You Talkin' to Me?

The Unruly History of New York English

De: E.J. White

Narrado por: Jo Anna Perrin

From paddy wagon to rush hour, New York City has given us a number of our popular words and phrases, along the way fashioning a recognizable dialect all its own. Often imitated and just as often ridiculed, New York English has its own identity, imbued with the rich cultural history of (as New Yorkers tell it) the greatest city in the world. How did this unique language community develop, and how has it shaped the city as we know it today?

In You Talkin' to Me?, E. J. White explores the hidden history of English in New York City - a history that encompasses social class, immigration, culture, economics, and, of course, real estate. She tells entertaining stories of New York's most famous characters, streets, and cultural institutions, from Broadway to the newspaper office to the department store, illuminating a new dimension of the city's landscape. Full of little-known facts - C-3PO was originally written to have a New York accent; West Side Story was originally going to be East Side Story, about Jewish and Christian New Yorkers; and "confidence man" started in reference to a specific New York City criminal - the audiobook will delight lovers of language and history alike.

©2020 Oxford University Press (P)2020 Tantor

A great book with wonderful narration

Having lived in NYC for the first 40+ years of my life I may have claim to the title of 'Real New Yorker'. This book does an excellent job of telling the story of the NYC variants. It explains their origins and their permutations, as well as how they are perceived and how they evolve through the years. Very engaging and entertaining

Jo Anna Perrin does an excellent job of telling the story. And, even better, she does a great job of actually voicing these variants as the book requires. Kudos to Perrin!