A new survey of 6,000 respondents from the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the United States has determined which European language is considered the most attractive.
The previous survey, published in 2017, named French as the sexiest language, but this new research displaced it.
This year’s survey showed that Italian is currently considered the most attractive language in the world.
According to Babel, to name Italian as the most attractive overall, it combined votes on which languages were perceived as “sexiest,” “most romantic,” and “most passionate” by international respondents.
When it came to what was considered the “most direct” language, it was perhaps unsurprising that German topped that list.
Italian Monica Bellucci (pictured) is considered one of the most attractive women of all time. Does her accent contribute?
‘MORE DIRECT’: Actress Diane Kruger, although her German accent is not strong, could be considered direct, according to this study
Meanwhile, British English won the accolade of being the “most educated.”
The survey also looked at attitudes toward partners who speak different languages.
More than two-thirds (70 percent) of Brits surveyed reported that they felt that if their romantic partner had a different native language than them, learning the language would help foster a stronger emotional connection between them.
However, just over a quarter of Britons (27 per cent) said they hearing ‘I love you’ means more in your native language.
Explaining why many find Italian attractive, Babbel’s Noël Wolf described how the tone of the language is an important factor.
She said: ‘There are certain characteristics of Italian that can contribute to its appeal.
‘The rise and fall of pitch in spoken Italian can create a musical quality that some people find seductive and attractive.
“Certain phonetic features, such as the ‘r’ sound, can be distinctive in Italian, which many find charming or attractive.”
Previous studies analyzing accents from other parts of the world have found very different results from those surveyed.
For example, him Highlands Title Study 2023which surveyed 1,000 Americans found that Italian is only sixth on the list.
However, it should be noted that this survey not only had a much smaller sample size, but was also limited to Americans, while the latter study included a variety of nationalities.
This research found that respondents felt that the Australian was considered the most attractive in both women and men.
At the bottom of the list was the famous New York vernacular.
The study found that after an Australian accent, in terms of attractiveness, you had a Scottish, London, Irish, French, Italian, Welsh and Brummie voice.
Respondents were also asked to determine what stereotypes are typically associated with particular accents.
The most boring accents were Canadian, American Mid-Atlantic, and New York, and the most relaxing were Canadian, Scottish, and Australian.
Those who seem confident may have a Boston, New Zealand or German accent, with the smartest accents reigning in London, Germany and Birmingham.
According to the study, the most sophisticated people are likely to be found in London, Germany or Birmingham.
Interestingly, while the Babel survey explained that Italian is seen as the most attractive accent due to specific qualities, this survey came to a different conclusion.
Australian accents like Hugh Jackman’s (pictured) were considered the most popular among men and women in a 2023 study of 1,000 Americans.
Meanwhile, respondents said the smartest accents come from London: actress Keira Knightley’s accent (pictured).
There are some evolutionary theories that suggest that people find foreign accents attractive because they suggest a more exotic gene pool.
But others say it all comes down to cultural bias.
So, the love for the Australian accent could come from the association with famous Australian actors such as Chris Hemsworth and Hugh Jackman, who have been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive on different occasions, as well as 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 that one accent is more pleasant than another.”
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