The Englishes

What is an accent? According to Wikipedia, “an accent is a manner of pronunciation of a language.” But why do we find accents foreign to our own so tantalisingly attractive?

A couple of weeks ago I forwarded this question. Here’s some of the responses:

- French and Dutch accents because of the way their words just roll off their tongue.
- Accents make the world of difference. I like Scottish and American. It makes them sound more interesting and kind of makes you think of celebrities that have those accents.
- I suppose Italian, French, maybe even South African. I like to think I’m an individual; I like to stand out. So being with someone who has an accent almost feels like the match is a turn on.
- I like the pommy accent, because it’s just hot. But I like any accents I guess, it’s good to hear something different if you get what I mean.
- I blush at the sound of a distinctly European accent: Swedish, Scandinavian (Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, etc), Balkan, Slavic and French.
- English, just because it reminds me of Jude Law. Accents are attractive because it's something different to what you're used to
- I’m attracted to someone with a hot Latino accent. There's something so fascinating about foreign things because they are always so unpredictable, and its what keeps excitement going :)

Personally, show me a man with a British accent and I turn to butter. In fact, an ad for Axe deodorant (otherwise known as Lynx) submits itself as the cure against girls just like me.



However, what’s considered hot or not in the realm of accents is left to contention, perhaps owing to the stereotypes attached to them. An article by the UK Telegraph writes that

“People with Brummie accents are perceived as the least intelligent in the country because of an assumption that they are likely to be criminals... Psychologists also claimed that a Yorkshire accent has overtaken the Queen's English as the pronunciation most strongly associated with wisdom and intellect.”

So what then is strongly associated with the Indian accent? Check out the following clip by comedian Russel Peters.



But regardless of what your accent conjures up, it seems that all you need is a Bud Light beer.




Love, Noeline
xox