{"id":954278,"date":"2026-01-01T19:13:27","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T19:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/?p=446366"},"modified":"2026-01-01T19:13:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T19:13:27","slug":"ok-but-why-do-certain-languages-spoken-with-american-intonations-sound-exactly-like-simlish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/ok-but-why-do-certain-languages-spoken-with-american-intonations-sound-exactly-like-simlish\/","title":{"rendered":"Ok, but why do certain languages spoken with American intonations sound exactly like Simlish?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In the early hours of the morning, a TikTok video titled \u201cDoes Japanese with a California valley girl accent = Simlish?\u201d popped up on my For You page. The algorithm knows me too well.<\/p>\n

In the video, creator oyasumisushi tests the hypothesis by quickly studying up on the California valley girl accent (think Cher in Clueless<\/em> or Elle in Legally Blonde<\/em>), then speaking a few sentences in Japanese with the intonation. \u201cHajimemashite,\u201d oyasumisushi says first, with the characteristic vocal fry and nasal sound of the valley girl. This translates to \u201cNice to meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The answer, y\u2019all, is yes, it sounds exactly<\/em> like The Sims franchise\u2019s made-up language, Simlish. The video is brilliant, the internet is losing its mind, and it all sent me down a rabbit hole.<\/p>\n

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@oyasumisushi<\/a> <\/p>\n

Does Japanese with a California valley girl accent = Simlish? #sims<\/a> #japan<\/a> #japanese<\/a> #california<\/a> #usa<\/a><\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – Josh<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

After reading way too many of the almost 6,000 comments on oyasumisushi\u2019s video, I was led to yet another viral video from earlier this year. In it, creator lildummydev implores viewers to help them out, saying it\u2019s two in the morning and they \u201ccan\u2019t stop speaking French in a frat bro voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQu\u2019est-ce que tu vas faire, mon amie?\u201d says lildummydev. This translates to \u201cWhat are you going to do, my friend?\u201d But with the addition of the slow, breathy articulation of a young man pledged to a college fraternity, it sounds, you guessed it, exactly<\/em> like Simlish.<\/p>\n

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@lildummydev<\/a> <\/p>\n

maybe she\u2019s found a fun new way to remember a language she used to speak maybe she\u2019s lost it #french<\/a> #speakingfrench<\/a> #francais<\/a> #parlerfrancais<\/a> #pourtoi<\/a> #fyp<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – devin \u270c\ufe0f\u270c\ufe0f<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Nearly every single one of the over 5,000 comments on lildummydev\u2019s video points out this fact.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love that adding a bro accent turns like 70% of languages into Simlish,\u201d says the excellently-named user, silliest of all geese.<\/p>\n

Another user, starborn, said: \u201cpls do a valley girl French, it probably sounds like simlish too.\u201d<\/p>\n

To be fair, the valley girl accent and the frat bro accent do have a lot in common, as pointed out in a TikTok video by etymologynerd.<\/p>\n

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@etymologynerd<\/a> <\/p>\n

yeah bro my dad totally owns a dealership #linguistics<\/a> #sociology<\/a> #language<\/a> #valleygirl<\/a> #fratbro<\/a>#greenscreen<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – etymologynerd<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The etymology of Simlish is just as interesting: The Sims<\/em> developer Maxis Studios originally tried to base Simlish on real languages such as Ukrainian, as noted by Polygon\u2019s Ana Diaz<\/a> in 2022. In the end, the majority of the made-up Simlish language came from voice actors watching character animations and improvising what they would sound like.<\/p>\n

While Simlish is mostly gibberish, it is worth pointing out that Maxis was based out of Redwood City, California \u2014 and some of the voice actors could have traveled up from Los Angeles (perhaps with valley girl or frat bro accents) to take part in this process. Or maybe this is just a conspiracy theory my mind made up in the middle of the night while chasing the rabbit.<\/p>\n

Regardless of where Simlish comes from, the whole thing gives Katy Perry \u2014 notorious for her valley girl accent \u2014 singing \u201cLast Friday Night\u201d in Simlish, and I am very here for it.<\/p>\n

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