If you’re single and looking for a date, it’s a great time to be an Australian in New York.
The 2023 Highland title study surveyed 1,000 Americans about their perceptions of different accents; finding an Aussie one was considered the most attractive in both women and men.
However, having a New York twang can set you back when trying to find a romantic partner, who is found to be the least attractive.
The study found that after an Australian accent, in terms of attractiveness, a Scottish, London, Irish, French, Italian, Welsh and Brummie voice.
The least attractive accent was New Yorker, followed by a Boston drawl, American Midwestern, Canadian, American Southern, Spanish, German and Yorkshire.
Survey respondents were also asked to determine which stereotypes are usually associated with particular accents.
The most boring accents were Canadian, American Mid-Atlantic and New York and the most calming were Canadian, Scottish and Australian.
Those who sound confident may have a Boston, New Zealand or German accent, and the most intelligent accents are from London, Germany and Birmingham.
The most sophisticated people are likely to be found in London, Germany or Birmingham, according to the study.
Among the respondents, 52 percent were men and 48 percent were women. Additionally, 47 percent were attracted to men, and 62 percent were attracted to women.
Overall, 15 percent were baby boomers, 25 percent were Gen X, 50 percent were millennials, and 10 percent were Gen Z.
According to the Highlands Titles Study, those who are single with an accent can be an advantage when it comes to securing a date, with 71 percent of survey participants responding that they are interested in dating someone with an accent.
The study surveyed 1,000 Americans and asked what they thought about specific accents. They were also asked about actors’ accents
There are some evolutionary theories that suggest that people find foreign accents attractive because they suggest a more exotic gene pool.
The study also surveyed participants about celebrity accents, asking who they thought had the hardest accents to understand and who had the funnest ones.
More than three-quarters of people attracted to women wanted to date someone with an accent, and among those attracted to men, 67 percent did.
The audio samples used to survey respondents were taken from the Speech Accent Archive, created by George Mason University.
The gravitation towards particular accents is not a new concept, with studies that show attractiveness is linked to voices.
There are some evolutionary theories that suggest that people find foreign accents attractive because they suggest a more exotic gene pool.
Australian accents like Hugh Jackman’s (pictured) were considered the most popular with men and women
The love for an Aussie accent may come from the association with famous Australian actors, such as Margot Robbie (left) and Chris Hemsworth (right)
The respondents said the most intelligent accents came from London, Germany and Birmingham. In the picture is the British actress Keira Knightley
But others say it comes down to cultural bias.
The love for an Aussie accent can therefore come from the association with famous Australian actors such as Chris Hemsworth and Hugh Jackman – both of whom have been named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive on different occasions – as well as the popular actress Margot Robbie.
“It’s all about aesthetics,” said Susan Tamasi, a sociolinguist at Emory University. Your Tango.
“There is nothing linguistically sound about saying one accent is more enjoyable than another.”