Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada

[kwoldtimer]

Academic explanations of the Newfoundland accent(s) make it sound like the entire province needs to see a speech therapist!

[SignalHillHiker]

Nah b'y, ye'r not 'aving it, luh. Nudding'sgonna come baytween ussin'har'haccents.

[SignalHillHiker]

Our crows have a different accent too. At least, they don't sound like the ones on TV.

Recorded this outside my window just now:

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[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I do this as well sometimes. But I am extremely cautious when I do it.

again, people from france feel no compunction at all about this, especially with "anglo saxons".

a friend of mine from toulouse has a grand and unflattering theory about the strange limitations of our mouth, tongue and throat muscles. he feels this is unfavorable in some implied-to-be-sexual way, and that the french manner of using such things is vastly superior in all regards.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

again, people from france feel no compunction at all about this, especially with "anglo saxons".

.

Many people in France will do that to Canadian francophones as well. They sometimes even correct perfectly acceptable Canadianismes/Québécismes simply because they are not familiar with them.

In my experience some people in the UK will correct the English of Americans/Canadians also. Not so much Americanisms like diaper or boot/bonnet, but incorrect expressions like "I am doing good" by emphasing "Oh, glad to hear you're doing well."

[SignalHillHiker]

I've been corrected many times as well. Unless it's someone's name, I'm not having it.

Don't get me wrong, I break out the mainland thing at work like everyone else, and write as properly as I can - but at a family gathering, or just conversing socially... **** off.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Many people in France will do that to Canadian francophones as well. They sometimes even correct perfectly acceptable Canadianismes/Québécismes simply because they are not familiar with them.

In my experience some people in the UK will correct the English of Americans/Canadians also. Not so much Americanisms like diaper or boot/bonnet, but incorrect expressions like "I am doing good" by emphasing "Oh, glad to hear you're doing well."

Even people here love to correct the good/well thing all the time.

"Me and Chris..."
"You mean Chris and I..."
is also a popular one

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In my experience some people in the UK will correct the English of Americans/Canadians also. Not so much Americanisms like diaper or boot/bonnet, but incorrect expressions like "I am doing good" by emphasing "Oh, glad to hear you're doing well."

some of them are ambitious. my boss is from london and at a staff dinner last week he was rather critical of the term "eggplant", strongly preferring "aubergine".

as we were at an italian restaurant, i suggested that perhaps we should both be referring to the melanzane.

[Acajack]

I generally just roll with it.

Though sometimes I like to have fun with our French cousins when they use an anglicism for something for which there is a perfectly good French word (in use on the west side of the Atlantic of course).

"Ah oui, un pull-over... chez nous on dit chandail..."

"C'est au sommet du hit-parade français... et aussi du palmarès québécois!"

"Qu'est que c'est qu'un sponsor? Ah bien oui, c'est le mot anglais pour commanditaire! Je comprends..."

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

some of them are ambitious. my boss is from london and at a staff dinner last week he was rather critical of the term "eggplant", strongly preferring "aubergine".

as we were at an italian restaurant, i suggested that perhaps we should both be referring to the melanzane.

I find language differences of that sort to be interesting. I think sometimes it has to do with the fact that the term used in North America predates the word now used in the UK (aubergine might be an example of that, I don't know). I know that's the case for the way most North Americans handle a knife and fork, something that Brits also sometimes look down on, even though they used to use them the same way once upon a time.

[SignalHillHiker]

One for you, KW.

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[kwoldtimer]

I've seen that before. I love that video!

[kool maudit]

i really like the german language. it gets such a bad rap, but i think it can be very beautiful.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

i really like the german language. it gets such a bad rap, but i think it can be very beautiful.

Indeed, it has its moments:

[SignalHillHiker]

I'm curious if any Newfoundland English expressions work in French.

So, I've Google Translated them. Paired below with the normal, mainland English way of saying the same thing.

Shut the door = Mettez la face arrière dans son
It's cooler today = Il est une veste plus froid qu'aujourd'hui
Bad hair day = Balai de bouleau dans les ajustements
Windy day = Le cul de poule dans un coup de vent
Gotta go = Il est temps que je n'y étais pas
Best wishes = Que votre femme aussi facile que dimanche matin
Count me in = Tête la première ou cul premier
It's a nice autumn day = Il est comme un été prochain jour
You're too smart for your own good = Si vous aviez un demi-cerveau, vous seriez terrifiant
What just happened? = Qu'est-ce qui se passe après maintenant?
Go away = Exécutez à Jésus
You're stupid = Vous êtes aussi abasourdi que moi le cul
You're REALLY stupid = Vous êtes aussi étourdi que moi le cul et deux fois plus fissuré
You're stupid AND ugly = Vous êtes aussi étourdi que moi le cul et pas à moitié aussi beau
I'm a Jack of All Trades = Le premier sceau je tir était un poulet et je tué qui avec un bâton
Who are your parents? = Qui vous tricotez?
Where are you from? = Où vous situez-vous?
You look nice = Belle tenue, patronne
Flattery will get you nowhere = Vous prenez une hausse de moi
It's hard to know what you're thinking = Vous êtes aussi profond que la tombe
Experience overcomes everything = Le vieux cheval pour une route difficile
I'm unprepared = Le diable à payer et pas de putain prêt
You're funny = Je meurs à vous

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I'm curious if any Newfoundland English expressions work in French.

So, I've Google Translated them. Paired below with the normal, mainland English way of saying the same thing.

Shut the door = Mettez la face arrière dans son
It's cooler today = Il est une veste plus froid qu'aujourd'hui
Bad hair day = Balai de bouleau dans les ajustements
Windy day = Le cul de poule dans un coup de vent
Gotta go = Il est temps que je n'y étais pas
Best wishes = Que votre femme aussi facile que dimanche matin
Count me in = Tête la première ou cul premier
It's a nice autumn day = Il est comme un été prochain jour
You're too smart for your own good = Si vous aviez un demi-cerveau, vous seriez terrifiant
What just happened? = Qu'est-ce qui se passe après maintenant?
Go away = Exécutez à Jésus
You're stupid = Vous êtes aussi abasourdi que moi le cul
You're REALLY stupid = Vous êtes aussi étourdi que moi le cul et deux fois plus fissuré
You're stupid AND ugly = Vous êtes aussi étourdi que moi le cul et pas à moitié aussi beau
I'm a Jack of All Trades = Le premier sceau je tir était un poulet et je tué qui avec un bâton
Who are your parents? = Qui vous tricotez?
Where are you from? = Où vous situez-vous?
You look nice = Belle tenue, patronne

OK. Well...

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I'm curious if any Newfoundland English expressions work in French.

So, I've Google Translated them. Paired below with the normal, mainland English way of saying the same thing.

Shut the door = Mettez la face arrière dans son
It's cooler today = Il est une veste plus froid qu'aujourd'hui
Bad hair day = Balai de bouleau dans les ajustements
Windy day = Le cul de poule dans un coup de vent
Gotta go = Il est temps que je n'y étais pas
Best wishes = Que votre femme aussi facile que dimanche matin
Count me in = Tête la première ou cul premier
It's a nice autumn day = Il est comme un été prochain jour
You're too smart for your own good = Si vous aviez un demi-cerveau, vous seriez terrifiant
What just happened? = Qu'est-ce qui se passe après maintenant?
Go away = Exécutez à Jésus
You're stupid = Vous êtes aussi abasourdi que moi le cul
You're REALLY stupid = Vous êtes aussi étourdi que moi le cul et deux fois plus fissuré
You're stupid AND ugly = Vous êtes aussi étourdi que moi le cul et pas à moitié aussi beau
I'm a Jack of All Trades = Le premier sceau je tir était un poulet et je tué qui avec un bâton
Who are your parents? = Qui vous tricotez?
Where are you from? = Où vous situez-vous?
You look nice = Belle tenue, patronne

None

[FrAnKs]

What do you think of François Legault's English ?

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Ok well, not as good as Pauline Marois

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[Acajack]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

What do you think of François Legault's English ?

• Video Link

Interesting that he is from the West Island of Montreal and the founder of airline Air Transat.

[FrAnKs]

I talked about that with my workmates today. This guy is an old businessman as he desbribes himself. So I'm surprised by its level of English !