# Are American accents sexy to non-Americans? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 22, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761 "2006-09-22T19:19:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/41 "2006-09-24T03:13:39Z")
What about the imitation of American accents by certain British\* musicians in the blues/rock tradition, who wanted to sound more authentically like their idols from Memphis, Chicago, New Orleans, etc.? I wonder if these musicians ever succeeded so well at sounding American that they managed to fool any casual fans? (And if their fans tended to find their put-on accents sexy, funny, or pathetic?) \*Not to let any continentals off the hook in this respect, but this phenomenon has, rightly or not, been associated most strongly with British blues rockers. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/42 "2006-09-24T03:24:34Z")
Scrivener: I’ll tell ya from time spent in Mississippi with blues musicians, the Euros may _pass_ in the general culture, but when they start to sling it down south, it’s a bust. That said, I’ve seen many a bluesman be truly gentlemanly to visiting European musicians: “Yeah, they want to be like us, why not, and go ahead, but please remember that when the paycheck comes around.” ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/43 "2006-09-24T03:48:24Z")
[QUOTE=Carnac the Magnificent!] I suppose we all recognize that Aussie accents differ from region to region, don’t we? (Or, better yet: Do they?) [/QUOTE] Yes, they do differ, but not much. I very much doubt a non-Aussie could pick it. Most of the time I can’t and I’ve lived here my entire life. Back to the OP - American accents don’t really do much for me… ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/44 "2006-09-24T03:53:05Z")
I can identify the Kiwi/Aussie split, but I’ll admit that’s due to having a number of friends from both sides, including a number who happily compare their accents to others. And yes, I’m aware that there’s a lot of variety in Australia, but I struggle to hear anything other than ‘not to bad’ and ‘broad whine’. No offence…😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/45 "2006-09-24T05:07:03Z")
Not particularly. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/46 "2006-09-24T05:09:39Z")
I was told by a Dane once that English speakers sound snobbish. > [@](#): > > **GorillaMan** : My initial response was, I suppose, mainly directed towards Californian/New York/etc. accents which are the commonest in various media. Actually, most people in television and radio journalism and acting try to develop a Mid-western accent. That’s been considered the broadcast standard for decades. If you want to hear one of the New York accents, listen to _Judge Judy_. She has that terrific Brooklyn accent. Thank goodness no one changed it! ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/47 "2006-09-24T07:07:58Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > I’ve heard that Brits found Marisa Tomei heavy Brooklyn accent attractive, but I think it had more to do with the looks of the actress that produced the sounds. I love a New Yawk Sephardic accent. FWIW, I have never, ever, ever heard a Southern accent that sounded “refined”, even from the stereotypical belles. Total turnoff. > [@Zoe](#): > > Actually, most people in television and radio journalism and acting try to develop a Mid-western accent. That’s been considered the broadcast standard for decades. Television and radio journalism, sure–in America. Which is irrelevant to the exposure to American accents experienced in other countries. (Except for CNN, maybe.) Anyway, news people are starting to sound more and more like Californians to me. Could be just me, though. And famous movie actors all sound like Californians to me. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/48 "2006-09-24T10:42:07Z")
No. To be honest everytime I hear an American in person I think “they sound much more normal on tv” by normal I mean I am used to the tv accent. In person the accent sounds much more harsh and in a weird way false, almost like they are faking it. Blame Hollywood but REAL Americans sound false and odd to me. Certainly not sexy. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/49 "2006-09-24T11:02:44Z")
anecdotal evidence. About 15 years ago I visited Sydney and shagged a couple of Sheila’s that just loved my west coast accent. It wa wierd in a good way. 😃 I didn’t normally have such experiences back in the day, but they loved and took the total piss out of my california accent. “Oh man, no way, dude. That’s some gnarly stuff” would result in a lot of merriment and eventually doing the wild thing. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/50 "2006-09-24T14:51:59Z")
Well, I live surrounded by Americans now, but even before that I didn’t find any American accents particularly sexy. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/51 "2006-09-24T16:47:18Z")
There was a great SNL sketch where Jeremy Irons was in an American bar talking with several women, who were all enamored with his accent. When one of them remarked, “You probably think we sound _awful_”, he gave a great non-commital smirk that was absolutely hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/52 "2006-09-24T17:19:18Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] FWIW, no accent is as much of a turn-off as an Aussie one. [/QUOTE] ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/53 "2006-09-24T20:11:21Z")
I find American accents dead sexy ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/54 "2006-09-25T03:19:44Z")
Women with southern accents can sound sexy, but I’m biased - I married a Georgia gal. ---
**Author:** ![Sacred\_Pool\_Of\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/db5fbb/32.png) [@Sacred\_Pool\_Of\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sacred_Pool_Of_Tears)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/55 "2016-05-31T18:30:59Z")
> [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](#): > > I find some of them quite sexy, but not the Californian accent (sounds too airheaded) or the New York Brooklyn accent (sounds like they are constipated). > > Elvis had a great accent, not sexy to me, but great non the less. Everyone seems to think Californians sound like the turtles from ‘Finding Nemo’. The majority of us don’t sound like that. A lot of the white surfers and pot smokers that hang out by the beaches in SoCal sound like that for some reason. But I guess that’s become the stereotype for Californians because that’s where the tourists like to go. ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/56 "2016-06-01T01:31:19Z")
I’m an american who has the “broadcaster” accent so I might not count, but a touch of a southern drawl is quite attractive, and the nasty NJ/NY/PA accents are simply not. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/57 "2016-06-01T03:44:48Z")
As an American I love a southern belle. Hick accents less so. ---
**Author:** ![Shearer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/57b2e6/32.png) [@Shearer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shearer)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/58 "2016-06-01T20:20:11Z")
Not at all. The Italian accent is sexy, but look what happened when it mixed with American. ---
**Author:** ![MrLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@MrLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrLee)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/59 "2016-06-01T20:34:10Z")
I will pitch in with several others and say that I, as a Brit, find the southern accents (Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, etc…) _endearing_ - and so, in the right hands (or pair of lips), inherently sexy. The same goes for the states-in-the-middle (Kentucky, Missouri, etc… - do you have a generic name for them?) The California accent (which most foreigners assign as the _de facto_ ‘American’ accent) is a neutral ‘meh’ for me, while the Myriad of North-Eastern accents (NY, New Jersey, Boston, etc…) are positively _unsexy_. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761/60 "2016-06-02T10:07:44Z")
Zombie accents are not particularly attractive. (Yeah, I know, stupid obvious joke. But someone had to say it, because every damn person in the thread who recognizes that it’s a zombie is thinking the same thing, right?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-accents-sexy-to-non-americans/373761.md?page=4)