Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

This is one of my favourites because it's just so fucking weird. I've explained it here before... but:

In France, some regions add "la" to the end of their sentences. It means "there" and it's an emphasis word, like Canadian "eh". In Newfoundland, we use the French version. But we say it "luh...". And it's just like Canadian "eh" in that it becomes more common the more rural, and more poor, you go.

So these guys are watching an Irish tourist swim out to an iceberg at Middle Cove Beach, which is the nearest bonfire beach to St. John's, about 10 minutes away.

https://www.facebook.com/kenny.nosew...40/?permPage=1

And there is a natural "luh" in this.

"That berg's still movin' around, luh, i's not fully a'ground yet!"

Many francophones I know will say "là" at the end of their sentences which is pronounced as "luh." Very common to hear in Timmins and among many Franco-Ontarians and you'll here it in Quebec as well but usually people who are more joual (slang) speakers. But when speaking English, they will end their sentences with "there" which is the direct translation.

Example:

You know the guy there. He is really working hard there.

If they are from somewhere like Hearst, ON or anywhere in Quebec where they haven't spoken much English, they will likely pronounce the TH as a D.

You know da guy dere. He is really working 'ard dere.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Andy6

We do, from an American perspective, pronounce “about” as “aboot” ... it’s just that our brains are set up to interpret the difference between the two sounds as linguistically significant while Americans’ brains are not. There are theoretically infinite numbers of vowel sounds - everyone clumps vast numbers of them together as “the same” for linguistic purposes, but the boundaries of the various clumps differ as between different linguistic groups. In our case, “about” and “aboot” have a clump boundary between them, while in Americans’ case they don’t.

Myself, and many people that I speak to, pronounce it "abowt", though I also hear "aboat" quite a bit. I've heard "aboot" mostly from (some) Ontarians. My impression is that 'Americans' typically view Ontario as being an example representative of all of Canada anyhow, so that would likely be the pronunciation that they most associate with 'Canadians'. Then there are also many variations within various ethnic groups, especially those for whom English or French are not their first languages.

But then it's not really correct to lump Americans into one category, as there are so many different linguistic styles there. A (typical) New England pronunciation is going to be vastly different from a 'southern' (like Georgia, for example) pronunciation, which will be decidedly different from a midwesterner. Then, you have NYC, which seems to have its own linguistic style... So that being said, 'Americans' should be accustomed to many different pronunciations of the word, and thus should be able to discern an Ontarian from a Quebecois from a Maritimer (though there isn't even a homogeneous pronunciation within the Maritimes), etc.

I think it's more that many Americans don't care to understand the diversity that is Canada. Just MHO, though.

[kwoldtimer]

I've heard the "aboat" from time to time but I always find it startling. My "out" and "oat" have two different sounds, neither of which ressembles the U.S. "abawt" or the alleged Canadian "aboot".

[niwell]

Most South African's assumed I was not just American, but specifically from New York City. Not the traditional NYC working class accent of course, but the generic type that would be common for expats travelling on business. Which probably makes sense given that the business class in Toronto speaks in a pretty similar manner. A world of difference compared to Northern Ontarian's I speak to for work on occasion.

[Pinus]

Americans are hypocrites.

What about how they pronounce their "a"s?

Ceeeeanada
My feeeeeamily
I ceeeeean do that for you
I'm in a musical beeeeand
I own some leeeeand

The way they pronounce words like that is very apparent.

Edit: let me clarify. I was referring to the fact they mock us on our accent on a continual basis. But what they fail to understand is that everyone sounds different to everyone one else, and that their perceived "normal" is not normal to outsiders.

[kwoldtimer]

How dare they!?

[GlassCity]

Yeah I've heard the "it's 'aboat' not 'aboot'" thing a lot, but I don't think I say it that way either. My "aBOUt" sounds like "cow." Not sure I've ever heard the American "abaaht" before as you describe it.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Pinus

Americans are hypocrites.

What about how they pronounce their "a"s?

Ceeeeanada
My feeeeeamily
I ceeeeean do that for you
I'm in a musical beeeeand
I own some leeeeand

The way they pronounce words like that is very apparent.

Edit: let me clarify. I was referring to the fact they mock us on our accent on a continual basis. But what they fail to understand is that everyone sounds different to everyone one else, and that their perceived "normal" is not normal to outsiders.

That sounds like someone from Hamilton. Ontario south of the GTA has the 'ceeeeanada' thing going on for sure.

And has anyone figured out the deal with Catherine McKenna's accent?

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by esquire

That sounds like someone from Hamilton. Ontario south of the GTA has the 'ceeeeanada' thing going on for sure.

I'm from Hamilton, but went to a Mennonite college in Winnipeg for a couple years, as some people from Ontario do. The prairie kids would often remark on how "American" we sounded.

But that was thirty years ago when the difference in the Manitoba "hand" with a short A and our "hayand" with an almost duo-syllabic diphthong was very noticeable. I get the sense that the difference is still there, but that this pronunciation in the prairies has evolved closer to the Ontario/American one over time.

For example, Jordan Peterson has the classic prairie accent that I heard all around me when I was in Winnipeg in the 1980s. Listening to him (not that I do it that much!) really takes me back, but I suspect that younger people there don't really talk much like him anymore.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I've heard the "aboat" from time to time but I always find it startling. My "out" and "oat" have two different sounds, neither of which ressembles the U.S. "abawt" or the alleged Canadian "aboot".

Same. If "oat" is "oh-oo-t" (in one syllable, not three, of course), I'd describe the "out" here as "eh-oo-t", whereas the American pronunciation appears closer to "ah-oo-t".

[esquire]

Originally Posted by rousseau

I'm from Hamilton, but went to a Mennonite college in Winnipeg for a couple years, as some people from Ontario do. The prairie kids would often remark on how "American" we sounded.

But that was thirty years ago when the difference in the Manitoba "hand" with a short A and our "hayand" with an almost duo-syllabic diphthong was very noticeable. I get the sense that the difference is still there, but that this pronunciation in the prairies has evolved closer to the Ontario/American one over time.

Someone with a strong far-southern Ontario (i.e., below the GTA) accent still really stands out to my ears. The "hayand" is a perfect example and it's something that you really don't hear among people from here.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by esquire

Someone with a strong far-southern Ontario (i.e., below the GTA) accent still really stands out to my ears. The "hayand" is a perfect example and it's something that you really don't hear among people from here.

I've noticed the accent in SW Ontario as well and it does exist in Hamilton and Niagara. But I notice it the most in places such as London, Sarnia and Windsor and surrounding communities.

"Hand" is definitely one word that stands out. Others I remember:

-and
-banana
-pyjamas

[Pinus]

Originally Posted by rousseau

I'm from Hamilton, but went to a Mennonite college in Winnipeg for a couple years, as some people from Ontario do. The prairie kids would often remark on how "American" we sounded.

But that was thirty years ago when the difference in the Manitoba "hand" with a short A and our "hayand" with an almost duo-syllabic diphthong was very noticeable. I get the sense that the difference is still there, but that this pronunciation in the prairies has evolved closer to the Ontario/American one over time.

For example, Jordan Peterson has the classic prairie accent that I heard all around me when I was in Winnipeg in the 1980s. Listening to him (not that I do it that much!) really takes me back, but I suspect that younger people there don't really talk much like him anymore.

I have not met one single solitary person from The Prairies with that American accent, and I was born and raised here. It doesn't exist here, unless you are a transplant from those American-sounding places in Ontario.

[harls]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

Same. If "oat" is "oh-oo-t" (in one syllable, not three, of course), I'd describe the "out" here as "eh-oo-t", whereas the American pronunciation appears closer to "ah-oo-t".

Out? - OW(I stubbed my toe)-t

Oat? - Oh(Sandra Oh)-t

About? A-(take a BOW)t.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by harls

Out? - OW(I stubbed my toe)-t

Oat? - Oh(Sandra Oh)-t

About? A-(take a BOW)t.

My out/about or ow/bow sound the same.

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by esquire

That sounds like someone from Hamilton. Ontario south of the GTA has the 'ceeeeanada' thing going on for sure.

And has anyone figured out the deal with Catherine McKenna's accent?

That's funny that you say that, as someone from SWO I don't think I do that, but DO notice that very distinctively from people in Buffalo. "Josh EEEEEAllen plays for the Bills".

Maybe there is a bit of a continuum? To me it seems like it changes right at the border, but I remember once when I was a kid on a day trip in Toronto the TTC driver thought I was American.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by jonny24

That's funny that you say that, as someone from SWO I don't think I do that, but DO notice that very distinctively from people in Buffalo. "Josh EEEEEAllen plays for the Bills".

Maybe there is a bit of a continuum? To me it seems like it changes right at the border, but I remember once when I was a kid on a day trip in Toronto the TTC driver thought I was American.

It's probably a little more pronounced when you cross over into WNY but it's definitely still there in the Hamilton-Niagara area. Someone from outside the region (like me) definitely notices it.

I used to hang out with a group that included a Brit and someone from a tiny town in far upstate NY... they represented both ends of the spectrum as far as this accent goes, and we'd laugh about how the Brit would say "bon on aw", the upstate NYer would say "bee nah nah" , and I was the only one who would say it normally and correctly as "banana"

[kool maudit]

The Canadian 'out' will probably die off for status reasons, like the old Brooklyn 'boid' (bird).

[Pinus]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

The Canadian 'out' will probably die off for status reasons, like the old Brooklyn 'boid' (bird).

I don't think it will, and I certainly hope it doesn't. Why would we all want to sound like plain-Jane Mid-Western Americans?

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by Pinus

I don't think it will, and I certainly hope it doesn't. Why would we all want to sound like plain-Jane Mid-Western Americans?

Because the 'out' is more audible among the working class. Status-seeking.