I'm an Englishman living in Indiana.

The gekko's voice has an East London regional accent and is not considered classy or educated by Englishmen. It's almost Cockney but not quite.

Cute yes, classy, no!

Americans often have trouble differentiating between the English, Australian and South African "accents". Naturally, we don't!

Everywhere I go here I'm told they love my "accent".

Of course I point out we invented the language therefore YOU have the accent!

The classic neutral English voice is considered by most Americans to sound educated and intelligent.

Which is why it is often used in commercials here.

This doesn't mean we ARE more intelligent or educated, we just sound it!

I socialise in town with two types of people, the tradesmen, consisting of builders, wreckers, electricians, truckers etc and the professional classes consisting of lawyers, judges, senators, the mayor, president and professors of Wabash college etc and they all say the same thing.

I've discovered the difference between American men and American women.

The women love listening to me speak and the men can't understand a word I'm saying! ;-)

Michael of http://www.worldofantiques.net