Americans and Canadians culture Q&A Thread.

[Frozen Canuck]

Canadians, when you travel, how often do you get mistaken as an American based on your accent? For example, when you go to WDW.

Get mistaken for being American??? Never. Heard someone from Minnesota get mistaken for Canadian? At least once.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Get mistaken for being American??? Never. Heard someone from Minnesota get mistaken for Canadian? At least once.

I’ve heard people from Toronto sound like people from upstate NY for example.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

What’s the best ice cream brand in Canada? I think Ben and Jerry’s is the best here in the USA.

I haven't really eaten ice cream in Canada for decades, but I have recently learned about Chapman's Canadian Maple, Eh! Ice Cream Bar, which I am totally going to make an effort to track down when I go back.

I'm not a huge ice cream person, but when I do indulge in the US, we usually get Ben & Jerry's. When we lived in Oregon, we often stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and would get ice cream there. It was sooooo good!!! Our grocery store out east carries Tillamook now, but they only have a few standard flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc. We like some of the other flavours much better.

 

[ronandannette]

"Best" is pretty subjective. The main ice-cream brands here available nationally (Northern, Central and Easterners please correct me if I'm wrong) are Chapmans, Breyers, Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry's. I rarely buy any of those. I actually really like some store brands and a more rarely, couple of local small-batch gelato places for something fancy.

 

[Disneylover99]

I’ve heard people from Toronto sound like people from upstate NY for example.

I can't speak for all of upstate New York, but if you're talking about the Western NY area, then no.

 

[declansdad]

Canadians, when you travel, how often do you get mistaken as an American based on your accent? For example, when you go to WDW.

That's never happened.

 

[bcwife76]

What’s the best ice cream brand in Canada? I think Ben and Jerry’s is the best here in the USA.

My family loves Chapmans. I quite often get the frozen yogurt vs ice cream and my kids can't tell the difference as it's so creamy and yummy

 

[mommasita]

That's never happened.

No never for me. I always get, I hear your Canadian accent, which province?Then when I tell them they say I knew I heard a French accent. I don’t feel I have one, but hey Grew up English, but obviously speaking French

 

[mommasita]

Canadians, when you travel, how often do you get mistaken as an American based on your accent? For example, when you go to WDW.

Jamais

 

[prairie_girl]

Jamais

I always get tagged as Canadian by Americans when they hear me speak. I’m from the Prairies, not known for any type of accent. I honestly think it comes from having an Australian dad and a Canadian mom with a unique accent due to all her travels. I lived in Australia from age 2-5 and had to have voice training when we came home so that I’d lose my accent. I kinda wish I could have kept it.

 

[Silver saucer]

Canadians, when you travel, how often do you get mistaken as an American based on your accent? For example, when you go to WDW.

Not a Canadian, but when I spent close to 20 years living in the Prairies I was usually asked if I was a Newfie!! That always made me smile. I don't sound like a Newfie at all. I had many Newfie friends and had lots of fun times with them though!!!
I also loved M&Ms for their convenience and their ice cream. There was one around the corner from where I lived.
And in Safeway all the food I bought from the deli or butcher was weighed in grams.
I loved my time living in Canada!!!!!!!

 

[Buzz Rules]

I can't speak for all of upstate New York, but if you're talking about the Western NY area, then no.

I was thinking Hudson Valley/Capital region. I have family from that area and when I have listened to some radio stations from Toronto, they sound similar to me. I know pretty much every state has their own accent and even more within different regions of the bigger states. So let me ask you all this, how well could you tell where an American is from when visiting Canada?

 

[Buzz Rules]

Jamais

Est-ce qu'un accent canadien-français ressemble plus à un accent français européen ou à un accent français cajun, ou est-ce tout à fait unique, si vous le savez?

 

[Jennkneefir]

Canadians, when you travel, how often do you get mistaken as an American based on your accent? For example, when you go to WDW.

I sometimes get pegged as being from the southern states. No idea why, and i assume usually from folks who dont live in the south??? I'm from Alberta. When introducing myself (my name is Jenn/Jennifer) people often hear "Jane" rather than "Jenn".

 

[Buzz Rules]

“November 25th every year, NYS (but mostly NYC) celebrates Evacuation Day”

I’ve lived in NYS my entire life and I’ve never heard of this “Celebration“. A quick Google search gave a nice concise explanation. What I did learn was that many of those who left NYC went to the Caribbean and Florida as well as Canada.

Surprised you haven’t heard of it before. I think if you live near historical areas that were involved with the Revolution, they probably do more activities concerning that day.

 

[Moliphino]

Surprised you haven’t heard of it before. I think if you live near historical areas that were involved with the Revolution, they probably do more activities concerning that day.

Boston has Evacuation Day, too, but it's March 17 and commemorates kicking the British army out of Boston. It's really only observed in the Boston area, so while I live in the state it's not something that comes up out here.

 

[ronandannette]

I sometimes get pegged as being from the southern states. No idea why, and i assume usually from folks who dont live in the south??? I'm from Alberta. When introducing myself (my name is Jenn/Jennifer) people often hear "Jane" rather than "Jenn".

Interesting - I’m trying to imagine how you could be saying it that would sound like that to their ears.

We mostly travel in the west coast States where people would generally assume they have no accent (Washington, Oregon & California). I sure can tell they’re American when they speak though. Maybe it’s more about the tone and their phrases than the actual pronunciation?

 

[Buzz Rules]

 

[Aladora]

Est-ce qu'un accent canadien-français ressemble plus à un accent français européen ou à un accent français cajun, ou est-ce tout à fait unique, si vous le savez?

I think they are unique but closer to European. Montreal, imo, is different than other parts of Quebec. Cajun to me is totally different.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

Boston has Evacuation Day, too, but it's March 17 and commemorates kicking the British army out of Boston. It's really only observed in the Boston area, so while I live in the state it's not something that comes up out here.

I was coming here to say this. I live just outside of Boston and I had never heard of Evacuation Day before. I had to look it up after Buzz's statement of

Surprised you haven’t heard of it before. I think if you live near historical areas that were involved with the Revolution, they probably do more activities concerning that day.

So, living near a Revolutionary War area is not a precursor to being aware of it. (It is apparently only commemorated in Suffolk County.) I have; however, heard of Patriot's Day, which is the 3rd Monday in April, which commemorates the Battles of Lexington & Concord and some of the other battles of the Revolutionary War. It is also the day that they hold the Boston Marathon.