Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada

[kool maudit]

Of course it's entirely subjective. I thought that's what we were talking about?

[urbandreamer]

Originally Posted by Sarah89

I was in Kitchener three days ago - while it's trying to build it's reputation as a ''tech city'' in recent years most of the inhabitants are really.. umm.. hoseri-sh. They may have the most protoypical Canadian Accent in Ontario as far as I'm concerned. Some of the strongest vowel raising and ''hoser cadence'' I've ever heard.

Indeed. But you should head north to places like Listowel, Hanover and Chesley for even more of this accent. I wear earplugs when I'm around these people.

[Sarah89]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

Indeed. But you should head north to places like Listowel, Hanover and Chesley for even more of this accent. I wear earplugs when I'm around these people.

Boy, does it get bad. When I was a teenager there was a guy from mount forest who went to my high school. I am not trying to be funny or snide when saying this but I thought he had a learning disability because of the way he talked. I wasn't aware of our ''Canadian accent'' back then of course but I assumed the way he talked must have been the result of a mental handicap. But when I look back, what I was hearing was just a pure, unadulterated hoser accent. It's a very slow, deep drone that makes the person sound like they have a cognitive disability.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Sarah89

Boy, does it get bad. When I was a teenager there was a guy from mount forest who went to my high school. I am not trying to be funny or snide when saying this but I thought he had a learning disability because of the way he talked. I wasn't aware of our ''Canadian accent'' back then of course but I assumed the way he talked must have been the result of a mental handicap. But when I look back, what I was hearing was just a pure, unadulterated hoser accent. It's a very slow, deep drone that makes the person sound like they have a cognitive disability.

I actually may know what you’re talking about, having lived with someone from Elmira(?).

[Acajack]

It's the one I speak with every day and I don't really alter it when I am in France, but I am not as fond of the Québécois accent as I used to be.

[Sarah89]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

I actually may know what you’re talking about, having lived with someone from Elmira(?).

This is the best example of it

https://youtu.be/d9HbochSSyY

Do you hear what I hear?

[Architype]

Originally Posted by Sarah89

This is the best example of it

https://youtu.be/d9HbochSSyY

Do you hear what I hear?

That pronunciation of "way" is sort of the eee sound I had mentioned.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Architype

That pronunciation of "way" is sort of the eee sound I had mentioned.

That bit at the beginning seemed a different accent from the rest - I think he was goofing. I was most struck by the absence of any final “g”s. I associate that with Saskatchewan and didn’t realize it could be a NWOntario thing as well.

[harls]

Originally Posted by Sarah89

This is the best example of it

https://youtu.be/d9HbochSSyY

Do you hear what I hear?

These guys could have been from Fort Mac or Prince George. The accent is just that widespread.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

The Quebecois accent sounds friendly and warm to me, though. French-from-France is so... Cartesian.

Pretty sure it's the same in English - any documentary where the speaker as a French-from-France (in French) or British (in English) accent, they immediately seem more serious, credible and intellectual. Even if they're saying the exact same thing.

I recall my sis quoting a study once - that the number of middle initials of an author produced an impact on the value people put on the paper. If it's by John Smith, it'll be rated (on average) slightly less than if it's by John W. Smith, which in turn will be rated less than if it's by John H. W. Smith, which in turn will be rated less than if it's by John H. L. W. Smith, etc.

Always made me smile (but psychology being what it is, I'm not surprised that such details have an actual effect).

Now I know next time I publish anything I should use my middle initial plus also add my mother and grandmothers' maiden names initials

(You're a journalist, aren't you? If you didn't know that already, consider it a free pro tip )

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Sarah89

This is the best example of it

https://youtu.be/d9HbochSSyY

Do you hear what I hear?

Just an average dude and dudette who go to the gym.

In terms of accent, I don't find it sounds particularly goofy or non-intellectual.

Especially not if we're comparing to standard American accents where a lot of the vowel sounds are quite "lazy".

To my ear, clipped vowel sounds are preferable.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Just an average dude and dudette who go to the gym.

In terms of accent, I don't find it sounds particularly goofy or non-intellectual.

Especially not if we're comparing to standard American accents where a lot of the vowel sounds are quite "lazy".

To my ear, clipped vowel sounds are preferable.

It definitely has that blue-collar Canadian tinge. Like many 'blue-collar' accents, it's not a sexy one.

Then again, people get all excited here about Cockney accent here as if it's so sophisticated. That's definitely not the Queen's English there.

Strangely, most Brits seem to 'lose' the accent while singing and sound much more American.

Clipped sounds, a reasonable pace, enunciation and avoiding filler words are keys in sounding better to the average ear.

[Dengler Avenue]

Apparently it’s the Brits that changed their pronunciations, not the Americans.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Apparently it’s the Brits that changed their pronunciations, not the Americans.

I wonder if that's not common when it comes to new world vs. old world accents.

It is generally believed that the Québécois accent of today is much closer to the way people spoke in pre-revolutionary France than the way the people in France speak today.

So all those famous kings named Louis actually sounded like us!

[wave46]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I wonder if that's not common when it comes to new world vs. old world accents.

It is generally believed that the Québécois accent of today is much closer to the way people spoke in pre-revolutionary France than the way the people in France speak today.

So all those famous kings named Louis actually sounded like us!

It depends - Québécois French was basically an island that was cut off after 1760, so it would not surprise me for it to retain its ancestral characteristics.

With respect to North American accents in English, I suspect the decrease in the tempo of speaking was a product of having to cope with immigrants speaking many different languages. If one talks quickly, it's hard to follow for a non-native speaker. Slowing down the pace helps. Somewhere with a history of a relatively homogeneous English-speaking population probably has a much quicker tempo - thinking of Newfoundland.

I'm not sure if we have anybody here who can answer this, but I wonder if someone who has no exposure to the English language finds North American English or British English easier to understand.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Apparently it’s the Brits that changed their pronunciations, not the Americans.

Pronunciation of what?

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by Sarah89

This is the best example of it
https://youtu.be/d9HbochSSyY
Do you hear what I hear?

I'm hearing hints of Scandanavia.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by wave46

It depends - Québécois French was basically an island that was cut off after 1760, so it would not surprise me for it to retain its ancestral characteristics.

With respect to North American accents in English, I suspect the decrease in the tempo of speaking was a product of having to cope with immigrants speaking many different languages. If one talks quickly, it's hard to follow for a non-native speaker. Slowing down the pace helps. Somewhere with a history of a relatively homogeneous English-speaking population probably has a much quicker tempo - thinking of Newfoundland.

I'm not sure if we have anybody here who can answer this, but I wonder if someone who has no exposure to the English language finds North American English or British English easier to understand.

Depends on which British English you're referring to, no? I can find some northern English and some Scottish (standard English)accents very difficult to understand. There's a rural accent that you find in Cornwall and Devon that can also be very difficult to understand.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Depends on which British English you're referring to, no? I can find some northern English and some Scottish (standard English)accents very difficult to understand. There's a rural accent that you find in Cornwall and Devon that can also be very difficult to understand.

I'm referring to Received Pronunciation and Standard American accents in that post. What you'd hear newscasters speaking on BBC or CNN.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by wave46

It depends - Québécois French was basically an island that was cut off after 1760, so it would not surprise me for it to retain its ancestral characteristics.

With respect to North American accents in English, I suspect the decrease in the tempo of speaking was a product of having to cope with immigrants speaking many different languages. If one talks quickly, it's hard to follow for a non-native speaker. Slowing down the pace helps. Somewhere with a history of a relatively homogeneous English-speaking population probably has a much quicker tempo - thinking of Newfoundland.

I'm not sure if we have anybody here who can answer this, but I wonder if someone who has no exposure to the English language finds North American English or British English easier to understand.

Not quite what you are looking for, but my kids are second-language speakers of English, with way more exposure to North American English than British English.

They find standard North American English and English that is close to standard RP equally easy to understand.

Stuff like Cockney, Scottish accents are more difficult, as are thick Southern US accents, Newfoundland accents and African-American "vernacular English".

As a third language speaker of Spanish, Spaniards are easier for me to understand than most any other group.