Is the American accent sexy to you?

[Protocol417 161]

More of a question for beneficiaries, of course.

Just curious, though. My SO and I were talking about what makes us nervous about living in each other's countries (since we will be moving back to the UK some day) and one of the things he mentioned was being worried about using the wrong word. He was kind of joking about it, but it made me think. Americans find British accents (of any kind) HAWT. Even better when they say British-y things. The opposite is really not true at all. I can only really speak for the English (and I'd imagine they're probably the worst of the bunch when it comes to this), but the best you seem to get from them is tolerance. Saying something like "oh, man, I was going around a traffic circle one day when the hood flew off my car and dented everything from the antenna to the trunk" just isn't going to get the same look of glee as the equivalent would in the States, and most American accents are unimpressive to them. In fact, you might be facing a stern look of disapproval. But this is just the impression I get.

So non- and newly-American people, what is your perspective on this?

[Calypso 464]

I love the way my husband speaks. He was born in India but has been living in the US since he was three so he has the common American accent but his voice is really sexy. He sounds even sexier when he talks in Hindi or Maithili. So exotic.

I'm not too impressed with the general American accent. I like the popular Irish accent best.

[duraaraa 203]

I think it depends on what part of America. There are some cool accents in various parts of the country. The generic U.S. English, though, to me, is a bit boring, and it's not a very pretty language.

[Pooky 3,821]

No, the accent alone isn't sexy. What makes it sexy is the person speaking

[NikLR 13,230]

My husband is from the south and can certainly drawl. I love it. His accent suits him to a T.

[indiana_sweetie 120]

I don't think I have an accent. I was born in the east, grew up in southern Cal and have lived in the midwest for 40 years. I think I just talk plain, pronounce words flatly. Hubby says he loves my American accent! I think that's amusing, because I don't have an accent. He, however, has a most sexy Albanian accent. I love how he speaks. He maintains that he has no accent. LOL

[besaangel 18]

nope... I dont think so. Southerners/northerners, jersey, brooklyn, cali is not sexy at all IMHO... Hubby is first generation American (family is Rican) and in all honesty, I love hearing their accents or better yet when he speaks spanish... Otherwise, his american accent is just

I live in DE and I especially crack up when my friends say "drawl me a picture... I sawl it" and swear they didnt use a "L"... very southern for a northern state

[Protocol417 161]

I love the way my husband speaks. He was born in India but has been living in the US since he was three so he has the common American accent but his voice is really sexy. He sounds even sexier when he talks in Hindi or Maithili. So exotic.

I'm not too impressed with the general American accent. I like the popular Irish accent best.

The Irish accent says "lovable and goofy" to me, but I don't find it particularly sexy, I think. Perhaps I just have watched IT Crowd one too many times

I think it depends on what part of America. There are some cool accents in various parts of the country. The generic U.S. English, though, to me, is a bit boring, and it's not a very pretty language.

That's a very good point. Most Brits I've encountered, though, only know of two accents: "American" and "George Bush" (Not meant to be a political comment, just the reality of things... probably because Bush's accent is the only constant exposure they've had to anything that isn't that "generic" American accent.)

No, the accent alone isn't sexy. What makes it sexy is the person speaking

I think there are some American accents that are a little sexy, but I may be biased in that regard

I don't think I have an accent. I was born in the east, grew up in southern Cal and have lived in the midwest for 40 years. I think I just talk plain, pronounce words flatly. Hubby says he loves my American accent! I think that's amusing, because I don't have an accent. He, however, has a most sexy Albanian accent. I love how he speaks. He maintains that he has no accent. LOL

Accents are strange in the US. Honestly I think we all mostly sound the same, with a few exceptions in deep pockets of New York/New Jersey, the Appalachias, Texas, and Wisconsin/Minnesota/Michigan. I was at a BBQ in northern England once trying to explain how you can go several states without the accent changing much (very different in the UK... you can't drive to the next major town without a change in accent) and they just didn't believe me because they'd heard a few different accents myself. I'm thinking, yeah, but that's a few over 50 states

nope... I dont think so. Southerners/northerners, jersey, brooklyn, cali is not sexy at all IMHO... Hubby is first generation American (family is Rican) and in all honesty, I love hearing their accents or better yet when he speaks spanish... Otherwise, his american accent is just

I live in DE and I especially crack up when my friends say "drawl me a picture... I sawl it" and swear they didnt use a "L"... very southern for a northern state

The Texas accent is slightly annoying to me, but head more towards Georgia and the Carolinas, where it is softer (not that thick, nasally stuff of country music)... that's quite lovely. Other than that, agreed

Most people who speak Spanish in front of me speak it way too quickly, so it doesn't come across as nice to me at all, but I have no idea where most of them come from as we have quite the mix here.

[duraaraa 203]

California is generally considered more or less standard American accent, but we do have our subtle differences.

Examples:

-ang sound (bang, pang, hang, etc.) Californians say it like a long a, so bayng, payng, hayng.

-ing sound (ring, ping) Californians say it like ee, so not ring or ping, but reeng or peeng.

s -> sh

Grocery - Groshery

Sociology - Soshiology

There are other weirdnesses in CA as well, but I can't really think of all of them. Maybe using the word "like" "dude" and "bro" more than the average person? I don't really use any of those words, though

I should mention that it freaks me out to hear my wife and stepkids use English (they're learning little by little) because I'm so used to them speaking Mongolian.

Edited July 15, 2013 by duraaraa

[Darnell 8,478]

I like the accent from Jim Neighbors (not his TV accents)

[TBoneTX 45,659]

Some months ago, I came home, and this dialogue ensued:

Mrs. T-B.: I bought you cheap.
T-B.: What did you say?
Mrs. T-B.: I bought you cheap.
T-B.: You bought me cheap? What the dickens does THAT mean? I'm not that cheap. And don't let Immigration hear you say that.
Mrs. T-B.: Cheap, CHEAP! I bought you CHEAP!

Further investigation revealed that she had gone to the store and bought a bag of potato cheaps, si man.

[Caryh 5,206]

Some months ago, I came home, and this dialogue ensued:

Mrs. T-B.: I bought you cheap.

T-B.: What did you say?

Mrs. T-B.: I bought you cheap.

T-B.: You bought me cheap? What the dickens does THAT mean? I'm not that cheap. And don't let Immigration hear you say that.

Mrs. T-B.: Cheap, CHEAP! I bought you CHEAP!

Further investigation revealed that she had gone to the store and bought a bag of potato cheaps, si man.

My wife also used to say is cheaps. She's about half way to saying it chips now.

Upon arriving home once,

Mrs: I made soap for dinner, I hope you leak it.

Mr: Ah, sure hon, ah I'll wash before dinner

Mrs: No, I made soap.

Mr: *completely confused as to why she made soap, we just shopped and bought plenty* Ah what did you make the soap out of?

Mrs: *big beaming smile* From chicken!

Mr: I didn't know you could make soap from chicken.

Mrs: No soap

Mr: Soap?

Mrs: No SOAP!!!

Mr: ow ow ow *as I'm dragged to the kitchen by my ear to see the ...........................chicken soup

Mr: OH Soup!

Mrs: That's what I said!

Mr: OooooKaaaaaay

Later that evening I failed at the task of getting her some soup while she did laundry.

[ImmemorialN 7]

Hell to the yes. It was definitely one of the very appealing factors when I first met my wife!

[Tanya and Barry 59]

My wife said yes but I think she was just trying to bed me...

[Protocol417 161]

My wife said yes but I think she was just trying to bed me...

I have that same suspicion.

About my fiance, not your wife, I mean