Switch Theme:

American English vs. Canadian English  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Androgynous Daemon Prince of Slaanesh





Norwalk, Connecticut

Doesn’t every word in Canadian English end in “sorry”?

Reality is a nice place to visit, but I'd hate to live there.

Manchu wrote:I'm a Catholic. We eat our God.


Due to work, I can usually only ship any sales or trades out on Saturday morning. Please trade/purchase with this in mind.  
   
Made in us
The Conquerer






Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Doesn’t every word in Canadian English end in “sorry”?


Only half. The rest end in "Eh?".

Every Canadian sentence is either an Apology or a Question.

Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines

Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.

MURICA!!! IN SPESS!!! 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Doesn’t every word in Canadian English end in “sorry”?


heh. My boss is Canadian, and most sentences end in fething Hell.

Same with my Scottish boss.

In fact, all 13 of my bosses since college swore a lot...

DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
 
   
Made in us
The Conquerer






Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios

 kronk wrote:
 timetowaste85 wrote:
Doesn’t every word in Canadian English end in “sorry”?


heh. My boss is Canadian, and most sentences end in fething Hell.

Same with my Scottish boss.

In fact, all 13 of my bosses since college swore a lot...


Now were they foul mouthed before you began working for them?

Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines

Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.

MURICA!!! IN SPESS!!! 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Building a blood in water scent

 Grey Templar wrote:
 timetowaste85 wrote:
Doesn’t every word in Canadian English end in “sorry”?


Only half. The rest end in "Eh?".

Every Canadian sentence is either an Apology or a Question.


Bys, Bys. It goes: starts with ""sorry, ends in "eh?"

As in, "Sorry, ya ran into the back of my car, eh?"

"Sorry, I can't get drunk on yer American beer, eh?"

Or, "Sorry, ya can't hoist Lord Stanely's Cup without at least half yer team bein' good old Canadian bys, eh?"

We were once so close to heaven, St. Peter came out and gave us medals; declaring us "The nicest of the damned".

“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'” 
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

"Perfect American English"? WTH is that?

We can't even decide in the states how we should talk, much less having a perfect version of it.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/01/30 21:37:26


Support Blood and Spectacles Publishing:
https://www.patreon.com/Bloodandspectaclespublishing 
   
Made in ca
Insect-Infested Nurgle Chaos Lord






Considering where I live, "perfect" canadian english would be basically not having to ask you to repeat it more than two times.

Living in a part of toronto where it's full of immigrants and only a handful of them were ever taught proper english, I frequently see two people verbally fumble over each other trying to figure out what a Tim Horton's is. And don't even ask about how to pronounce Tomato or Potato (in the course of one conversation we found no less than 5 different pronounciations, none of them the standard "To-may-to" or "to-mah-to". I had to go to a shop and buy a tomato to confirm that they were indeed talking about the damn thing).

Gwar! wrote:Huh, I had no idea Graham McNeillm Dav Torpe and Pete Haines posted on Dakka. Hi Graham McNeillm Dav Torpe and Pete Haines!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can I have an Autograph!


Kanluwen wrote:
Hell, I'm not that bothered by the Stormraven. Why? Because, as it stands right now, it's "limited use".When it's shoehorned in to the Codex: Space Marines, then yeah. I'll be irked.


When I'm editing alot, you know I have a gakload of homework to (not) do. 
   
Made in us
Willing Inquisitorial Excruciator




Ephrata, PA

 feeder wrote:


Bys, Bys. It goes: starts with ""sorry, ends in "eh?"

As in, "Sorry, ya ran into the back of my car, eh?"

"Sorry, I can't get drunk on yer American beer, eh?"

Or, "Sorry, ya can't hoist Lord Stanely's Cup without at least half yer team bein' good old Canadian bys, eh?"


I've literally been sitting at my desk for a few hours trying to think of a comeback. But our beer sucks and half of my Flyers are Canadian. Well played sir.

 Easy E wrote:
"Perfect American English"? WTH is that?

We can't even decide int he states how we shoudl talk, much less having a perfect version of it.


The word "jawn" might make it into the dictionary (its on Merriam-Webster's "Words We're Watching" list). So Philadelphia will finally have made a positive contribution to the English language

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/01/30 20:43:36


Bane's P&M Blog, pop in and leave a comment
3100+

 feeder wrote:
Frazz's mind is like a wiener dog in a rabbit warren. Dark, twisting tunnels, and full of the certainty that just around the next bend will be the quarry he seeks.

 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Building a blood in water scent

 Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:
 feeder wrote:


Bys, Bys. It goes: starts with ""sorry, ends in "eh?"

As in, "Sorry, ya ran into the back of my car, eh?"

"Sorry, I can't get drunk on yer American beer, eh?"

Or, "Sorry, ya can't hoist Lord Stanely's Cup without at least half yer team bein' good old Canadian bys, eh?"


I've literally been sitting at my desk for a few hours trying to think of a comeback. But our beer sucks and half of my Flyers are Canadian. Well played sir.



Sorry bout that, cousin. I'm sure you'll think of something, eh?

We were once so close to heaven, St. Peter came out and gave us medals; declaring us "The nicest of the damned".

“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'” 
   
Made in gb
Black Captain of Carn Dûm





Were there be dragons....

 Formosa wrote:
 Crazy_Carnifex wrote:
 Grey Templar wrote:
 Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:
I've rarely had an issue understanding any form of English. I have friends from all over the globe, never an issue unless non-British slang is involved. I have had issue understanding people from Quebec, and Cajun country though.


That's the French influence. Quebec has a huge French speaking population and radically different culture from the rest of Canada. Even those who speak English from there will have an influence on them.

Its fairly easy to tell a Québécois apart from a regular Canadian. Understanding him is another story.

About the only English dialect I have issues with might be some very thick Scottish accents.

Then there is the Welsh language which I don't even know if they can understand each other Their sentence structure seems akin to a Yodle and a gargle mashed into a massive run on sentence.


And then there's Newfoundland.


Sweet mother of god, how anyone understands them is beyond me, I am not even sure some of them were human let alone speaking English


Textbook Welsh is quite easy to learn and understand. Then you try and speak to a Welsh person and it all goes horribly wrong. You quickly realise everything in the textbook is only spoken by about 5 academics who grew up in Aberystwyth and a couple of valleys in South Wales.
I've listened to an argument between two Welsh Speakers debating who was using the proper word for milk! They both grew up in North Wales!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/02/03 17:11:03


"As a customer, I'd really like to like GW, but they seem to hate me." - Ouze
"All politicians are upperclass idiots"
 
   
Made in gb
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain





Earth

 Optio wrote:
 Formosa wrote:
 Crazy_Carnifex wrote:
 Grey Templar wrote:
 Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:
I've rarely had an issue understanding any form of English. I have friends from all over the globe, never an issue unless non-British slang is involved. I have had issue understanding people from Quebec, and Cajun country though.


That's the French influence. Quebec has a huge French speaking population and radically different culture from the rest of Canada. Even those who speak English from there will have an influence on them.

Its fairly easy to tell a Québécois apart from a regular Canadian. Understanding him is another story.

About the only English dialect I have issues with might be some very thick Scottish accents.

Then there is the Welsh language which I don't even know if they can understand each other Their sentence structure seems akin to a Yodle and a gargle mashed into a massive run on sentence.


And then there's Newfoundland.


Sweet mother of god, how anyone understands them is beyond me, I am not even sure some of them were human let alone speaking English


Textbook Welsh is quite easy to learn and understand. Then you try and speak to a Welsh person and it all goes horribly wrong. You quickly realise everything in the textbook is only spoken by about 5 academics who grew up in Aberystwyth and a couple of valleys in South Wales.
I've listened to an argument between two Welsh Speakers debating who was using the proper word for milk! They both grew up in North Wales!


Ah so not real welsh then

Liverpuglians that moved, thats all the north welsh are
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut





I used to work 411 for a Canadian telecom company that contracted its workers and database out to US telecoms like Verizon and others, so I took alot of 411 calls from the States. I often had people ask me if I was Australian.

I would say Maritime Canadian and Southern US accents are the strongest, everything else is pretty minor.

Fun and Fluff for the Win! 
   
Made in us
Mekboy Hammerin' Somethin'




Alaska

I've struggled to understand Australian tourists on occasion. I don't think it was just that the words sounded like they ran together, but also that many vowels were pronounced a little differently so the parts that I could pick out could be a bit of a red herring. For instance, I got asked a question about hay bales but the part that stood out to me sounded like "bile" so it took a minute longer to get it sorted out. (I don't have any problems understanding Australians from movies or television news clips.)

Most of the tourists are older, though, so that might be part of it. It seems to me that many older Americans don't speak quite as clearly and have rougher voices. Maybe that's just something that happens with age.

Really, there are two separate issues of accents and people not speaking clearly. A lot of the time when someone is mumbling, slurring their words or speaking too quickly their accent might be blamed by someone who is not native to the area.

YELL REAL LOUD AN' CARRY A BIG CHOPPA! 
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Doesn’t every word in Canadian English end in “sorry”?


I thought it was mostly Toronto where they did that. The " 'eh" thing.

As in There's only one "t" in Toronno'eh


Toronto is to modern SF tv what Vancouver used to be.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/02/05 00:28:55


I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka




Kamloops, BC

 chromedog wrote:
 timetowaste85 wrote:
Doesn’t every word in Canadian English end in “sorry”?


I thought it was mostly Toronto where they did that. The " 'eh" thing.

As in There's only one "t" in Toronno'eh


Toronto is to modern SF tv what Vancouver used to be.


The 'eh' is more a northern Ontario thing not a Toronto thing, think Thunder Bay.
   
Made in us
Keeper of the Flame





Monticello, IN

kronk wrote:I can usually pick up the Canadian accent. "About" vs "A-Boot" is an easy one. I travel all over the US and parts of Canada. Regional accents are certainly a thing. I have some international coworkers who absolutely can't understand people in our manufacturing plant in Alabama. It may as well be Boomhauer from King of the Hill talking to them.

I have a hard time once in a while with fast talkers from New York City, and Newark airport folks can feth right the hell off. That ain't English!


It sounds more like "A-boat" to me. I've never heard a single Canadian sound like "a-boot" except for the South Park parody. My daughter watches Paw Patrol and PJ Masks alot, and I spotted that as Canadian mainly from "look out" being pronounced "look oat"

www.classichammer.com

For 4-6th WFB, 2-5th 40k, and similar timeframe gaming

Looking for dice from the new AOS boxed set and Dark Imperium on the cheap. Let me know if you can help.
 CthuluIsSpy wrote:
Its AoS, it doesn't have to make sense.
 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

I was looking for "How to Airbrush" videos since I'm learning, and I came across this guy. Australian? Kiwi? Whatever it is, I have a REALLY hard time with it.



DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
 
   
Made in gb
Veteran Inquisitorial Tyranid Xenokiller





Colne, England

 kronk wrote:
I was looking for "How to Airbrush" videos since I'm learning, and I came across this guy. Australian? Kiwi? Whatever it is, I have a REALLY hard time with it.




North East England, either Newcastle or Sunderland.

Brb learning to play.

 
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

 kronk wrote:
I was looking for "How to Airbrush" videos since I'm learning, and I came across this guy. Australian? Kiwi? Whatever it is, I have a REALLY hard time with it.



Seconding. Neither Aussie nor Kiwi. You find some odd-scots accents hanging around in Northern NZ, but nothing like that.

It's "Northern English" somewhere. All of those accents blend together for me.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/02/05 23:40:56


I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka






As a Brit living in the US I’ve found that unless you have a Kensington accent people think you’re not possibly from the UK. My Essex accent apparently sounds Australian to most Yanks.

"The Omnissiah is my Moderati" 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

Man, I was way off!

Still, sound like marbles in his mouth to me. No annunciation.

DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
 
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





Oxfordshire

First guess for that video would be mackem (Sunderland, England).

Through the job I've visited lots of places in the states that are off the tourist trail. I have a Stafford accent, which is remarkable only for being an unremarkable accent sandwiched between Stoke and Wolverhampton. Nearly every American assumes the accent is Australian. We don't all talk like Dick Van Dyke!
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






Burtucky, Michigan

My brother in law is a hard person to understand. Hes from Michigan but joined the army and has since picked up a mishmash of Texas, Alabama and Arkansas. Now add in a mouth full of dip and his natural lazy speech pattern and youre in for a hell of a time talking to the guy.

I typically can understand other English speech ignoring slang, I do have to come here on occasion to translate a Blacks Books, but there was this one time. While working I came across a Canadian and one incredibly hard to understand English fellow that we here at Dakka discovered was most likely of the Northern variety, I just couldnt hear what he was saying. It was so muddled and slurred he got me. Luckily his Canadian friend was used to translate what the hell the guy was trying to say. We all had a good laugh about it........or he was pissed off that I kept laughing at him, I guess Ill never know
   
Made in us
Captain of the Forlorn Hope





Chicago, IL

 Nick Garai wrote:
I am talking with someone (a girl I met online) and she says she speaks perfect American? I speak Canadian. Can anyone tell me if they can tell a difference between perfect American and perfect Canadian English? I am finding the American English is very hard to understand when someone speaks to me over the telephone any when texting it is not much better. Anyone here notice a difference?

I notice a difference between the Canadian accent and the American accent.

The classic American accent is taught to U.S. newscasters as it is the easiest to understand. This is because the classic U.S. speech patter has a very subtle accent.

Some News casters from different parts of the U.S. usually sound similar where the regional accent is quite different.

Southern U.S. comparison:

Spoiler:

Most people that I have met that are from Texas (Southern middle part of the U.S.A.) sound like this:




While KTRK news channel 13 newscasters sound like this:






Boston comparison:

Spoiler:
Most people that I have met that are from Boston (N.E. part of the U.S. (AKA New England)) sound like this




Where WFXT channel 25 Boston newscasters sound like this:





Most Canadians sound like this though:

Spoiler:



Compared to Minnesota (Far northern U.S.A. this state borders Canada)



Sounds similar.

Just like the movie Fargo.





"Did you notice a sign out in front of my chapel that said "Land Raider Storage"?" -High Chaplain Astorath the Grim Redeemer of the Lost.

I sold my soul to the devil and now the bastard is demanding a refund!

We do not have an attorney-client relationship. I am not your lawyer. The statements I make do not constitute legal advice. Any statements made by me are based upon the limited facts you have presented, and under the premise that you will consult with a local attorney. This is not an attempt to solicit business. This disclaimer is in addition to any disclaimers that this website has made.
 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






Burtucky, Michigan

The News casters is a good point, watch news bloopers and youll really notice it. Suddenly they go from that dry monotone to what they really sound like and it just makes ya laugh
   
Made in us
5th God of Chaos! (Yea'rly!)




The Great State of Texas

As the immortal bard once said:" You're in America now. Speak Spanish!"

-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka




Kamloops, BC

 DeathReaper wrote:

[/spoiler]

Most Canadians sound like this though:

Spoiler:



Compared to Minnesota (Far northern U.S.A. this state borders Canada)



Sounds similar.

Just like the movie Fargo.


Most Canadians don't sound like that only in certain regions is that true, Canada isn't a homogeneous culture someone from Newfoundland sounds completely different from someone from Vancouver.



This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/03/05 15:37:34


 
   
Made in us
Omnipotent Necron Overlord






For the most part Canadians to me sound a lot like people that live in New Orleans. I don't find ether difficult to understand - it is just an accent.

I don't have any trouble understanding anyone speaking English of any kind.

IMO the least understandable people are from the New England area - and ofc England. However - they are the most fun to talk to because of it. I love British comedies.

If we fail to anticipate the unforeseen or expect the unexpected in a universe of infinite possibilities, we may find ourselves at the mercy of anyone or anything that cannot be programmed, categorized or easily referenced.
- Fox Mulder 
   
Made in us
[DCM]
-






-

This is, of course, yet another incorrect stereotype.

Now, some people in New England love to play up the accent that not many really have, so there is that.

But no, the vast majority of people in New England sound nothing like what people think they sound like, especially on TV.

And the 'Boston' accents are even worse!

   
 
Forum Index » Off-Topic Forum
Go to: