The Ugly Canada Thread - Page 330

O-tacular · #**6581** Posted **Jul 28, 2016, 10:39 PM**

Speaking of horribly named businesses here's one of my all time favourites. I would have just called it skidmark myself.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.9759812,-...VjrOhAdBzujNA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

WhipperSnapper · #**6582** Posted **Jul 28, 2016, 10:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I'm amazed...

Mr. Burger, Mister Safety Shoes. Are these placeholders on the sign or real businesses?

Mr Burger is real and you would love it!

Acajack · #**6583** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 3:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Lol! That has to be the most French Canadian thing I have ever seen. We're like the Alabama of the French speaking world.

I am not sure what you mean by this exactly.

O-tacular · #**6584** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 4:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I am not sure what you mean by this exactly.

For starters it's a hilarious Frenglish name. Also it looks like the type of place you'd see this guy.

Acajack · #**6585** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 4:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

For starters it's a hilarious Frenglish name. Also it looks like the type of place you'd see this guy.

OK, well maybe you should know that "store" in French means "blinds".

MolsonExport · #**6586** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 1:11 PM**

blinds-to-go=store-to-go?

Elvis Gratton.

O-tacular · #**6587** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 1:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

OK, well maybe you should know that "store" in French means "blinds".

Really?!? I had no idea. I've never heard any of my family from Quebec ever use that word for blinds before. Then again maybe we've never talked about blinds before. Still, WTF?! That has to be a French Canadian thing. I can't imagine Parisians referring to their blinds as "les Stores".

Learned something new. I'll have to ask my mom what she calls blinds.

Acajack · #**6588** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 1:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Really?!? I had no idea. I've never heard any of my family from Quebec ever use that word for blinds before. Then again maybe we've never talked about blinds before. Still, WTF?! That has to be a French Canadian thing. I can't imagine Parisians referring to their blinds as "les Stores".

Learned something new. I'll have to ask my mom what she calls blinds.

It's probably that you've never talked about blinds before. I'd be extremely surprised if your relatives in Quebec used another word for blinds.

I could picture a Franco-Ontarian in Timmins saying "ferme les blinds'' but not francophones in Quebec.

If you're speaking in French there is no other commonly used word for blinds.

It's the exact same word in France too.

I don't think there is any etymological relation to the word "store" (as in "shop") in English.

It's pronounced more like "stawr" as opposed to "stoar" BTW.

Acajack · #**6589** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 1:27 PM**

The French are pretty good at tacky suburban retail too:

MolsonExport · #**6590** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 1:28 PM**

^indeed. No culture has a monopoly on tackiness. I just got back from China and tackiness exists in spades.

O-tacular · #**6591** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's probably that you've never talked about blinds before. I'd be extremely surprised if your relatives in Quebec used another word for blinds.

I could picture a Franco-Ontarian in Timmins saying "ferme les blinds'' but not francophones in Quebec.

If you're speaking in French there is no other commonly used word for blinds.

It's the exact same word in France too.

I don't think there is any etymological relation to the word "store" (as in "shop") in English.

It's pronounced more like "stawr" as opposed to "stoar" BTW.

That's so frickin' weird! I also have francophone family from Ontario on my dad's side and I've never heard them say it one way or the other. If it was brought up in discussion it was more likely 'ferme les rideaux'. Please tell me more weird french words that sound like english words.

O-tacular · #**6592** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

The French are pretty good at tacky suburban retail too:

Do you think somewhere on the border between Quebec and Ontario there exists a MonsieurStore next to a Mr. Burger and a Mister Safety Shoes?

Acajack · #**6593** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

That's so frickin' weird! I also have francophone family from Ontario on my dad's side and I've never heard them say it one way or the other. If it was brought up in discussion it was more likely 'ferme les rideaux'. Please tell me more weird french words that sound like english words.

"fart" = wax for cross-country skis...

(the T at the end is silent though)

O-tacular · #**6594** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:15 PM**

Loblaws is still the worst chain name in existence.

• Video Link

O-tacular · #**6595** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

"fart" = wax for cross-country skis...

(the T at the end is silent though)

Stop it! Stop!

Acajack · #**6596** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:38 PM**

Yeah we're just a barrel of laughs!

You guys are too.

To someone who speaks no English and only French,

FOR(t) SALE means very dirty.

TIRE SALE means dirty taffy.

Acajack · #**6597** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:39 PM**

This is quite funny to a unilingual Québécois

O-tacular · #**6598** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yeah we're just a barrel of laughs!

You guys are too.

To someone who speaks no English and only French,

FOR(t) SALE means very dirty.

TIRE SALE means dirty taffy.

Being bilingual I love the interplay between English and French. I still remember in elementary french immersion the first time I found out the word for seal. I told my parents with great pride what I'd learned that day and they couldn't give me shit because I was saying a French word.

Living out west hearing the butchery of French names is difficult at times but ultimately hilarious. We get some American channels from Coeur d'Alene Idaho. Guess how they pronounce it? Until I actually saw the name spelled out I had no idea it was even french. The other day on the radio I cringed as I heard a news reporter (with a hilarious French last name: Cocotte) pronounce Diner en Blanc "Dine-er An Blank". It's tough growing up in Alberta when your name is Olivier though.

O-tacular · #**6599** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 3:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^indeed. No culture has a monopoly on tackiness. I just got back from China and tackiness exists in spades.

I'm still waiting for your awesome tacky photos tour of Shanghai.

O-tacular · #**6600** Posted **Jul 29, 2016, 3:23 PM**

Calgary's answer to Elvis Gratton: