Laughing at other's accents is legitimate mockery. It's just one more thing to crank you yanks up with. Mind you, since trump we don't really need anything else.

Accents and dialects can be fascinating, and we all have them, most certainly including those from "Joisey."
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, a stone's throw from Seattle. I always thought our English was standard American. It is not. Closer than some, perhaps, but we all have regional quirks, both in vocabulary and accents. I lived in Germany for 12 months as an exchange student. I got to hear certain adults tell me that Americans don't speak real English. Their standard instructional reference in school is Oxford English, which is an almost absurd exaggeration of what we tend to think of as the Queen's English. Anyway, I have since spent 33 years living on the Gulf Coast, Alabama, as well as N'awlins, Dawlin.' (most recently Baton Rouge.) Very distinct dialects. Even within one state, Louisiana, there are variations, from New Orleans, to Cajun coastal communities, to more inland areas, which sound a lot more like Mississippi.

Anyone who mocks you for your accent has delusions that they somehow Don't have an accent. Just laugh at them, point out their accent, or tell them "Yes, some of us are actually informed enough about the world to have lived in more than just New Jersey."

I've been told by a lot of people that I sound like I'm from Pennsylvania (which I have never visited). It was only when I moved to Colorado Springs that I was made fun of for my Texas/southern accent.

Occasionally I will drop into a heavy hillbilly accent to piss of my children, but other than that I haven't had anyone talk about my accent for decades.

You American's are spoiled, you have no idea what it is like trying to to talk to a Geordie or a Glaswegian, you would hardly think it was English at all.

After growing up in Michigan, I talked like a duck that migrated to Canada.

"WAH-shington."

"AW-portunity."

"HAM-mock." Quack, quack, quack.

Moving to Washington State, I butchered the pronunciation of Indian-named rivers and towns. NEWS FLASH: Oregon is pronounced "Ore-gun."

It helps to have a sense of humor. I just laughed and corrected my pronunciation.

I'm from the northwest, so when a Bostonian teased me about my accent, I wasn't sure how to take it. At the time, we were working in an area of England, rumored to have about 17 distinct accents, not counting the accents of those working for the agency from around the country, bringing with them yet MORE accents. On a related note, I recall an interview with Sean Connery, in which he recounted being told that he would never be a successful actor unless he ditched that silly Scottish accent.

I am the youngest sibling in a large family. Before I was born, our family lived in various states across the U.S. People often ask if I'm from some place other than here but I am the only Californian in the family. I also have a bad habit of unintentionally copying accents and mannerisms.

That's hilarious . Someone from New Jersey teasing someone about their accent.

EVERYONE has an accent. Whether we notice one or not depends on if we are around people who have an accent different from what we have.

I was born and raised in Oregon. All my life people would ask me if I was from the South. This was due to the fact that my mom was from Oklahoma. I never noticed my accent, nor my mother's. Mom was 9 when they moved to Oregon so she lost most her southern/south western accent. When we were around family still living in OK, or TX, they sounded very different.

I try not to, but I do find myself dropping 'gs' (runnin, for example). And, I think I might have a little bit of a drawl. At least that's how I hear myself in recordings.

As a long time choir director, I am acutely aware of how people pronounce words, and am experienced with the task of trying to eliminate regional pronunciation issues. It is no small task! With only a little practice, a person can listen for small differences in pronunciation from area to area. There is so much variation, just in the eastern half of the US alone. That said, your friends aren't being very nice. Stick to your accent, and just speak normally. Don't change for them, that is, unless you join a choir! BTW, my aunt, who grew up in Georgia, had a very thick southern drawl. She moved to NJ, where her friends and family teased her mercilessly! She never attempted to change, and that became part of who she was.

I sound like a newscaster. With slight alterations depending on who I'm talking to. As long as "we" understand what we're talking about I'm cool.

Joisey? New Joisey? They talk funny too! give it back to them ☺

I’d begun working with students when noticing my supervisor wince after I’d pronounced a word … no doubt learned from my mid-western mother.. Aware that others pronounced it differently, I felt safe in that we pronounced it the same as Bill Moyers…

Eventually, along with a couple more words with the same difference ...I forced myself to pronounce as ..most (on the west coast) did. Still painful, I’ve kept it up. Really tuff when talking with Mom

Moved to Appalachia. Considered working within schools again … until attempting to decipher the students hillbilly syllable-dropping chatter.. Eventually determined, I can’t understand them, nor them, me! A continued career in education is not going to work

Do ..somewhat enjoy listening to locals describe things () ..but what a joy it is to find someone who speaks modern US English. Friended a woman from CA who was so much fun to talk with - we spoke the same language, and could laugh ourselves sick over the ..stuff we’re surrounded by

There are four main dialects of American English--New England (Bahston, Cah Pahk), Northeastern (spoken mainly in about a fifty mile radius of NYC), General American Dialect (basic Websterian English), and Southern. Having lived in six states, I've picked up a little bit of each. Mostly, I speak a patois of General American, and Southern. You speak whatever dialect you grew up hearing.
Keep in mind, what you consider English, the English would consider 'Yank'.

I have a Minnesota accent and grew up in a region with a particularly distinct one. When I lived out of state it was pointed out to me, but it never bothered me much.

Imagine growing up in NJ, then living in Florida, then the Midwest, then Texas, back to Florida, then to Maine, back to Florida again, and then to Georgia.

Everyone has an accent of one kind or another. Most of the time I think I probably sound Southern. Then, depending on whether I've been on the phone with my aunt, or I'm thoroughly pissed off, I sound like I never left NJ.

Whenever my coworkers in Maine would tease me about my southern accent, I'd just say, "fuck all y'all".

Please feel free to use that whenever the need arises.

Jersey people talk weird too. They always remind me of Clerks.

All the time. I still cannot say "flabbergasted".

When I talk to non-English speakers I slow down and simplify my syntax. I even take on their accent a bit. It's completely unconscious - I have no idea I'm doing it - and yes, my friends tease me about it.