Why French and Italian accents are so seductive
Let’s face it – there have already been so many unexpected moments in 2025 that we’ve all but thrown out the bingo card. It’s redundant. But Donald Trump placing a hand on Emmanuel Macron’s leg and complimenting the accent of not just the French president but also an Italian journalist? Definitely not what we had predicted – even if Macron has been hailed Europe’s "Trump whisperer" in the past.
That’s exactly what happened, though, when the POTUS met with Macron in the Oval Office on Monday.
Discussing the war in Ukraine and potential peace negotiations, Trump struck a pensive pose as Macron explained everything from frozen Russian assets to war reparations and international law. Attempting to interject, Trump was swiftly corrected by Macron, who also clearly stated that Russia was the "aggressor" and would be held responsible for paying other nations back – prompting much discussion online.
Now, if anyone else had cut off Trump in that manner – or fact-checked him in real-time, with a friendly but firm arm squeeze – it would have gone down like a lead balloon. But as it stands, Trump seemingly accepted the interruption and even praised the French leader for speaking "the most beautiful language" with a tactful leg pat.
He also went on to compliment a journalist’s accent, after being asked what he thought of Italy's role in all this. Requesting that the reporter speak up, Trump said: "You have a beautiful voice, but you’re not very…" trailing off. On discovering the nationality of the journalist, Trump added: "Oh, I loved Italy." He is only human.
This comes in stark contrast to the US president’s treatment of a reporter during his meeting with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi a few weeks ago, when he exclaimed: "I can’t understand a word he's saying. It’s the accent. It’s a little bit tough for me."
So, what’s so special about "romantic" languages such as French and Italian?
According to educator and linguistic expert Rebecca Leigh, there’s a certain… je nais se quois about French. She explains: "French and Italian have this natural flow – soft vowels, lilting intonation, a kind of effortless musicality. That makes them sound undeniably attractive.
"They don’t hit the ear with the same sharpness as English. Instead, they glide almost like a melody. And beyond the sound itself there’s the cultural weight. French is the language of love and sophistication; Italian of passion and beauty. We’ve been conditioned to associate them with romance, elegance and sensuality."
Of Macron's transition from French to English, Leigh adds: "When he speaks his own language he owns that elegance effortlessly. However, when he switches to English with a French accent, it’s a different kind of charm – an extra layer of intrigue.
"Foreign accents can be disarming and intriguing – they make people listen more closely, focus more. During that moment in the Oval Office, this linguistic dynamic might have subtly influenced the whole mood of the interaction, as well as perceptions of authority and charm. Whether it softened things or added a layer of tension, it’s a reminder that how we speak can be just as powerful as what we say."
French has perhaps lost some of its allure, though. While in 2017 a Babbel survey found French to be the sexiest accent in the world, its most recent report found that Italian had knocked it off the top spot, with 27% of votes. French remained the most romantic of the languages, however – interestingly with 37% of men saying so and 31% of women.
Explaining this shift, Babbel’s linguistic expert Noel Wolf said: “There are certain characteristics of Italian that may contribute to its appeal. The rise and fall of pitch in spoken Italian can create a musical quality, which some people find alluring and attractive. Certain phonetic features, such as the rolling of "r" sounds, can be distinctive in Italian, which to many is regarded as charming or attractive.”
Supporting this observation, UCL linguist Patti Adank added: “English speakers are drawn to the melody of a language such as French or Italian. In comparison, languages such as Thai or Mandarin can sound harsh because they are using tonal distinctions. It sounds very unnatural and unexpected.”
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