Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada - Page 72

RWin · #**1421** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 8:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Interesting article, I'm especially glad he cleared up the whole "lot" thing.

Nobody I know pronounces Vancouver as Vankewver. It's usually pronounced Vancouver.

I hate how articles like this always portray Canada as the same though. He compares a California accent to a Canadian one-as if there's a single one. This happens outside of language too (the bagged milk stereotype for example: I have never seen it in my life, but because it exists in one part of the country, it must exist everywhere).

When I lived in Vancouver, you could still buy milk in a bag. 3 bags in 4 litres. We had a special container that the bag would fit in. I didn't really like it and I guess many others didn't either. I don't remember if you could buy milk in a bag in Calgary back then (we moved her in 1998) but either way, it's been a long time since I've seen that.

To me cool and move have the same vowel sound.

kool maudit · #**1422** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 8:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I don't get the pirate thing from it at all. If I speak in stereotypical, old Newfoundland English - even exaggerated for emphasis - it's very different than if I tried to speak like a pirate.

Even taking a sentence like "Sure all a ye're gonna be poisoned", meaning you'll all be pissed off, pirate and NL are still two completely different ways to say that to me. And I should note it's not wishful thinking from a preference for us not to be considered pirate-y. I really don't mind the comparison at all - I just don't hear it.

really? like, "she py'suned me, b'y" doesn't sound pirate-y? it reads pirate-y to me.

(i am aware these are not the appropriate, academic linguistic terms).

rousseau · #**1423** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 8:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWin

To me cool and move have the same vowel sound.

"Cool" has a diphthong (two vowel sounds next to each other): First coo, then the latter part of "bowl," though obviously not so pronounced as if you were actually saying "bowl." Not using a diphthong, i.e. maintaining only one vowel sound as in coo, would sound like an exaggerated German accent.

"Jah, it's coo-l, vee haff two synthesizers in our neo-1980s new wafe band."

"Move," by contrast, doesn't have a diphthong. It's just one vowel sound.

Xelebes · #**1424** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 8:54 PM**

Wait, move has the diphthong, not cool. It's why Moev was spelled Moev.

rousseau · #**1425** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 8:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xelebes

Wait, move has the diphthong, not cool. It's why Moev was spelled Moev.

No, you have that backwards.

GlassCity · #**1426** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 9:00 PM**

Also, I just realized my spelling was auto corrected. Around here Vancouver is pronounced "Vangcouver." With the ou sound as in who.

rousseau · #**1427** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 9:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Also, I just realized my spelling was auto corrected. Around here Vancouver is pronounced "Vangcouver." With the ou sound as in who.

The difference is in how much you purse your lips when saying the vowel sound in "Vancouver." It's a subtle distinction, but it's there.

Listen to how the secretary says "dude" here. That's what the article is talking about. She purses her lips more than Canadians do.

• Video Link

Nobody in Canada says "dude" that way, or says avenoo. That's American. Though, apparently, not so much Californian. You do hear some Americans saying "avenue" as avenyou, but not many. I'm not sure how to characterize the distinction geographically, or if there's a socio-economic distinction at work.

niccanning · #**1428** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 9:18 PM**

As a Newfoundlander living in New England I get told I sound like a pirate all the time. Drives me insane

Xelebes · #**1429** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 9:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

No, you have that backwards.

No, I simply think you have it all backwards. Hmpf!

RWin · #**1430** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 9:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

"Cool" has a diphthong (two vowel sounds next to each other): First coo, then the latter part of "bowl," though obviously not so pronounced as if you were actually saying "bowl."

Okay, I get it now. It's very subtle though.

SignalHillHiker · #**1431** Posted **Feb 13, 2015, 10:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by niccanning

As a Newfoundlander living in New England I get told I sound like a pirate all the time. Drives me insane

Seriously? Well, I guess it's an accurate descriptor then.

1overcosc · #**1432** Posted **Feb 18, 2015, 5:21 PM**

The other day, my boyfriend (from rural Eastern Ontario) referred to a bathrobe as a 'housecoat'. That's the first time in my life I've ever heard the term housecoat before.

Acajack · #**1433** Posted **Feb 18, 2015, 5:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

The other day, my boyfriend (from rural Eastern Ontario) referred to a bathrobe as a 'housecoat'. That's the first time in my life I've ever heard the term housecoat before.

I am familiar with the term. Some francophones from outside Quebec even use it: "Tu as un beau housecoat"...

SignalHillHiker · #**1434** Posted **Feb 18, 2015, 5:32 PM**

We use housecoat too. They're different from a robe. Robes have towel-like fabric. Housecoats are usually fancier.

Acajack · #**1435** Posted **Feb 18, 2015, 5:39 PM**

Mets ton housecoat pis va t'asseoir sur le chesterfield, cher. Tiens, je vais t'apporter l'ottoman pour tes pieds.

Xelebes · #**1436** Posted **Feb 18, 2015, 5:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

We use housecoat too. They're different from a robe. Robes have towel-like fabric. Housecoats are usually fancier.

Agreed.

kwoldtimer · #**1437** Posted **Feb 18, 2015, 9:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

We use housecoat too. They're different from a robe. Robes have towel-like fabric. Housecoats are usually fancier.

I'd agree with that and add that, to me, a housecoat would also have buttons on the front. In fact, I don't see much difference between a housecoat and a "duster", except that the latter would be worn (once upon a time) by a woman as a smock while housecleaning.

toaster · #**1438** Posted **Feb 19, 2015, 3:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Mets ton housecoat pis va t'asseoir sur le chesterfield, cher. Tiens, je vais t'apporter l'ottoman pour tes pieds.

I'm curious to know how you conjugate le verbe "asseoir". I'm from Northern Ontario originally, and we would always say "Je m'assois, tu t'assois, il s'assoit, nous assoyons, vous assoyez, il assoient" but I've noticed since I've moved to the GTA that the people I come into contact with use the other conjugation for the verb (je m'assieds, tu t'assieds, etc). Interesting how they are used in different parts of the country.

lio45 · #**1439** Posted **Feb 19, 2015, 3:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by toaster

I'm curious to know how you conjugate le verbe "asseoir". I'm from Northern Ontario originally, and we would always say "Je m'assois, tu t'assois, il s'assoit, nous assoyons, vous assoyez, il assoient" but I've noticed since I've moved to the GTA that the people I come into contact with use the other conjugation for the verb (je m'assieds, tu t'assieds, etc). Interesting how they are used in different parts of the country.

The former is definitely preferred.

(In "correct" international French at least.)

kwoldtimer · #**1440** Posted **Feb 19, 2015, 11:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by toaster

I'm curious to know how you conjugate le verbe "asseoir". I'm from Northern Ontario originally, and we would always say "Je m'assois, tu t'assois, il s'assoit, nous assoyons, vous assoyez, il assoient" but I've noticed since I've moved to the GTA that the people I come into contact with use the other conjugation for the verb (je m'assieds, tu t'assieds, etc). Interesting how they are used in different parts of the country.

I've never seen the second form.