Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada - Page 152

SignalHillHiker · #**3021** Posted **Nov 3, 2018, 2:57 PM**

This is cute, Irish guy thought Newfoundlanders were mocking his accent at first.

Quote:

On the most eastern edge of North America, the people are warm and funny, profusely proud of their homeland and love nothing better than a get together, a chat and a singsong. Little wonder, then, that almost a quarter of the population claims Irish ancestry.

I was there for five days, and I was as taken aback to hear Wexford and Waterford accents by the end of the trip as I was the very first time I thought I was being imitated.

Despite the accents, it is a Canadian province – at least according to 51 per cent of the voters in a 1948 referendum – and it retains the Canadian stereotypes you’d expect to find on your travels. Think moose, beavers and vast woodland.

...

That afternoon I make my way back to St John’s, a charming place with a slight hipster vibe. The city’s unique layout is largely the result of quick rebuilding in the aftermath of two great fires in 1846 and 1892. The oldest streets in the new world run into each other rather aimlessly here, there's what must be the longest crosswalk in any world, while little jelly bean houses line the hilly streets.

...

George’s Street in St John’s is a bit like a great night out in Galway during summer – bars running into bars and live music in each of them. O’Reilly’s is a huge venue and the heartbeat of “the craic”. Yes, they say it here too. Brenda O’Reilly became the first female bar owner on the street in 1996, and along with Craig Flynn they now seem to own half of it. You'll do well to meet a more friendly and hardworking couple.

The following day I had an early dinner in Mussels on the Corner, which is also owned by O’Reilly, and serves traditional Newfoundland food. The region’s most traditional dish of all is called “Jiggs dinner” which is not that dissimilar to our bacon and cabbage - and so I tried one of their specials, Jiggs dinner mussels. It hit the spot.

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-...X16Peh1_N2weL4

Acajack · #**3022** Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 2:33 PM**

Also in the news recently: GTA employers being called out for preferring or insisting on the Quebec accent for call centre employees. This is angering some Toronto peeps who are francophones but from other countries. They allege it's discriminatory.

https://www.lesoleil.com/actualite/l...003646f34a8199

I am sure there are people in Quebec who prefer to deal with someone who has a Quebec accent but seriously, there isn't anyone in Quebec who isn't used to hearing a variety of accents, whether in the media, showbiz, politics or even in their own community. Even people in the smallest most homogenous communities will have someone in their midst with a European French or often even Haitian, or francophone African accents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlf69Hd9GPg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdiePu1SIfI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwnayKouiDM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZguhHek19Y8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8V3-Sde7dg

Acajack · #**3023** Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 2:38 PM**

My sense is that a lot of this is "anticipatory accommodation" (for Québécois people, no less!) on the part of Toronto-based corporations. That they think that this is important to a large share of their Quebec clients.

As I said, it might be important to some, but for most people if you can communicate effectively there is no problem. (And BTW, if you call Quebec-based companies like Vidéotron or Desjardins it's also very often people with foreign accents who are talking to you.)

The only issue I can see is if people don't understand certain Quebec words, and act ignorantly about that.

An example in English would be if someone in Denver called the Walmart 1-800 line and was served by someone from India or the UK (or at least with the accent), and when the client asked about diapers, the CSR responded with a "WTF are diapers???? Oh.... you mean nappies!".

kwoldtimer · #**3024** Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 2:39 PM**

Is that any different from having folks in Indian call centres tell you their name is "Brad" or "Cindy" and using their attempt at a NAmerican accent? Just an attempt to improve customer experience, no?

Acajack · #**3025** Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 2:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Is that any different from having folks in Indian call centres tell you their name is "Brad" or "Cindy" and using their attempt at a NAmerican accent? Just an attempt to improve customer experience, no?

Yes, many of us have seen the scene at the start of Slumdog Millionaire with the morning prep meeting at the Indian call centre where the staff are briefed on weather and local sports results in the US and UK...

In those cases the workers are based abroad and not subject to domestic (Canadian in our case) laws and regulations on discrimination and human rights.

kwoldtimer · #**3026** Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yes, many of us have seen the scene at the start of Slumdog Millionaire with the morning prep meeting at the Indian call centre where the staff are briefed on weather and local sports results in the US and UK...

In those case the workers are based abroad and not subject to domestic (Canadian in our case) laws and regulations on discrimination and human rights.

I've not seen that film. It never occured to me that this could be a human rights issue. I guess if there is actual hiring discrimination, there could be a case. Not sure about requiring hirees to imitate an accent not their own. The interesting thing to me is that Ontario employers would want to use a Canadian French accent in their company - that would seem to represent a big change in attitude.

Acajack · #**3027** Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 2:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I've not seen that film. It never occured to me that this could be a human rights issue. I guess if there is actual hiring discrimination, there could be a case. Not sure about requiring hirees to imitate an accent not their own. The interesting thing to me is that Ontario employers would want to use a Canadian French accent in their company - that would seem to represent a big change in attitude.

I guess it's a hypothetically justifiable job requirement that you be able to understand and make yourself understood to clients if you're a customer service rep.

Accent is a different thing it seems, though I suppose actors are required to be able to take on a specific accent and this is a job/role requirement. Not sure that this really applies to customer service though.

Pinus · #**3028** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 1:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Star

The State of Canada....Under Trudeau. BTW one of my favorite bands

https://youtu.be/iqnMrynpq9U

https://youtu.be/8de2W3rtZsA

Honorable mention...

https://youtu.be/HxbT5jSxGJ0

https://youtu.be/W-zmtmgswHw

https://youtu.be/SSR6ZzjDZ94

Same old story.......

https://youtu.be/gCWj8Nz5DUg

FavoUrite
HonoUrable

Hackslack · #**3029** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 1:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinus

FavoUrite
HonoUrable

I write the without the U’s. Both are right.

Acajack · #**3030** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 1:47 PM**

Canadian English spelling requires the U, though.

kwoldtimer · #**3031** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 1:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Canadian English spelling requires the U, though.

"Requires" seems a tad strong, absent a Canadian Academy. Perhaps "favours".

Acajack · #**3032** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 1:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

"Requires" seems a tad strong, absent a Canadian Academy. Perhaps "favours".

"Correct Canadian spelling requires the U."

kool maudit · #**3033** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 2:17 PM**

My career has left me, after years of alternating between US and UK spellings, in a weird lexicographical place: basically, I combine the two, but in a different way than standard Canadian English does (I haven't worked in a Canadian English context for a very long time).

Things like 'he realised it was the wrong color.'

It's completely messed up.

Acajack · #**3034** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 2:57 PM**

I don't really care how people spell on here as long as it's comprehensible. Notice I never correct anyone. But I will interject when people say "both are correct" or "it makes no difference".

That said if you're working for me as a writer producing any type of content for Canadian audiences, then I will strictly enforce the Canadian spelling rules in anything you produce and send your stuff back if you don't respect that.

If you're working on something for an American audience then I will expect you to use American spelling conventions.

If you are producing content for a Quebec audience and you use crèchefor a daycare then I will send it back corrected with the word "garderie" in its place, and expect any future references to daycares in your work will refer to them in this way.

Guess I am just annoying that way.

Acajack · #**3035** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 3:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool maudit

My career has left me, after years of alternating between US and UK spellings, in a weird lexicographical place: basically, I combine the two, but in a different way than standard Canadian English does (I haven't worked in a Canadian English context for a very long time).

Things like 'he realised it was the wrong color.'

It's completely messed up.

From what I gather, most of your "Canadian English" experience was in Anglo-Montreal, which isn't exactly a bastion of Canadian spelling. American usage predominates in more circles there than most Canadian cities, for a variety of reasons.

lio45 · #**3036** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't really care how people spell on here as long as it's comprehensible. Notice I never correct anyone. But I will interject when people say "both are correct" or "it makes no difference".

That said if you're working for me as a writer producing any type of content for Canadian audiences, then I will strictly enforce the Canadian spelling rules in anything you produce and send your stuff back if you don't respect that.

If you're working on something for an American audience then I will expect you to use American spelling conventions.

If you are producing content for a Quebec audience and you use crèchefor a daycare then I will send it back corrected with the word "garderie" in its place, and expect any future references to daycares in your work will refer to them in this way.

Guess I am just annoying that way.

Makes sense.

SSP's Canada subforum is the only place where I'm not perfectly aligned with local norms; in my Canadian business dealings it's spelled "couleur" and in my English-language (American) business dealings it's spelled "color". Nothing to nitpick :p

Acajack · #**3037** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 4:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lio45

Makes sense.

SSP's Canada subforum is the only place where I'm not perfectly aligned with local norms; in my Canadian business dealings it's spelled "couleur" and in my English-language (American) business dealings it's spelled "color". Nothing to nitpick :p

From my professional standpoint, the formulation "Canadian Tire Center" contains a spelling mistake. Just as much as "misteak" for "mistake" would be wrong too.

"Pearl Harbour" also contains a spelling mistake IMO.

lio45 · #**3038** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 4:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

"Pearl Harbour" also contains a spelling mistake IMO.

Not if it's written like that in a British article destined to an audience of Brits.

Not anymore than you can fault a French article for misspelling London as "Londres".

Acajack · #**3039** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lio45

Not if it's written like that in a British article destined to an audience of Brits.

Not anymore than you can fault a French article for misspelling London as "Londres".

Perhaps my use of proper names is not the best example.

Pearl Harbor the proper name doesn't have a different spelling in English regardless of where you are.

So an article about it in the Times of London would say "The harbour at Pearl Harbor is very deep."

An article in the New York Times would say "The harbor at Pearl Harbor is very deep."

Corndogger · #**3040** Posted **Mar 14, 2019, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinus

FavoUrite
HonoUrable

No, favorite and honorable are correct.