Brooklynese

American  

[brook-luh-neez, -nees, brook-luh-neez, -nees] / ˌbrʊk ləˈniz, -ˈnis, ˈbrʊk ləˌniz, -ˌnis /

noun

1. the speech, especially the pronunciation, thought to be characteristic of a person coming from New York City, especially Brooklyn.

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Etymology

Origin of Brooklynese

First recorded in 1945–50; Brooklyn + -ese

Example Sentences

The reader can almost hear Camilleri’s longtime translator, Stephen Sartarelli, chuckling over his rendition of Catarella’s chatter as that mishmash of h-dropping Cockney and diphthong-slaying Brooklynese.

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2021

As my Brooklynese father used to say, “If Sarah jumped owaf the Golden Gate Bridge, Leeser would follow.”

From Salon • Jan. 2, 2016

He still has not lost his gravelly Brooklynese after decades in the backhills of Vermont.

From Time • Apr. 30, 2015

All of it is delivered in a nasal Brooklynese that turns words like "Iowa" to "Eye-uh-were" and "media" to "me-dee-uhr" and in a string of admonishments: "Listen to this!"

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2015

As the boy grew up, the name was changed into Brooklynese and he was known as Neeley.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith