Being an American in Britain makes you accidentally sexy
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Don’t deny it – whatever you’re accent weakness is, you know it’s there (you minx, you)
For many many many (freakin’ MANY) Americans, their weakness is the English accent. And rightly so, might I add – English people can say almost ANYTHING and it sounds good. ‘Bastard’ and ‘asshole’ are prime examples (pardon my not-french). Not the friendliest or most pleasant of words, but said in a posh English accent it’s instant class… ok, maybe not class – but you get what I mean…
Bizarrely, this attraction can be the same in reverse – I’ve met countless English people that seem to think the American accent is the equivalent of a chocolate covered strawberry.
Now I’m about as ‘taken’ as they come – I’m hitched to an awesome Brit who’s the best ever. As a result, I think I tend to radiate ‘unavailable’ like it’s stamped, glowing across my forehead. Everyone that knows me knows that I’m uber-taken, and that I’m crazy about Mr. Nice Guy. I wonder if that’s why people feel comfortable enough to tell me when they think my accent is cute… although I always feel weird when it happens. (To be fair, I think everyone involved does – it usually temporarily kills the conversation and causes some shuffling)
Here’s a list of some of the words that have caused said-shuffling:
- Capo (American = KAY-poh / English = CAH-poh)
- Tofurkey
- Compost (American = KAAHM-post / English = COHM-pohst)
- Capillary (American = CAA-pill-air-ee / English = cuh-PILL-ery
- Route (American = RAOWt / English = ROOt
- Tune (American = TOOn / English = CHEWn
- Semi (American = SEH-my / English = SEH-mee)
- Strawberry (American = STRAHW-beh-ree / English = STROO-bree)
I’m always surprised when someone thinks the American accent is particularly attractive. I don’ think it’s bad or anything – it just seems so ordinary to me (for obvious reasons).
So, if you’re American and you want to be sexier, try moving to England. All you have to do is chat and your accent will take care of the rest 
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Yes, I have gotten strange comments regarding my ‘sexy’ American accent, but I secretly like it. !!
I wish I got that reaction! Although I am very happily married, I wouldn’t mind people thinking I had a “sexy” accent
Everyone I meet either tells me I don’t sound very American (whatever that means!) or doesn’t comment on my accent.
I also agree with this, I talk on the phones for my job and am always being told how lovely and nice my accent is. I find it BORING but like you said.. for obvious reasons!
I’d say American accents can sound sexy! I think it depends who the owner is– George Clooney’s American accent is sexy, a soothing growl– it wouldn’t work with a South African accent I don’t think.
I glad many Americans find the “the” English accent sexy, but I feel it’s worth emphasising there’s is no one English accent: The variety is bewildering (all down to our ancient tribal history), and some English accents are considered sexier than others!
Whilst a West Yorkshire accent is considered sexy, most people consider the Brummie a complete turn-off! Also fashion has a lot to do with it… in 1990s the Manc accent was in vogue (“Madchester”, the success of Man U, Terry Christian). Now in 2000s the Geordie accent is in vogue, with Ant & Dec or Marcus “Voice of Big Brother” Bentley.
So if you don’t think an American accent sounds sexy, then take a crash-course in Geordie– whey aye pet!
I kid you not, when I first moved here, every accent sounded the same – that even included Australian people. When I first met my guy I thought he sounded just like the Beatles (!). But now I know he has a standard BBC News accent – not even a whisper of Scouse.
I still confuse Scottish and Irish people, though… yup, I’m definitely still American!
I love this post! I think the same applies anywhere. While travelling in Australia, my friend’s 13-year old daughter screamed: “I just looooove your accent!” and proceeded to DRAWL out every word imagineable. For some additional interesting news about one particular London accent, I give you this article that I heard on NPR yesterday regarding London ATMs: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112196683
Oh yes, work that American accent, work it!! Having an American voice has a lot of advantages! You can use it when you are lost and can’t remember your directions. Heck, don’t feel bad, just act like a tourist (even though you are very much a local) and no one will bat an eye!
Also, I have actually started to use my voice for profit and have been recording it for Yorkshire businesses for their answer phone messages. Gotta flaunt that American accent if you got it, right?!
Flaunt away Peacefulyorkshire– great idea! Hasn’t done that Redd Pepper bloke any harm (AKA Richardson Green).
The Australian accents ultimately comes from the accents of SE England, hence the confusion. However a dead give away is AQI (Australian Questioning Intonation), raising your voice at the end of a sentence… so it sounds like a question? Many Australians do it all the time? But it’s spread to New Zealand; even to the UK and South Africa? And gets blooming annoying after a while?
@Yankeebean: It’s not such a bad thing to confuse the Scottish and Irish accents, since the Northern Irish (“Ulster”) accent is a combination of the two.
The way to tell the difference between an Irish accent, Scots accent and Northern Irish accent is the “ao” dipthong; as in “cow”, “plough” or “house”. In Republic of Ireland it’s said “oe”, in Scotland “oo” and Northern Ireland “I”.
So an Irish person lives in a “hoes”, an Ulsterman in a “hice” and a Scot in a “hoose”.
This will help I’m sure…!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8k7ajlq0eI
Oh my god, peaceful, yet another thing we have in common! I, too, have done voiceover work for UK companies and my voice is on a few different answer phone messages dotted around the Southeast
I have gotten more compliments on my speaking voice since I’ve been here than I ever did in the States but I suppose there’s a certain novelty value in it and unabashedly, I never tire of the compliments!! 
Now, as far as the Geordie accent being sexy? Oh dear. An Irish accent on the other hand? Yum! lol
I reckon both Peacefulyorkshire’s and Redlilocks US tones are a treat for the ears, mellifluous I’d wager
The Irish accents of Eire are always held in hig regard, Northern Irish accent less so it seems. Whilst I remarked Geordie accent is in vogue, note I didn’t say it was sexy (or not!)… whether it is sexy or not, I’ll leave up to you
Geordies used to be used in the WWII as radio operators, since Germans/Italians/Japanese couldn’t understand Geordie accents– so no code required! It has often been maligned: “Ordinary English spoken backwards”, as one commentator had it.
The Geordie accent first started to become popular as result of the hugely succesful Viz comic, which was (and still is) based in Tyne & Wear. Some info thereon…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whME9SxuVfs
People like Gazza, Ant & Dec and Marcus Bentley have popularised it further, same with the telly shows Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Byker Grove
I’ve gotten comments about my “sexy American accent” and it’s great. I got it way more in Paris though, a bunch in the UK and none in spain.
Hi Carla! Now that you mention it – I got it more in Italy than in the UK. But Italian men are nothing if not INCREDIBLY forward about showing their interest. I’m blushing just thinking about it…
Hi Robert, thanks for stopping by! Most of the comments I get are positive ones about my accent (although I confess I’m always surprised). Only once has someone complained about American accents to me, but it was weird because they did it like they were pretending I wasn’t American. Like I was going to agree with them or something?? Very bizarre…
Strange, I have seen extremly bipolar comments from people in the uk about american accents(on the internet atleast). Some think it’s very sexy others very grotesque. It might be these particular people might not like the US and their comments reflect that. It’s very strange. Has anyone in the uk said anything negative about your accent?
That’s quite strange. I have been to Manchester with my grandmother once. She was born and raised there and came to the US fue to my grandfathers charm. I have had quite a few compliments on my accent in just a space of about 2 weeks. On the other hand when I see comments on the internet it’s you only have two polar oppisite responses.
Also I am about to move as well to attend the University of Bristol. Is there any problem you know of for american guys to make friends there? I imagine it’s a bit different. I also love the blog quite alot.
Hi Robert
Just to let you know a little story that might cheer you up on any fears about your accent. I was on the commuter train yesterday to Leeds and an American man walked onto the train, probably around mid twenties. He was confident and self -assured. When someone was in in his reserved seat he asked in a very polite manner if he could sit in his seat he booked.
Oh Robert, you should have SEEN all these British women swooning and squirming with delight. And the heads turning when he spoke. The pack of giggly women to my left were besotted and couldn’t keep their eyes off him. Ok, no one made conversation with him (hey its Britain that is ok) but the atmosphere in the room was suddenly heated–And it wasnt only that hot day we had yesterday! He was your average looking man, but what did it? His ACCENT and his confident American demeanour he projected me thinks. So there you go!
Good luck on your move to Bristol and let us know how it is to make male friends. I am sure it will be fine, really!
Man I still cannot believe the huge ambivalent view on the accent. It’s really unnerving when you here a comment from one person saying american english is cool. Then another American says my accent is going to prevent me from getting a job because the english view it as a bastard. My personal accent makes me sound like a young Kelsey Grammar. Quite frankly though from someone who is giving alot of thought to moving there indeffinately it’s hard to be reassured. Forgive me if this seems to be very whiny. I know it would be hard to say more than you already have. I just want to think my decision was a good one. That choosing to go to school in Bristol is not going to be a mistake.
BRISTOL!
Let me reassure you, Robert that Bristol is the COOLEST city I’ve ever lived in… and I’ve lived in a few.
Creative, techie, exciting, amazing art and music, gorgeous views, leafy and green, but lots of cool city stuff.
You, sir, have made an EXCELLENT choice.
Oh, and there was a study done a couple of years ago (I think?) that showed that you were far more likely to get a job in the UK if you weren’t from the UK. Bizarre? Yeah, maybe – but who cares, right?