What’s everones feeling on accents? Which ones do you hate, and which make you melt? Everyone knows the old French accent in movies to indicate a exotic man, do girls buy into this?
I personally like a woman with an Aussie accent, it makes her seem like a guys girl, who can drink and tell dirty jokes with the best of them. And never a hint of inhibition. British accents on anyone make me think they are a pompous ass, and I relish the opportunity to belittle them. Oriental accents (I know how different they all are, but they all have the same effect) are absolutely grating on my nerves. I have a tough time not correcting them, and can’t concentrate on anything they say. I imagine a lost tourist.
Do accents have a distinct effect on any one of you? Canadian, Southern, Boston, Indian, New York…which ones make you think dirty thoughts, and which ones are a pet peeve?
English, Australian, and very distinct Louisianian (sp??) accents are huge turn-ons for me. I used to think French accents were great until I spent six weeks trying to understand what they were trying to say (the fact that the first English-speaking voices I heard towards the end of my stay in France were, in fact, English only deepened my love for that particular sound). I never particularly despised any accent until my current math teacher. Very obviously Oriental (though I’m not the right person to ask which parts he’s from), and terribly annoying to listen to. On top of that, his grammar is atrocious.
The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.
– Henry David Thoreau
I can’t say I get annoyed by the accents of people who aren’t native speakers of English, perhaps because I sympathize with them for the difficulties they experience – esp. in the context of American monolingualism, which does not exactly breed an attitude of tolerance.
Attitudes about accents are, of course, often closely tied to ideas about class and race. Personally, I find it disturbing when I hear someone say that they “despise” an accent – particularly when it’s attached only to a broad racial category like “Oriental.”
Cessandra, many non-native English speakers have what appears to be “atrocious grammar” because they compose their English sentences with a syntax or grammar that would be correct in their native language but sounds wrong to us. Cut the guy some slack.
Anyway, women with Irish and Scottish accents really do it for me.
I’m Asian in descent, but a southern boy in every aspect, including a pronounced accent. People are really unnerved when they hear that southern twang coming out of an Asian face. Combine it with a badge, and it’s their worse Redneck Oriental nightmare.
I have a friend who is Vietnamese and was adopted by his Tennessee parents just prior to the fall of Saigon. He was a young boy then. His southern accent is stronger than mine, and I grew up in Texas and Louisiana since I was a baby child.
The sad part is that the accents that do bother me because I have a hard time following them, are Asian accents. I did a traffic stop on one elderly Korean lady and went into a terrible hand gesture and pantomine as to why I stopped her. I don’t think she got the idea I was trying to get across to her. Really, she had no business being on the road and made me wonder about those fine people working at the Florida DMV. She had a valid Florida DL so I couldn’t do anything about that, except shake in fear.
I also adore Australian accents . . . The worst accent in the world, though, is a heavy Baltimore accent! Watch the early John Waters films to see what I mean.
Phil, lighten up. Its quite obvious (I hope), that the poor grammar is due to the unfamiliarity with our language, and the certain common mistakes are because in their tounge it is correct. I understand the desire to be PC, and that understanding is important to tolerance, but can’t we say the errors are annoying, and have a good hearted laugh about it? Heaven forbid an American try and speak French in Paris poorly, he may get his soup spit in. Some of us get jumped for misspellings and typos here, but there are no appologies for our hunt & peck typing. We instead get railed for being idiots, with ineffectual comments. But say someone of another race speaks our language poorly, and that creates an unpleasant impression to the listener, and the PC police come out to bury you.
PS, a rednecked asian sounds like a solid premise for this season’s Fox primetime line up.
My favorite by far is a Frenchman’s accent. I dated a guy who was an exchange student from France- we had, well- LOTS of fun, and now whenever I hear a very strong french accent from a man I get weak in the knees…
I have a good friend with an odd accent/face combo. He looks very asian (his mom is Japanese and his Dad is caucasian), he is about 6’4"- a massive guy. He also has a Brooklyn accent that will knock your socks off- complete with the “f” word about every other word. Very interesting combo.
I do love a Texas accent (Dallas)- My husband lived there for several years- not much of an accent left, but he still calls me “darlin’”. Too sexy…
Run for the hills, folks! Or you’ll be up to your armpits in martians!
Probably the only accent I really find annoying is Vietnamese…nothing against the culture, I just don’t care for the sound. I have to admit that I find the East Texas redneck accent either amusing or annoying, which is pretty bad, when ya live in Texas.
I really like Irish, English and Scottish accents. Mimi Rogers has the sexiest damn voice and accent I’ve ever heard (and tha rest of her’s not bad, neither! Yeee Haaww!!)
I think Hispanic accents are pretty cute, too (From women, mind ya, I’m not one of them “funny” boys.)
sorry, y’all, I’m obviously having a redneck moment.
Met an interesting accent recently - Russian native who speaks exquisite English but who’s been in the southern US long enough to have acquired a southern accent on top of the slight Russian. Interesting combination.
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I cant abide oriental accents, its like nails on a black board. I think they are beautiful people though,I am fascinated by the differences in looks. There is no way to say that and not sound racist. It is the syntax of the speach that annoys me, but I could happily sit for hours and hear them talk Japanese, Chinese, Whatever…its just the english that winds me.
If I had the $$ I would travel all over the US and listen to people talk. I love the drawls, the different dialects…you guys are such a rich nation linguistically.
And I dont have an accent, eh?
I used to work at a banking call center and I got a call from an Australian…when I could quit tittering every time he spoke, I slid off my suddenly slippery seat. :o
I like the French accent too; same reason as Zette. Dated a French guy for about a year and I was absolutely stark raving bonkers over him. A cute guy with a French accent can melt me into a puddle now.
