Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada

[MonctonRad]

My in-laws are from Antigonish County. They pronounce it "An-TIH-gone-ish." I say it the same way, but without any particular emphasis on the "TIH"

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by megadude

Being in commercial real estate at a firm that lends across the country, I have spoken to quite a few Montrealers.

If I couldn't see who was speaking, it was usually very easy to tell when it was a Montrealer of Italian background that was speaking, whether it be French or English. Same for Jews if speaking English, but I don't think I remember hearing one speaking French, at work or on TV.

The ones I do speak to at work don't have a Quebec accent to my ears. They could just as easily be from Toronto. Of course, I assume they grew up speaking English before French. Do most come from the west island?

For other ethnicities, I haven't really thought about whether I could discern who was speaking but could probably distinguish by race most of the time, unless they are mixed.

Montreal more than most places I know almost has "individualized" accents. Especially among allophones. They are quite dependent and vary greatly dependent upon the mix of relative personal exposure to native old country languages, French and English.

You even have siblings with pretty different accents within the same family but who've always lived in the same city.

[SignalHillHiker]

"Broad British Accent"

"Rationing on the island is unheard of, since prices are so high there is no need to ration anything."

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

"Broad British Accent"

"Rationing on the island is unheard of, since prices are so high there is no need to ration anything."

There are many "nuggets" from yesteryear in that article.

Like the fact that she is identified as "Mrs" with her husband's name.

Or that not that long ago newspapers in decent-sized cities would actually publish articles about somewhat interesting people who were simply "in town, visiting".

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There are many "nuggets" from yesteryear in that article.

Like the fact that she is identified as "Mrs" with her husband's name.

Or that not that long ago newspapers in decent-sized cities would actually publish articles about somewhat interesting people who were simply "in town, visiting".

It's still like that in my hometown's newspaper!

[kwoldtimer]

Completely random question: Did anyone else grow up calling soda crackers/saltines "biscuits"? We did and I've been wondering whether it was just at my house, a regional thing, or something more common.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by p_xavier

It's still like that in my hometown's newspaper!

"While Madame Dupont from Paris did find the cheese section at the local Sobeys a bit lacking, she was very impressed by the fact that Brayons say hello to strangers passing by on the street, or stop immediately to assist a fellow motorist stuck in a snowbank."

The newspaper in my wife's hometown in Northern Ontario does the same, or at least still did 5-10 years ago.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Completely random question: Did anyone else grow up calling soda crackers/saltines "biscuits"? We did and I've been wondering whether it was just at my house, a regional thing, or something more common.

We just called those "crackers" - and the big (and far more common) ones were called "cream crackers", while the round ones for appetizers were always "Ritz crackers", even if they weren't.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

We just called those "crackers" - and the big (and far more common) ones were called "cream crackers", while the round ones for appetizers were always "Ritz crackers", even if they weren't.

Yes, today I would call them "crackers". I suspect soda crackers (only) as "biscuits" may just have been in my household.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There are many "nuggets" from yesteryear in that article.

Like the fact that she is identified as "Mrs" with her husband's name.

Or that not that long ago newspapers in decent-sized cities would actually publish articles about somewhat interesting people who were simply "in town, visiting".

Looking at old local newspapers, it was interesting to see the amount of personal information that went into every story.

It was never Mike Jones was a witness to a robbery, it was "Mr. Michael Jones Jr., a 48 year old pipefitter of 123 Borebank Street" or something along those lines. But always with the address.

I also noticed the habit of identifying women by their husband's name... when did that go out of style? In the 60s, I assume? I guess you might still see it today, but only in the context of "Mr. & Mrs. Firstname Lastname". It would be profoundly weird to get something addressed in the mail to my wife as Mrs. Myfirstname Mylastname.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by esquire

Looking at old local newspapers, it was interesting to see the amount of personal information that went into every story.

It was never Mike Jones was a witness to a robbery, it was "Mr. Michael Jones Jr., a 48 year old pipefitter of 123 Borebank Street" or something along those lines. But always with the address.

I also noticed the habit of identifying women by their husband's name... when did that go out of style? In the 60s, I assume? I guess you might still see it today, but only in the context of "Mr. & Mrs. Firstname Lastname". It would be profoundly weird to get something addressed in the mail to my wife as Mrs. Myfirstname Mylastname.

I imagine it did start in the '60s and became more common in the '70s, although you still saw it in the '90s. Back in the day, "Mrs Jane Smith", used formally, would have indicated that she was divorced. Although she would always have been "Jane Smith" to her friends.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Completely random question: Did anyone else grow up calling soda crackers/saltines "biscuits"? We did and I've been wondering whether it was just at my house, a regional thing, or something more common.

Yes, in Nfld. we used the British term "biscuits", but somewhat interchangeably with "crackers" which I guess is an American term along with "cookie". In the UK biscuits are what Americans call "cookies". In the US, biscuits are a soft bready roll scone thing often covered with white gravy (i.e. KFC "biscuits").

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

Looking at old local newspapers, it was interesting to see the amount of personal information that went into every story.

It was never Mike Jones was a witness to a robbery, it was "Mr. Michael Jones Jr., a 48 year old pipefitter of 123 Borebank Street" or something along those lines. But always with the address.

I also noticed the habit of identifying women by their husband's name... when did that go out of style? In the 60s, I assume? I guess you might still see it today, but only in the context of "Mr. & Mrs. Firstname Lastname". It would be profoundly weird to get something addressed in the mail to my wife as Mrs. Myfirstname Mylastname.

I remember in the 70s and maybe into the 80s my mom had credit cards and other banking stuff that were labelled as "Mrs. (my dad's full name)".

In a newspaper article and most other circumstances she still would have been mentioned under he own name.

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by esquire

I also noticed the habit of identifying women by their husband's name... when did that go out of style? In the 60s, I assume? I guess you might still see it today, but only in the context of "Mr. & Mrs. Firstname Lastname". It would be profoundly weird to get something addressed in the mail to my wife as Mrs. Myfirstname Mylastname.

In the mid 80's I dated a girl from a small farming area between London and Chatham, Ontario and the local newspaper etc referred to married women as Mrs. John Smith etc...I found it so bizarre and had never heard of it before.

As well, at weddings in the area at about midnight they brought out more food which was mainly finger foods and desserts and it was referred to as 'lunch'.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by esquire

Looking at old local newspapers, it was interesting to see the amount of personal information that went into every story.

It was never Mike Jones was a witness to a robbery, it was "Mr. Michael Jones Jr., a 48 year old pipefitter of 123 Borebank Street" or something along those lines. But always with the address.

I also noticed the habit of identifying women by their husband's name... when did that go out of style? In the 60s, I assume? I guess you might still see it today, but only in the context of "Mr. & Mrs. Firstname Lastname". It would be profoundly weird to get something addressed in the mail to my wife as Mrs. Myfirstname Mylastname.

Our newspaper in Timmins included the address of anybody in local articles into the 1980s. It also often included occupation, his/her spouse if applicable and age. I've noticed that age isn't used in articles much anymore.

My parents told me that referring to a woman by her husband's name (Mrs Donald Johnson for example) was the norm until the late 1960s. It still was often seen but became much less common in the 1970s due to the feminist movements. And it was pretty much obsolete into the 1980s.

Referring to a couple as Mr and Mrs Donald Johnson lasted longer but did become less common starting in the 1980s. I remember hearing and seeing it right into the 1990s but it really became unacceptable by the year 2000 with the exception of only a very few conservative types.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Acajack

"While Madame Dupont from Paris did find the cheese section at the local Sobeys a bit lacking, she was very impressed by the fact that Brayons say hello to strangers passing by on the street, or stop immediately to assist a fellow motorist stuck in a snowbank."

The newspaper in my wife's hometown in Northern Ontario does the same, or at least still did 5-10 years ago.

Ours in Timmins was that way at one time. But not in this century. Ours used to have gossip columns that went into too much detail about everything. Parties, ceremonies, visitors from elsehwere and what everybody wore, etc..

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Architype

Yes, in Nfld. we used the British term "biscuits", but somewhat interchangeably with "crackers" which I guess is an American term along with "cookie". In the UK biscuits are what Americans call "cookies". In the US, biscuits are a soft bready roll scone thing often covered with white gravy (i.e. KFC "biscuits").

I would say that saltines are just about the only type of cracker I wouldn't occasionally have called "biscuit", although I think "cracker" was always the more common term.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by Andy6

I would say that saltines are just about the only type of cracker I wouldn't occasionally have called "biscuit", although I think "cracker" was always the more common term.

Yes, I call them crackers now, it's mostly just the biscuit thing that is so different, and I think in Canada we use the British definition:

English Biscuits

American Biscuits

American Biscuits & Gravy (yum!!)

English Biscuits & Gravy (NO!!)

[SignalHillHiker]

I checked here for you, Architype. They are indeed mostly called biscuits in Newfoundland products (hard to see but almost all say ‘biscuits’ after the name):





(Cream crackers are the only thing from here that I eat - I have hard bread and the like in traditional foods but I don’t make those myself).

And crackers in Canadian/American ones:

[kool maudit]

Man I miss Triscuits.

Little St. Aubin cheese on there...