Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada

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[SignalHillHiker]

So, an old friend from Winnipeg visited this weekend. Last night we went downtown for supper and a night out, mostly to get them Screeched In. He couldn't believe how strong my accent is. "I can remember what you used to sound like, and you had an accent but it was only certain words or when you were on the phone with your Mom. But now, wow." That makes me so happy! I didn't realize I'd lost that much, or that it had come back.

He still sounded the same to me, despite having spent at least a year since we last saw each other in Halifax.

I really want to know if everybody loses their accent to some extent when they're immersed among people who don't share it. Do people who've lived in St. John's for decades and still sound fully English to me sound weird to their family/friends when they visit their home?

I suspect it really is true that language is culture, to a greater extent than I'd realized before. When you lose the normal interaction, the pace and tone, the common subjects, the expressions, the back-and-forth of conversation in your own dialect, a lot can fade away.

[MonctonRad]

I think it depends. Some people never lose their accents while other people are much more compliant.

My sister and her husband lived in Bermuda for about six years. They never lost their Canadian accent, but their two children basically grew up down there and had strong British accents when they came back. They disappeared astonishingly fast though, within 12-18 months.

[SignalHillHiker]

My Facebook wall has a surprising number of weird interaction stories today, . Two are fun.

First, it's been YEARS since I encountered this. It's probably just because I live back at home now and am not exposed, but I was really under the impression our... what do you call it? National self esteem? Had improved enough that this rarely happened anymore.



And a typically provincial one but the comments give me a question:



A few of her friends on that post and elsewhere are saying, basically, that it's normal in Toronto to use "territory" in the lower-case T sense when referring to provinces other than Ontario and Quebec.

Is that true? If so, that annoys me, even though the initial statement generating that post didn't. Reminds me of old documents here that only acknowledge Labrador's existence with the phrase "Newfoundland and her Dependencies".

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

A few of her friends on that post and elsewhere are saying, basically, that it's normal in Toronto to use "territory" in the lower-case T sense when referring to provinces other than Ontario and Quebec.

Is that true? If so, that annoys me, even though the initial statement generating that post didn't. Reminds me of old documents here that only acknowledge Labrador's existence with the phrase "Newfoundland and her Dependencies".

I doubt that's a specifically Toronto thing or even something that's commonly heard.

I would bet on this person being overly sensitive to the fact that some people don't know what a "province" is (based on contact with Americans who were clueless, for example), and just uses "territory" as it's assumed everyone will understand.

It's like a less-educated person in Canada might not know what a German means when they refer to a "länder", a Frenchman and a "département" or a Japanese person a "prefecture".

[Acajack]

It's part of Québécois lore that certain Hollywood movies and TV shows have been dubbed with a Quebec accent. There have not been that many so most people can name them off the top of their head: Slap Shot, the Flintstones, the Simpsons. And for some reason the Dutch movie Flodder which I believe the only two places in the world where people are familiar with it are its native Netherlands and Quebec.

Anyway, last night I was channel surfing and stumbled upon the 90s gangsta flick New Jack City with Wesley Snipes.

Much to my surprise, it was dubbed into Québécois French.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mhaNMNrn2o

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

My Facebook wall has a surprising number of weird interaction stories today, . Two are fun.

First, it's been YEARS since I encountered this. It's probably just because I live back at home now and am not exposed, but I was really under the impression our... what do you call it? National self esteem? Had improved enough that this rarely happened anymore.



And a typically provincial one but the comments give me a question:



A few of her friends on that post and elsewhere are saying, basically, that it's normal in Toronto to use "territory" in the lower-case T sense when referring to provinces other than Ontario and Quebec.

Is that true? If so, that annoys me, even though the initial statement generating that post didn't. Reminds me of old documents here that only acknowledge Labrador's existence with the phrase "Newfoundland and her Dependencies".

No. "The regions", perhaps, in a tongue in cheek fashion, but "the territories", never.

[kwoldtimer]

What pleasantry do people in your part of the country most commonly use when introduced to someone? I say "How do you do?", which I know makes some people think I'm channeling Eliza Doolittle, but I like the old ways.

In this region, I would say that "Pleased to meet you" would be most common in polite society, followed by "How are you?" (a bit forward to ask someone you're just meeting for the first time, imo), or the simple yet effective "Hello".

[SignalHillHiker]

All of the above, really, and many others depending on tone.

In a formal setting I'd probably say "it's a pleasure to (finally) meet you".

Other than that it'd probably be any of the many ways to ask how someone is. How are ya, how's she cutting, whaddayat, etc. Sometimes young people make fun of old people by following how such situations go with them "who's yer fadder", "do you know Mikey Farrell?", Etc.

[Acajack]

In French: "Enchanté"

In English: "Nice to meet you" seems most common

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

All of the above, really, and many others depending on tone.

In a formal setting I'd probably say "it's a pleasure to (finally) meet you".

Other than that it'd probably be any of the many ways to ask how someone is. How are ya, how's she cutting, whaddayat, etc. Sometimes young people make fun of old people by falling how such situations go with them "who's yer fadder", "do you know Mikey Farrell?", Etc.

The Ontario equivalent might be "How's it hanging?", although on a first introduction it would certainly raise eyebrows. For some reason, my "How do you do?" never elicits that in reply!

[SignalHillHiker]

Yeah. I'd definitely keep my elbows off the table in your presence.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In French: "Enchanté"

In English: "Nice to meet you" seems most common

Yes, probably as common as "Pleased to meet you", if not moreso. In French, I always feel I should reserve "Enchanté" for women of (at least) a certain age.

[MonctonRad]

In some of the more isolated fishing communities around the region you might hear "How's she goin' b'y"

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

In French, I always feel I should reserve "Enchanté" for women of (at least) a certain age.

It's used much more routinely than that.

For example, if you meet the parents of one of your kids' school friends for the first time, you'd normally say "enchanté".

Kind of like how you initially use "vous" instead of "tu" with people until you're more sure of what the nature of your relationship will be.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

...
I suspect it really is true that language is culture, to a greater extent than I'd realized before. When you lose the normal interaction, the pace and tone, the common subjects, the expressions, the back-and-forth of conversation in your own dialect, a lot can fade away.

So, to me, language is certainly a part of culture, but it's really mostly just about communication. I'm sure my accent changed over the years, from outport NL. to St. John's (which is much more Canadian) and then other parts of Canada, but it's primarily about expression and wanting to be understood. You just adapt to the language around you in order to communicate.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's used much more routinely than that.

For example, if you meet the parents of one of your kids' school friends for the first time, you'd normally say "enchanté".

Kind of like how you initially use "vous" instead of "tu" with people until you're more sure of what the nature of your relationship will be.

I know, but using "Enchanted" in English is in my head even when I'm speaking French! In Spanish, at least, I can save my "Encantado" for women and give the guys a "Mucho gusto".

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I really want to know if everybody loses their accent to some extent when they're immersed among people who don't share it. Do people who've lived in St. John's for decades and still sound fully English to me sound weird to their family/friends when they visit their home?
.

I had meant to answer this before but forgot.

The first accent I ever spoke with was an Acadian French accent from the Maritimes. These days this accent has completely disappeared and I speak French with what sounds like a regular Québécois accent to most people.

But... when I go to the Maritimes my Acadian accent comes back quite a bit after a few days.

And if I go to France my accent in French also takes on European French intonations that people here in Quebec immediately pick up on when I return. My friends have teased me about speaking like a pompous Parisian in such cases.

In English my accent doesn't vary depending on where I am. I don't take on Southern US or British accents when I am there. The only thing that varies in English is that my usual French intonations can almost completely disappear if I am in a totally anglo place for a week or so. But even so no matter where I am I end up sounding Anglo-Canadian Neutral North American.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

...
I really want to know if everybody loses their accent to some extent when they're immersed among people who don't share it. Do people who've lived in St. John's for decades and still sound fully English to me sound weird to their family/friends when they visit their home?

....

Nldr's have said I don't have an accent, I've never been told I have a mainland accent, perhaps due to politeness?

One thing I've been aware of is people's accents are influenced by their children. So if NLers move to the mainland for a generation and have kids, and grandkids, their accent is more likely to change.

[Loco101]

I'm in Quebec right now on vacation. I've was in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region for a week and now am on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence in Forestville.

I speak French with an Anglophone accent but not a very heavy one, in fact probably very light for someone from another province. It's funny to see the reaction of different people. If they know I'm from Northern Ontario after asking where I'm from then they usually are very nice and say I speak French very well. But I'm getting the impression that a lot of people assume I'm an Anglo-Quebecker because I am not afraid to speak French. That is, if they haven't asked where I'm from. Some kind of look down on me because my French isn't perfect but they never actually said anything about it.. They must be assuming that I live in Quebec but never really had interest in learning proper Quebec-French. It's really weird. But again, nobody actually said anything rude or mean.

I'm surprised at how much the regions I'm visiting are quite pro-Canada compared how things were 20 years ago. Today, there seems to bre more emphasis on the regions in Quebec and unique things found within them which includes expressions and accent.