The Canadian Accent

TransplantedNewf

Ahnimus wrote:

What exactly does "Yes By" mean? I've never heard that.

It's one of those sayings that can mean a hundred different things. When you're suprised, instead of saying, "Really?!" ...or when you don't really believe someone, instead of saying, "Yeah, right."

Heh...i don't know. It's just something i've always said.

Ahnimus

Krisdababe wrote:

It's one of those sayings that can mean a hundred different things. When you're suprised, instead of saying, "Really?!" ...or when you don't really believe someone, instead of saying, "Yeah, right."

Heh...i don't know. It's just something i've always said.

Interesting, very interesting

Echoes

I don't notice it at all but sometimes my American friends call me on it

Songburst

None of us annunciate the "ow" in about properly in Northern Ontario. It's not quite aboot, but it's pretty close. I think I say a-boat more than a-bout or a-boot. I also never realized how much I said eh until I went to Memphis.

On a side note, I live right on the Minnesota/Ontario border and if I drive a half an hour south, everyone from the border to Minneapolis starts talking like the cast of Fargo. Anybody notice that in Minny before?

Igottago

The only people i've met who ever come close to saying "aboot" are people from the maritime provinces. Other than than, "aboot" is extremely rare. "Eh" is quite common though, I think I say "eh" from time to time. I also call the last My Morning Jacket album "zed", not "zee".

gleemonex

I'm from Manitoba and I've said "eh?" my fair share of times. However, the only time I've ever said aboot is if I'm making fun of an American who believes all Canadians say aboot.

Jeanwah

My mother grew up in Newfoundland, and the huge amount of family I've met up there have a thick accent, but I've never heard "aboot". They sound like they have an Irish accent. And I hear "eh?" so much that it really has started to bother me...

sonicreducer

don't know much about canadian accents, but when i went to the hershey show people said "wooter" vs in the south we say 'water'.

it didn't make sense, and i laughed a lot. that show was a blast. those dudes i met were really cool.

decides2dream

ahhh, stereotypes. if one watches tv, since i am from NY...you'd think i'd speak like the nanny...and yea, i don't...not even close. eh well.

and sure, apparently, i am not allowed to use 'eh' eiyther...since it's a canadian thing. and well, too bad..i use it all the time.

butters

All Canadians say it differently...
I didn't think we did, but now I can hear it.

legend:

a - as in 'ha'
o - as in 'boat'
u - as in 'boot'


Americans tend to say a-ba-o-t, and they drag the o a bit

Canadians (in Vancouver, and many other places) tend to say a-ba-u-t, and shorten the u a bit

small town beck

I live on PEI and I am fairly certain aboot is not a maritime thing however I never really found it to be true that Canadians say aboot anyway so maybe I just don't hear the difference ... now in Newfoundland they have a completely different accent all of their own It is something special...of course, I come from a family that reads a lot and my grandfather was an editor so proper English was always pretty much the norm for us.

Now if you go to some of the fishing villages you will hear stronger accents...dear god nothing is more hilarous than when something happens in the fishing/farming field and they put some backwoods guy on the national news :eek: Mind you though you go to some remote places anywhere and you are apt to get the same thing.

I love it in Newfoundland when they say 'where ya to?' that KILLS me. Newfoundland is such a great place and so many Canadians never go!! Go to Newfoundland!!

I mean mind you we all live in igloos eh? We hump moose and yes I do know your cousin Bob in Toronto. hahaha

TransplantedNewf

small town beck wrote:

I mean mind you we all live in igloos eh? We hump moose and yes I do know your cousin Bob in Toronto. hahaha

I just moved to Alberta from Newfoundland and i kid you not, the security guard in my building asked me last weekend if i know some random guy "from somewhere in Newfoundland".
The people i work with get a kick out of some of my sayings..."Stay where you're to til i comes where you're at." and "What are ya at?" Hehehe. I try not to use a lot of Newfie slang because i know people won't have a sweet clue what i'm trying to say!

bubbamackdaddy69

Yeah I've lived in Canada my whole life and never really heard "aboot" but hear "Eh" a damn alot...I say "Eh" a friggin lot to be honest...
I say "about"...not "Aboot"... but I have notice some Americans pronouce "Roof" what is on top of your house "RUFF"..?? But I've heard alot of Amricans say it like us as just a "Roof"... anybody know what I'm talking about?...LOL

TransplantedNewf

bubbamackdaddy69 wrote:

but I have notice some Americans pronouce "Roof" what is on top of your house "RUFF"..?? But I've heard alot of Amricans say it like us as just a "Roof"... anybody know what I'm talking about?...LOL

I can't help but giggle every time i hear that!

small town beck

Krisdababe wrote:

I just moved to Alberta from Newfoundland and i kid you not, the security guard in my building asked me last weekend if i know some random guy "from somewhere in Newfoundland".
The people i work with get a kick out of some of my sayings..."Stay where you're to til i comes where you're at." and "What are ya at?" Hehehe. I try not to use a lot of Newfie slang because i know people won't have a sweet clue what i'm trying to say!

You knew him though right? hahaha some people.

Heatherj43

butters wrote:

All Canadians say it differently...
I didn't think we did, but now I can hear it.

legend:

a - as in 'ha'
o - as in 'boat'
u - as in 'boot'


Americans tend to say a-ba-o-t, and they drag the o a bit

Canadians (in Vancouver, and many other places) tend to say a-ba-u-t, and shorten the u a bit

we tend to say 'abowwt'.

murph83

I am from Newfoundland and I wouldn't consider myself to have a strong newfie accent. It is strange, I did live in Ontario for a few months last year, I had some people tell me that I have no accent whatsoever but I also had some people who thought I was from the south! haha
I've noticed that some people from Nova Scotia speak with a little bit of an accent that sounds similar to that of a Newfoundlander.
On the subject of "aboot"...i have never heard it.

dunkman

Ahnimus wrote:

Hello, I am from Canadia.

I watched the South Park movie again last night and it struck me as odd. The way Canadians are in the film, saying "aboot". I've lived in Canada my whole life and I've been to many parts of it. I've never heard anyone talk like that in my life. The closest I've ever heard is SCTV, but those guys are comedians.

Additionally, I used to work for Nextel and many Americans thought I was from Florida. Do Floridans talk like Canadians?

Many people asked where I live and I said "Ontario" they replied "California?" the idea I might be Canadian never crossed their minds. One man even said "Oh great, an American, I'm sick of talking to Canadians" when I took his call.

And "about" isn't exactly an easy word to avoid.

thats how i say 'about'... i.e. what time aboot

its scottish slang... maybe its popular in Nova Scotia?

dunkman

Heatherj43 wrote:

we tend to say 'abowwt'.

aye but americans also say 'meerohrr' for 'mirror'

to lazy to pronounce the word properly lets just slur it out

Quiet Rhythm

Gah I say A-B-O-U-T. Just like everyone else. Not aboot. I do say 'eh' quite a bit though.

Ive never once met anyone that says aboot. Canadian or other wise.