To anyone familiar with them, accents are a giveaway about where you’re from. But according to a Preply survey, some American accents are more alluring than others.

Find out where New Orleans falls in the rankings.

Findings

Preply surveyed 1,000 individuals to determine how they perceive accents, including how accents may impact attractiveness, conversations, and intelligence.

They divided the data into three main categories: accents considered the sexiest, smartest, and most annoying.

These are the American accents that topped the list.

1: Southern Accent

Of the 1,000 individuals surveyed, 41% responded that they consider the Southern accent the most attractive in America.

The Southern accent is known for its unique twang and vowel shortening in states like Mississippi and Louisiana.

2: New York Accent

Donned by famous people like Frans Dresdner, Ray Romano, and Billy Joel, the New York accent is among the most distinct in the United States.

A key feature of the accent is its roundness in words like “water” or “coffee.”

The survey found that 30% of participants consider New York’s accent the most attractive.

3: Midwestern Accent

Often referred to as the “neutral English accent” by linguists, the Midwestern accent is known for phrases like “doncha know” and “oh ya.”

Preply’s survey revealed that 24% of participants found the Midwestern accent the most attractive in the US.

4: New Orleans Accent

Characteristically known as a melting pot of mixed dialects, the New Orleans accent has influences from the Irish, Italian, and French languages.

The New Orleans accent ranked as the third most favorite US accent, with a 19% rating.

5: Southern California Accent

Individuals with a Southern Californian accent elongate and slowly pace their vowel sounds.

If speaking to someone from the area, they may use filler words like “uhm.”

The accent rounds out the bottom of the list with an 18% approval rating from participants, making it still score high, given that there are around 30 English dialects in the US.

Beyond the Top Five

Preply’s survey found that the “smartest sounding” American accent was the Northeastern accent, followed by the New York and Midwestern accents.

The Northeastern accent comprises New England, Greater New York, and Greater Philadelphia dialects.

Standing Ovation

The New York accent ranked in all categories within the survey. In the categories of “sexiest American accent” and “smartest sounding accent,” the state ranked second.

Nonetheless, it ranked fourth in the category of “most annoying accent.”

Who’s in Last

Based on Preply’s survey, the Pittsburgh accent ranked last in attractiveness, at 3%. When speaking to someone with a Pittsburghese accent, you’ll likely hear a distinctive long “a” sound.

This accent originates from the Scots-Irish settlers and German immigrants who initially settled in the area.

Region vs Dialects

Preply found that unique accents often get misinterpreted as dialects.

It’s important to note that dialect refers to how someone pronounces words, constructs sentences, and converses with others. 

For example, there’s more than one Southern accent; accents from Coastal or Lowland Southern English dialects are considered “classic.”

Accents in America

Accents in the US have changed over the years. The Transatlantic accent spread across media like wildfire from the 1930s to the 50s.

For 20 years, a blend of American and British accents took center stage in the U.S. due to its neutrality and sophistication.

A Gateway to Stardom

Famous people’s accents often correlate with their stardom or attractiveness.

Fran Drescher, Kim Kardashian, and Gilbert Gottfried ranked as some of the “most annoying” famous people’s accents in Preply’s survey.

Music to Our Ears

People like Idris Elba, Sean Connery, and Chris Hemsworth ranked in the top three for the category “most attractive celebrity accents.”

In comparison, Brad Pitt ranked in last place, at number 20. 

Always Evolving

Accents aren’t set in stone. As groups of people become isolated from other groups, accents develop and change over time.

Don’t believe it?

Watch an old American film and see how different the accents were back then.

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Sometimes, it’s hard to believe American and British English are the same language, especially considering the differences in word use and idiomatic expressions.

These are some of the most popular terms in the United Kingdom that confuse and amuse Michiganders—and Americans as a whole. 

1: Making a Point

The only way an American wants to hear “bloody” used is when talking about the tomato-based cocktail.

But in the United Kingdom (UK), throwing around the word “bloody” to provide extra emphasis is totally normal.

Although historians aren’t sure where “bloody” originated from in British English, some believe it could be from the “bloods,” which was a name for aristocratic rowdies.

2: Financial Speak 

Converting from dollars to pounds can be challenging enough for the casual American tourist.

So, hearing Brits talk about quids can be even more difficult.

The word “pound” carries a more formal tone and is similar to saying “dollar.” In contrast, “quid” is informal, like saying “bucks.”

3: Joking Around 

Some Americans are taken aback upon hearing Brits say, “Taking the pis*.”

However, they’re not literally needing to use the restroom. Instead, they use this phrase to express annoyance at a situation or to say something along the lines of “I’m just messing with you.”

4: A Spot of Breakfast

Many Americans know that crumpets are food. But when pressed to describe them, you’ll often be met with blank stares.

Crumpets are a pastry similar to a thick pancake crossed with an English muffin; think light with lots of air holes throughout and the perfect vehicle for butter or jam. 

5: The Rhyming Game 

Just like Americans, the British use different words in different regions of the UK.

Case in point?

In Cockney slang, locals often use rhyming phrases to describe what they’re talking about. For example, they may use “apples and pears” instead of “stairs.” Talk about confusing.

6: An Informal Greeting 

If you travel to the UK, don’t be surprised if someone greets you by saying “wotcher.”

That’s right: This isn’t a term only found in Harry Potter books.

Instead, it’s an informal greeting shortened from “What are you doing?” or “How are you doing?”

Similar to “howdy” in American English, the phrase “wotcher” usually doesn’t require a response. 

7: Family Business

Americans are used to hearing something along the lines of, “And that’s it” after someone explains how to do something.

But in Britain, many locals conclude with the phrase, “And Bob’s your Uncle!”

The phrase means to make something easy and is believed to be derived from a former Prime Minister who made his nephew Chief Secretary of Ireland. 

8: A Green Thumb 

It’s easy for Americans to get confused about the outdoor space around a house when listening to Brits speak.

What Americans call a “yard,” the British call a “garden.”

While a British garden refers to the entire front or back outdoor space around one’s house, they call various sections of landscaping “flowerbed,” “vegetable patch,” or “lawn.”

9: Dumb and Dumber 

While the term “prat” may leave Americans confused, the appropriate reaction is to be offended.

A prat is a demeaning way for Brits to call someone unintelligent or foolish.

10: No Lorries Allowed 

Ever wonder what the term “lorry” means? It’s a large truck, such as an 18-wheeler.

An 18-wheeler sounds like a more descriptive way to describe a vehicle, if you ask us.

11: Rock the Baby 

It turns out that not all devices used to push babies around in Britain go by the same name.

A “pram” is designed for newborns and infants, while the word “strollers” we’re familiar with using stateside are for older babies and toddlers. 

12: Wasting Time 

A fairly common phrase, “mucking about,” may be more familiar to Americans who watch British TV shows.

For those who don’t, the term simply means to mess around or waste time.

It’s the kind of phrase your mom says when you’re not doing your homework. 

13: Don’t Overexaggerate

The word “stonking” might evoke laughter from an American who’s never heard of the word.

However, it might not be met with the same enthusiasm from the Brit saying it.

“Stonking” is used to convey something exciting or extreme, such as “I’ve got a stonking headache.”

14: Do You Have the Time?

The way Brits say the time can be confusing for Americans.

For example, when you hear a Brit say “half ten,” it’s a shortened version of “half past ten.”

Or, in an even more common way for Americans to say it, 10:30.

15: A Quick Hello 

In Britain, asking someone how they’re doing and answering “alright” is totally normal, and there’s no reason to dig deeper.

But when an American hears someone say “alright,” they may think the person is anything but okay and press for more details.

Evolution of American English

So, how exactly did American colonists transition from speaking British to American English?

The change in dialect was due to isolation from Britain and exposure to other languages, such as Native American languages, mariners’ Indian English pidgin, and more.

Others, more well-intentioned, don’t mean to say something judgmental but end up there just the same.

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Wisdom comes with age. But so do creaking joints, reduced hearing abilities, and body aches.

Regardless of where you fall on the 50+ age scale, it’s never too soon to learn about tricks that can help make your life easier as you age. We researched life hacks for older folks in Pennsylvania that we believe are helpful and not (too) cheesy.

Don’t be surprised if your grown-up kids end up wanting to implement some of these hacks.

1: Opening Jars

Opening jars can be tricky at any age. But since arthritis often starts between the ages of 40 and 60, it can get even more challenging as one gets older.

So, try keeping a pair of rubber gloves and a rubber band on hand. The next time you have trouble opening a jar, wrap a rubber band snugly around the lid and try opening it with your rubber gloves.

The rubber band gives the gloves traction, offering you more leverage and less slippage.

2: No Childhood Caps

In 1970, legislation was passed requiring child-resistant packaging for products that could be dangerous to patients, including many medications.

However, patients may ask their pharmacist for their prescription medication to be given to them without childproof caps. Doing so makes life easier for many older people to access it.

That said, if you choose to request no childproof caps, it’s vital that you store your medication in a place where children can’t reach it.

3: Amplified Alarm

If you find yourself having trouble hearing your cell phone’s alarm as you age, this trick is for you: Place your phone in a glass or cup. The next time your alarm goes off, it’ll ring louder.

How does this work, you ask?

Instead of the sound from your phone going off in all directions, as what happens when you place your cell phone on your nightstand, the cup forces the sound to radiate up in one direction.

The result is a louder alarm noise.

4: Velcro Remote Control

You don’t need to be 50+ to have experienced losing your remote or having to bend down to search for it to shut off your TV when you’re tired and want to go to bed.

That’s where Velcro comes into play.

Place a strip of Velcro on the bottom of your remote control and another strip on the place where you want to store it.

A table beside your couch or even the armrest of your favorite reclining chair are convenient choices.

5: Say Cheese

Just because you’re in your 50s, 60s, or beyond doesn’t mean you’re not young at heart.

So, you can match how you feel on the inside with how you look on the outside by learning the golden rule of photo posing to reduce the visibility of sagging skin around your neck.

The trick is to stick out your neck while tucking your chin down. Give it a try to see the difference between what you look like in a regular photo and with this “anti-turkey neck” hack.

6: Belt Up First

Not only do many people deal with arthritis as they age, but aging also reduces mobility.

So, while you may have been able to throw a belt around the pants you were wearing in your younger years without a second thought, it often becomes more difficult as you get older.

Here’s a solution if you find yourself in this position: Put your belt around your pants before putting them on.

That way, you don’t have to fiddle with the back loops; you simply need to buckle your belt in the front.

7: No More Ironing

Ironing is time-consuming at any age. And the older one gets, the harder it can be to drag out the ironing board and meticulously iron every wrinkle out of clothes.

If you’re nodding your head in agreement, try throwing a few ice cubes in the dryer the next time you do a load of laundry.

We won’t get too scientific on you, but the reason ice cubes prevent wrinkles is that the combination of heat from the dryer and moisture from the ice breaks hydrogen bonds in your clothes’ fabric.

Just don’t leave your clothes in the dryer for too long after they’re dry. Otherwise, wrinkles could start forming.

8: Sweeping Clean

You know that pesky line of dust that a dustpan always leaves behind when sweeping?

As a person ages, the dust line often turns from pesky to downright painful to bend down and try to get every last particle in the pan.

A trick to getting around this issue is to tape your dust pan to the ground. To avoid bending over, place the tape on the dustpan first, then put it where you’d like and press the tape down with your foot.

While this isn’t the most convenient option for large spaces, it works wonders for smaller areas.

9: Key Ring Trick

Zippers are another everyday item that young people take for granted. Pulling up and down zippers isn’t as easy as one gets older, but there’s a trick you can use to lessen your frustration over it.

Try attaching a key ring to zippers, such as your jeans and jackets.

The key ring is easier to grab and offers more leverage when trying to pull up and down a zipper.

10: Lighting Candles

Matches are short and can be hard for slower, less steady fingers to light a candle quickly enough before the fire gets too close to one’s skin.

The good news?

If you love lighting candles around your house, you can find an older person-friendly lighting tool in your kitchen cupboard: Uncooked spaghetti.

Simply light a match and hold a piece or two of uncooked spaghetti up to it. Once the spaghetti catches on fire, you can take more time lighting candles.

This is an especially great trick if you have a candle in a deep jar.

11: Maintaining a Garden

Gardening can be an excellent way for people aged 65 years and older to get 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends.

However, spending prolonged periods of bending over can do a number on an older person’s back.

So, give the double planter method a try. Let’s say you have daisies you want to plant. Instead of planting them directly in the ground, dig a hole that’s large enough for potted daisies to fit into. Then, double up the pots.

Once the season ends, you can remove the first pot, leaving the second pot buried in the ground, ready for you to place another potted flower in it the following year.

Alternatively, if you live in a warmer climate, you can use this double potting method to switch up the style of your flowers around your garden throughout the year.

While the first year of implementing this method takes extra work to dig holes, your gardening life will be easier after that.

12: Tape Your Rugs

None of us likes thinking about this when we’re young, but the truth is that as we get older, the chances of us falling and breaking a bone increase.

According to the National Council on Aging, over 25% of Americans 65+ years old fall each year. So, it’s wise to prepare your house for your golden years before you reach that point.

One way to do so is by placing two-sided tape on area rugs.

Doing so reduces the chances of the rugs bunching up and catching your foot, causing a fall.

13: Finding Lost Items

Many of us know the feeling of realizing you’ve dropped a small, important item on the ground. While younger people can get down on their hands and knees to search for it, doing so isn’t as easy for older people.

So, if you find yourself in this predicament, try placing a nylon cloth over the mouth of your vacuum’s hose.

When you turn your vacuum on and use it to search for your lost item, it’ll get caught in the nylon.

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