boston accent as well. Thanks for this!
The depth and level of detail, especially by those well chosen examples, very good! A lot of the minor things that even Bostonians don't realize they're doing. The "draw'r" example is an intrusive "R" that I forgot I do! You're good!
OMG...this is exactly what I need ...thanks a lot ...it helps me to create characters with deferent accent ...more of this please 🖤
You two are amazing!! Thank you so much for this. 🙂 Signed myself up for a Voice Over job that required a Boston accent and it's been stressing me out - but you broke it down so well! I've GOT this now!
Madeleine!! 😍😂 I love this so much!! You two are freaking adorable.
@MadeleineHarveyVoice
4 жыл бұрын
I love you too, friend! ❤️
Me trying to to learn the Boston accent while living in Boston 👁👄👁
Well spokem Madeleine and husband, I was convinced that you were imitating an Australian accent and yet I shall say that the Bostonian accent to me sounds like the transatlantic accent which I like as well. I would be glad to assist you with an educated Australian accent. Both of you entertained me.
Such a fun accent.
I love your accent videos! Please keep doing them!
Oh, will this be a new series? I hope you make this a regular thing, because I've been learning about impressions and accents for the last few months. I'd appreciate any help you can give!
I can seriously hear Australian in the Boston accent. Never knew you sounded like us Aussies.
Doubled over laughing at this (I’m from MA). Never realized how many little nuances the accent had.
I only watched this so i could sound like the scout from tf2 lmao
The first time someone asked me to pass them the “click-ah” at work, I was mad confused. Now I kind of sound like this too😂
Both of you are awesome, thank you..
This is really good. Normally I just tell people to drop their ‘r’s and hit up a few Boston bars for regulars. Blake Lively’s accent was so good they asked her where she was from in Boston. She had no idea what neighborhood to tell them.
That was so interesting and so much fun to try! I would love to see another one of these teaching a Scottish accent please.....✌❤🏴😁
@hexphone8381
4 жыл бұрын
YES
@timflatus
4 жыл бұрын
I would be amazed if an American was able to teach this, I don't doubt there are some linguistic geniuses out there. The problem is that you can't really just learn the accent it's a whole different way of talking such that Scots is now regarded as a separate language. There is such a thing as a Scottish dialect of English, which is based on Anglic rather than Saxon. Edinburgh is probably closest to English, Glasgow much further and Inverness can be almost completely impenetrable. That's without going into Gaidhlig, which is completely unrelated to English.
@dino5794
4 жыл бұрын
I can sorta do a Scottish accent. When I do a Russian one for too long it morphs into scottish... lol
Great breakdown. thanks. One of the toughest accents.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn. You would think that this would be an easy transition as our accents are somewhat similar, save a few vowel differences and the fact that Bostonians tend to speak more quickly and shorten some of their word endings. Unless I speak slowly, I fall right back into my Brooklyn accent. The Intrusive R occurs in some people who have Brooklyn accents too.
@jpgiuliotti
8 ай бұрын
I’m from from blue collar, ethnic Italian,, East Boston and I am often mistaken for somebody from Brooklyn. We (you and I) know the obvious differences between the two and the more subtle ones but a lot of people from outside the Northeast have a hard time distinguishing the two.
I’m from Boston. Don’t know how I came across this. Obviously we don’t hear our accent. Good jawbah
Sure does sound like aussie accent with a sight hint of kiwi accent on some words love it!!
So much of this sounds identical with the way we speak in Australia. I only heard a difference in the pronunciation of vowels like in "towed", "not", "calling" and "pocket". But we pronounce "lobster" exactly the same. We also say "aye" in the same way as well as inserting an "r" between "saw" + "it" or "raw" + "eggs". And beer, the same! Wow I wonder if it's the Irish influence
@zuzu8345
Жыл бұрын
I tried telling my husband that I think its because of the irish influence and he tried calling me a liar said it was because of the british influence. I think its both.
@jpgiuliotti
8 ай бұрын
Ha ha. Lived in East Boston my whole life until I took a job in Seattle when I was 36 years old. I was working at a bank and was on an elevator with one of my coworkers and a woman who I had seen once or twice in meetings and I was chatting with my coworker. I got off the elevator and they continued on to another floor. Later that day, my coworker said that the woman he was with asked him what part of Australia I was from. :-)
This is so fun!!! I really like your technique of teaching with the text at the bottom of your video ^__^ thank uuu
This is pretty funny. I grew up in Salem, MA not too far outside of Boston and I grew up speaking like that! Im a voice actor now and I worked very hard to lose it, lol. Sometimes a word will slip out now and then.
just had an audition for a character with a Boston accent. This video helped tremendously. Thank you both.
@jpgiuliotti
8 ай бұрын
“Fallout 4” the massive hit video game was set in post apocalyptic Boston. I went in for the audition and read a couple of monologues. When I was done and stepped out of the sound booth, the producer looked at me and smiled, asked me where I was from (I’m originally from East Boston) and I was called a few hours later and got the job. :-) kzread.info/dash/bejne/f4Kf2MVuqcXKkpM.htmlfeature=shared
The whole time I was going through this tutorial I kept coming back to "This isn't as distinct sounding when I say it" but I realised that a lot of the vocal behaviours are similar to my Australian accent, being less heavy on R's and T's is natural to me. Just that our Ah sound instead of -ar or -er is less nasal sounding
@jpgiuliotti
8 ай бұрын
Lived in East Boston my whole life until I took a job in Seattle when I was 36 years old. I was working at a bank and was on an elevator with one of my coworkers and a woman who I had seen once or twice in meetings and I was chatting with my coworker. I got off the elevator and they continued on to another floor. Later that day, my coworker said that the woman he was with asked him what part of Australia I was from. :-)
I'm from México and I love this city. In my opinion is the best city of USA. Im still learning english and it help me to sound like a bostonian
I swear are so entertaining and made me laugh right from the getgo. I read and laughed along with you. You guys are so funny. Yet really great teachers. I learned a lot! Thanks!!😊
I was writing a little bit in my story where a person is speaking in a hilariously overdone Boston accent while trying to park her car in New York (bit of a long story how they got to that) but realized that I couldn't imagine the accent in my head to spell out the dialect and I didn't know any colloquialisms. Thank you so much, your video was a huge help!
Im from Chicago but moved to Pittsburgh. When I recently spoke to friends back in Chicago they told me I developed a Boston accent lol I guess that’s what you get when you mix Chicago and Pittsburgh
@edwardmiessner6502
4 жыл бұрын
That's something I never expected would happen. Both the Chicago and Pittsburgh accents have almost nothing in common with a Boston accent!
ur hilarious love ur singing vids cant believe u did this i live for it
I think this video finally made me work out what I was doing so wrong with my attempts at the accent - it was too far forward in my mouth, and it's meant to go "over the pencil." I was doing too much John Cena and not enough Matt Damon.
thanks! I'm doing a short film and I needed to do a backstreet accent, this video really helped!
So helpful! Auditioning became a breeze! I'm a big fan of the accent. I used to have it naturally (Despite living in the west) but I lost it as I grew older. I love watching videos of myself when younger because I love the sound of my Baw-stuhn voice. Thank you so much for this video and the videos on singing! Your assistance is wonderful.
This was so enjoyable! 😂
I am English so the R dropping and the intrusive R are just how I speak. If I tried to do an American accent I'd probably sound Boston.
You seem like a very classy/elegant lady. The way you carry yourself is what I strive for, really.
I have a speech impediment where I always mess up my r’s and w’s but for some reason everyone thinks I’m from Boston 💀 Thought I’d learn to perfect the accent
This was so much fun, I hear this all the time. I live on the border of Massachusetts, I work there at times.
This is so fun, one of my favourite videos on here
Haha. This is very similar to how we talk in Manchester, UK.
Possibly the best video on KZread for the boston accent.
It’s the best tutor video for bostonian accent i’ve ever seen.👍
i like your channel and support you wish you both all the best
Yay, super cute. Thank you, I learned a lot. I appreciate it
Notice though, if your voice raises or lowers at ends of words could turn the pronunciation into something New York Also, I think women say things softer then men. ( although your husband speaks the accent softly - ) Living so many other places, especially with non English speakers has mitigated my Boston accent. It was totally lovely to hear your husbands accent!!!
I'm an ESL teacher and enjoyed the demonstration it sounds like a Uk-Us mix
You guys are freakin adorable.
It is very similar to the Australian accent. When I was in the States, many thought I was Bostonian.
Well done!!! ❤️🔥
I’m sorry I’m 3 years late but omg! I love this girl!!
I was born with a Boston accent and ive never been to Boston before in my life💀
This channel is great for D&D players
Your video is cool & informative & alot of fun brother.
Massachusetts here...you’ve done a fine job 👍🏼
i'm italian and i find that Boston accent simplify english pronunciation... i love it!
You guys rock. I would learn any accent from you.
This is very helpful, thanks
Hah! I’ve attempted to neutralize my accent over the years but “rawreggs” just cracked me up - can’t drop that one!
Haha, sitting in Ipswich UK, we have such a similar accent to Boston......can't wait to visit.
Love watching!! I always watch the speeches of JFK and yup the Boston accent rocks.
This is a really well made video guide. When the pandemic is over, I'm going to freak out my friends :)
This is very funny and also the fact that I live in newton and I visit boston a lot yet I never heard anyone talk like that
Amazing video on this. Thank you so much !!! :D reminded me of Peter griffin from family guy and the whole show " Ray Donovan " . wonderful accent i really love it. it's soooooo dope !.
There are so many northern British accents like Mancunian or Lancastrian that sound just like this.
She really does a good job. It's like I was talkin to my sistah!
In my second watch through, these two are so cute!
Sounds very similar to how people talk in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.
That..intro.... Woah.. This helped me thank you :3
What about making a video about the melody and rhythm ( that would fit your singing tips) of American English..kind of standard American accent. That would be amazing!!! BTW You sounded great Madeleine, low voice 🤩
This was so interesting! I'd love to see a video breaking down the Aussie accent, as a aussie myself, it'd also be pretty interesting.
@TailWaggyDog
Жыл бұрын
It is apparently, just a Boston accent..
Okay now this is nice, and as a Bostonian this actually makes it sound Beautiful. However, I think all of us from MA know it really comes out when we go in the rotary.
I grew up in southeastern Connecticut, with many of the people having a thick, Bostonesque accent, but unique to that path of the world. When I was first introduced to Southerners, it was all but impossible to communicate back and fawth!
@TheRichtaber
3 жыл бұрын
Not “path”, but “paht”
I had a boyfriend from Boston (we were on the west coast). He had been away for a while so his accent had mellowed a lot. His brother came to visit, and I could understand him fine with the heavier accent except if he ever said "saw it" in a sentence. It always sounded like "sorry" more than anything. Which was confusing because it never made sense. 'What do you mean you're sorry?' 'Huh? I said I SARIT! Sar. It. I didn't say sahry. Get the wax outta yah eeahs.' lol That was decades ago and I still remember it.
I’m from the Boston area, and in my experience only in extreme cases do people completely drop the rhotic “R” sound. It’s just more subtle. The difference is how the vowels are shaped. The rhotic “r” sound is formed when the mouth is opened more narrowly and the tongue is pushed further back in the mouth. In the Boston accent, the “Ah” vowel is brighter sounding because the the mouth is open wider and the spread more laterally, this makes the “r” sound less obvious even though it’s in there. In fact, when most people use the “park your car at Harvard yard” they are doing it wrong. What they should be doing is sneaking the rhotic “r” sound at the end of “car” since the next word starts with a vowel. That’s how a real Bostonian should do it. It’s just brighter and more “splatty” sounding.
@TransJohnDeer
Жыл бұрын
I explain it like your reading it as follows: “Pahk ya cah RAT hahvuhd yahd. (Ad the “R” to the beginning of the next word that starts with a vowel)
@donovangunther4538
10 ай бұрын
I think it moreso comes from the rest of America(only America in terms of English speaking countries) pronouncing the letter R like they have a small bomb implanted in their brains that will instantly kill them if it isn't the most distinct letter pronounced in every single word. So when you don't do that and speak normal it'd be a pretty big change
I wouldn't imagine that the Boston accent sounds like Australian English actually I couldn't imagine that would exist an accent in US that doesn't pronounce the R sound
Such a fun accent
It's nice to see a husband and wife team in complete harmony...
I’m from Boston and wanted to know if I talk like this, and I do without knowing it. Boston dialect is very different than other accents. It’s could be compared to New York dialect but still very different depending where you’re from
@atta1798
Жыл бұрын
Indeed NY sound like due to the same immigrants BUT NO way Australian
I love New England accents. They are super cool. Not from that area but i do like the New England area
Love the Boston accent