Though we may find Fran Drescher, Joe Pesci and Cardi B charming when they talk, that’s not the case for the rest of America. After already being declared the least attractive accent in the world, now it’s verging on one of the most annoying too…
Podcastle, an AI voice platform, surveyed 1,000 Americans to uncover how accents shape the way we connect, trust and engage with one another. According to their findings, three out of five Americans feel annoyed when they hear a New York accent. Even 45% of New York respondents find their own accent annoying.
Moreover, only one in ten Americans feel they can trust someone with a New York accent. Whereas, Americans are 256% more likely to trust someone with a Southern accent than a New York accent. Plus, the Southern accent was found to be 232% more appealing than the New York accent.
The survey compared the likes of a French accent to a New York accent in terms of evoking discomfort. Apparently Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers don’t care for the New York accent, just as 38% of Americans, more specifically Gen-Z hold negative feelings towards the French accent.
Inversely, the British accent was found to be the most appealing and trustworthy amongst Americans. British was the most preferred accent for podcasts, audiobooks and YouTube videos. Even on TikTok, the survey found that American users find the British accent the most calming.
“How we speak and how others hear us can shape everything from trust to how we connect emotionally. This survey shows just how much accents matter, not just in daily conversations but in the kind of content people enjoy and even those they find attractive,” wrote Podcastle.
And if after reading this your New York accent has got you down, just remember another study once claimed the New York accent was the second sexiest in the country! Whether that still holds true or not, our superiority complex won’t let it go!
You can find the full study and how else accents influence Americans on Podcastle.