Help! What is a Canadian Accent? (movies, garage, best)

[From KW]

I'm trying to undertand what a Canadian accent is?

I know accents from: Newfoudland, Nova Scotia and Quebec. But I'm more concerned with the rest of Canada especially Ontario.

I keep hearing 'aboot'. We don't say that! I don't know where that comes from, maybe East Coast may from like 2 people?

When I hear accents from the US, I think Ontarians anyhow, are most similiar to Californians. (Am I dreaming on this one?)

I think we have strong 'T' at the end of words like skatTUH (for skate) and strong 'S' at the end of words like houSSSE (for house). What else?

I read on Wikipedia that Canadians say 'cot' and 'caught' the same. I never heard of that in my life! - ie. that they should be pronunced differently?

[Moose Jockey USA]

Originally Posted by From KW

I'm trying to undertand what a Canadian accent is?

I know accents from: Newfoudland, Nova Scotia and Quebec. But I'm more concerned with the rest of Canada especially Ontario.

I keep hearing 'aboot'. We don't say that! I don't know where that comes from, maybe East Coast may from like 2 people?

When I hear accents from the US, I think Ontarians anyhow, are most similiar to Californians. (Am I dreaming on this one?)

I think we have strong 'T' at the end of words like skatTUH (for skate) and strong 'S' at the end of words like houSSSE (for house). What else?

I read on Wikipedia that Canadians say 'cot' and 'caught' the same. I never heard of that in my life! - ie. that they should be pronunced differently?

Yep, we've got an accent, and its quite mild, I'm told, but distinct. We have "rounded O's" is what I've been told, but I've heard it enough from various people from different parts of the US to the point of believing it. The rounded o's is where the aboot thing comes from, we pronounce about "abowt", where as most northern Americans (Probably north eastern in particular) seem to say "abaut" for example.
The best way is to ask someone from the South who themself has a heavy local accent, and they'll give you the particulars of how you "dont quite sound like a yanky...".

[Moth]

Its akin to certain Midwestern accents in the States or vice versa. There are certain phrases Canadians use like "eh" and "you know." And there is often a certain way Canadians say things which I cannot really describe in writing. Nothing drastic or horrid about any of it.

[momma4]

KW - My ex was from Ontario and I am from California. When we first met (in California) he asked me "how does everyone know I'm Canadian"? His accent was very close to mine with the exception of those things that gave him away, and yes mainly the ouwt and abowt, his accent on things like 'garage' pronounced 'garrige', and way too many ehs in every sentence. He couldn't hear it until I pointed it out.

Now as far as cot and caught go, I never knew there was a difference either!

[From KW]

Originally Posted by momma4

Now as far as cot and caught go, I never knew there was a difference either!

Well then I don't fell so bad. Sounds like this may be a North american thing rather than a Canadian thing.

Phonological history of English low back vowels - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[ColdCanadian]

General Canadian English is maybe 98% similar to general American speech as spoken on TV, many Hollywood movies and sometimes described as "news anchor speech." (a sound some Americans go to "speech therapy" to gain this accent and/or lose their regional accent)

I've heard Americans would say "about" typically in two distinct clear syllables "Ah-bowt" (?) while Canadians typically say a 'dipthong' making the second syllable like a combination of bent vowels. I'll try to type it out the way I'm most familiar with:

"Ah-Ba-wu-OOT"

*Strong or hard sounds are in capitals, soft sounds in lower case. Also soft sounds are said quickly and blended into the hard sounds. It is not spoken in four syllables, but the "Ah" is a quick, distinct syllable, while the "Ba-wu-OOT" is a spoken as a slightly longer syllable with the 'bent' vowels (dipthong) sound.

To a native speaker, this "ou" sound sounds like combination of "ow" and "oo" sounds.

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by momma4

his accent on things like 'garage' pronounced 'garrige',

Now as far as cot and caught go, I never knew there was a difference either!

I've never heard garage pronounced with an "I" sound, at least around here.
I'm used to garage sounding "Ger-ajj"

However some people I've met here have an accent that sound like they might be slightly influenced by Native Canadians (local "Indians")

Example: Words like "park" sounding more like "perk"

Cot and Caught:

I believe that only "East Coast" Americans (coastal Northeast) have accents where they actually pronounce them differently. Americans, is that correct?
I am also a little confused, but mostly because I don't think I've heard any examples of how those two words could be pronounced.

[Robynator]

Honestly?

The whole "aboot" thing comes from an exaggeration.

You're right - no Canadian ever says "aboot", unless they're purposely mocking the stereotype... or unless they're Scottish!

"Aboot" comes from Americans hearing Canadians pronounce about as "a-boat". Yet to American ears, for reasons unknown to me, they exaggerate it to "aboot".

Then comedy shows/movies have latched onto "aboot" that it's become somewhat of a stereotype that Canadians say this.

Wiki up "Canadian speech" or "Canadian English" and everything is explained there.

I should also mention, not every Canadian says "a-boat" - it depends where you are in the country. The country is 6 time zones wide and there are a variety of different local pronunciations that even Canadians are unaware of.

[geog-fanatic]

Where I grew up in central Georgia, there was a distinction between cot and caught with local southerners. Caught was pronounced something like "cawt", which is similar sounding to the stereotypical pronunciation in the south of "dawg" for dog. However, I notice this distinction less and less, as so many people across the state hail from somewhere else, which influences all dialects.

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by geog-fanatic

Where I grew up in central Georgia, there was a distinction between cot and caught with local southerners. Caught was pronounced something like "cawt", which is similar sounding to the stereotypical pronunciation in the south of "dawg" for dog.

How would a southerner or Georgian pronounce "cot" ?
Which words have that sound?

I've heard the "aw" sound in words like "awn" "dawg" "tawlk" etc. in the Carolinas.