Funny Things we Canadians hear!

[totalia]

lol. My fiance (who's American) swears I say aboot too. But I know I don't and no one else seems to hear it. I think he's just teasing.

Anyone ever notice that in New Orleans people say "err-ran-g" for orange, "pern-cil" for pencil, and "err-l" for oil? I think its absolutely adorable and it makes me want to squeeze peoples cheeks lol.

 

[ChisJo]

A little off topic, but Totalia, now you can get that kiss from Brad Pitt since him and his beautiful wife are now splitsville!

 

[Sandyincanada]

"not an accent thing, but the word "buggy" for cart in the grocery store is pretty amusing"

Buggy? Thats a new one for me, we use cart here.

Did you see Brad Pitt in Troy...omg..(looked for a drooling smilie but can't see one, lol)

 

[ChisJo]

Did you see Brad Pitt in Troy...omg..(looked for a drooling smilie but can't see one, lol)

I was also looking at Orlando Bloom and Eric Bana....This movie was meant for the ladies!
Jo

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

* there is a very unusual speech thing in Nova Scotia, many folks there, when agreeing with someone, will say "Yeah, yeah, yeah" (rhymes with heh...the way "heather" starts out), and the same time they're saying this, they seem to breathe in in short spurts (not to the point of hyperventilating but...) ...aw, I may lose you on this because it's hard to describe in words, but it's very apparent to me....but then again, people from Maine have a very odd speech pattern to many non-Maine ears.

LOL! I know exactly what you are saying JS!

I used to do a lot of work in Atlantic Canada, and my friend and I used to crack up over this.........no offence mean't to the Maritimers, you are all wonderful people and NS is one of my favourite places. But it was a Maritime thing.

I used to love the way "Michiganders" said the word "POP" It was more like, "paaapp".

They use both "buggy" and "cart" down here. Buggy sounds weird to me.

My other favourite was for the word "route" Canadians pronounce it "root". Americans (including Californians) pronouce it "rah-out". Hee-hee

 

[Sandyincanada]

Y & K and Jersey Shark,

I find it interesting that when you speak of a word used in Canada, you generalize it and say "Canadians say" but when you speak of pronouncing words in America, you regionalize them.

Pop into Winnipeg one day, you will find we say "abowt" (DH and family are from England and he hears abowt and not aboot but I keep saying this)
We do not use buggy??, we use both pronounciations for route, pasta, use supper and dinner, I've heard "again" pronounced both ways, but mostly like "agen". I'm just pointing out that alot of this in Canada is regional as well. You have some very strong accents in certain areas of the States but we are not taking some of those words and saying "Americans say". I mean what if we use the movie Fargo, for example and assume you all sound like that? lol.

Yep, we tend to say soar-y alot but then again, we are a very polite bunch in general and I certainly won't apologize for that, lol.

 

[totalia]

A little off topic, but Totalia, now you can get that kiss from Brad Pitt since him and his beautiful wife are now splitsville!

Ahh dreams.

Heh. If I ever meet him I'll see if he will give me a kiss lol.

 

[totalia]

I was also looking at Orlando Bloom and Eric Bana....This movie was meant for the ladies!
Jo

We use cart here too.

I think the blanket statement of "Canadians do so-and-so" is just a sign of American perception.

And oh yeah. That movie was just eye candy for the ladies. The first time I watched it, I didn't even notice whether the movie was good or not. I was more concerned about Brad Pitt in a gladiator outfit lol.

 

[twinz]

I have used the term BUGGY, for shopping cart, or even BUNDLE BUGGY (for those personal ones--you know the ones you bring to the store with you and wheel home, with all your grogeries in).

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Y & K and Jersey Shark,

I find it interesting that when you speak of a word used in Canada, you generalize it and say "Canadians say" but when you speak of pronouncing words in America, you regionalize them.

You just brought up one of the biggest differences between Canadians and Americans. National vs. regional. Canadians are very national in their thinking, while "generally" Americans are very regional.

Also, I think that the accents in Canada just aren't that pronounced as they are in regional area's of the US. I don't think I've ever met a Canadian speaking English that I didn't understand (immigrants and first generation Canadians excepted). But here in the US, I could hardly understand the cashier at Publix! LOL!
Generally we kind of all sound the same, and tend to use the same expressions - maybe that's why they use the "Canadian" accent on TV here


Interesting thread - thanks Jewellmmc

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

I've been told I have a "canadian accent" ... I'm not from Canada, and, truth be told, have never spent more than 14 hours at a time in Canada. The only thing I've heard myself say that could possibly come across as a Cdn accent is the "OU" words ... about, out ... however, I don't say "aboot" or "oot", if I had to describe it, I say it more as "a-boat" with a slight W sound in there. That and the fact that I pronounce the word "Detroit" as 3 syllables - Dee-troy-it.

When listening to hockey players (yes, I know, not representative of all Canada, but most of the best hockey players are Canadian) being interviewed, the phrase I hear the most is "y'know" ... "Well, y'know, we gave up some early goals, and y'know, that hurts you, but our goaltender played a good second period, and, y'know, we're still in this game. We've got one more period left to play, and I think we'll uh, y'know, make it a good period."

(I freely admit that I have the "Michigan/upstate NY accent", and that I pronounce "dallar" instead of "dollar" ... my "blend" of accents (being in FL) makes me stand out a bit)

 

[ChisJo]

When listening to hockey players (yes, I know, not representative of all Canada, but most of the best hockey players are Canadian) being interviewed, the phrase I hear the most is "y'know" ... "Well, y'know, we gave up some early goals, and y'know, that hurts you, but our goaltender played a good second period, and, y'know, we're still in this game. We've got one more period left to play, and I think we'll uh, y'know, make it a good period."

Good point...I say y'know all the time...and yes, I do say the word eh. I had to be told this by someone in Hawaii. I never even noticed I did it! They laughed hysterically and were so happy to have heard a Canadian say it!
Jo

 

[Sandyincanada]

lol, yep, you nailed me on the y'know too....although I say, "you know what I mean?" or "you think?"

 

[totalia]

I think almost all Canadians say "eh". It has blanket meaning and is close to the American "huh". It can be a question or a statement or even punctuation. Though we don't say it as prolifically as TV would have people believe.

 

[bavaria]

Actually, I don't know anyone on the west coast who says 'eh' - except maybe a few transplants from the east!

 

[bavaria]

was listening to CBC AM today and they were discussing paper ROWTS. But whenever there was no word 'paper' they talked about the ROOT. ie I had a paper rowt as a child, and the root was pretty simple. Here on the west coast I swear we all had paper roots.

No wonder I listen to NPR except when I can't get the signal!

 

[pkitty]

You know what it is people? I just figured it out. American's pronounce "boot" "bowt" or "bout".

Now that I thinks of it. I now thinks they do fer sure. LOL.

 

[bavaria]

If they comment on how we say ROOT vs ROWT, I ask them how they pronounce 'Route 66'

 

[totalia]

I've been accused of saying "hosier". I have never heard that said and I have definately never said it. Though I noticed the states have a state where that word is part of the state (you know.. kind of like "The garden state"). I can't remember the exact wording though.

Its amazing how wrong they can get things because of some stupid tv show.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

You know what it is people? I just figured it out. American's pronounce "boot" "bowt" or "bout".

Now that I thinks of it. I now thinks they do fer sure. LOL.

OK - now I'm going to be listening for the "bowt" "bout" or whatever. I'll have to take in account the southern twang. Down here it just might be "abaat"