Is "canuck" an offensive term? (pronounced, teams)

[LeJeremy]

In response to j_k_k, when Americans mock Canadian accents, we just laugh...I've never met anyone who's offended by that. I'm not even sure what the accent is based on, because much like America, different parts of the country have different accents. For instance I can distinguish between a Newfie, a Maritimer, a Quebecer, and a Westerner by hearing their accents. And there are even region/city-specific accents, like someone from Quebec City and someone from Montreal have slightly different accents, and I find that Torontonians sound different than Ottawans, and people from Vancouver Island have their own accent. This isn't even going into all the different ethnic groups, and the northern territories.

As for "Canucks" I don't believe this to be an offensive term, and I have never met anyone who was offended by it. I rarely even here the word used in Canada...do Americans often refer to us as Canucks?

[GTOlover]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

I think Canadians are more offended at having their accent mocked than being called Canucks or Hosers. Especially when we don't do a good job on the accent. It is not 'oot' and 'aboot' but far closer to 'oat' and 'aboat'; 'eh' is not part of every sentence; and you have to get the rising intonation correctly in the sentence. Now, if you did a pretty convincing Canuck accent, at least for some part of Canada (which, like any ginormous country, has plenty of regional accents), that might go over well.

I Myself, I go the other way, and when I am north of the border I slip back into the gentle drawl of my youth while being on my best-mannered behavior. I think it amuses Canadians very much to hear a drawling Yank being so quiet and polite and deferential. Either that, or in small towns they are delighted that they seem to have found a Genuine Certified Redneck ("and it talks, too, eh").

I never have any problems with the American/Canadian thing in Canada. There's always a chance one will meet a churl, but a churl is a churl is a churl no matter where they are--can't go by that. Mostly I find it very easy to engage Canadians in Canada, provided I give them a little space to make up their minds and am not too forward.

I think it is funny that you think we talk like that and try to get your "Canadain accent" right I live in Vancouver and take a person living in Seattle and we would sound the exact same and there would no way to tell us apart by accent as we don't have one in this part of Canada.

But you give yourself away if you try to speak how you think we are potrayed plus just talk like you would normally..

If you want to talk to some fun people us Canadians would say Australians are the most fun to hang out with and we Canadians tend to be reserved but when you get a bunch of Canadians and Australians together then some Americans and British might be offended but we joke in fun and we tend to make fun of ourselfs the most and mean nothing by it..

In the end us Canadians get along with everyone and we are very hard to offend and are very laid back

[theatergypsy]

Originally Posted by canucklynn

Canuck offensive? Heck no. Just don't confuse me for an American...THAT'S offensive.

Then perhaps you should have considered founding your country somewhere besides North America.

[Mulhall]

I wants got my canuks jammed in a door and it wasn't funny at all.

[sunshineleith]

Originally Posted by theatergypsy

Then perhaps you should have considered founding your country somewhere besides North America.

CanuckLynn's Last Activity . . . May 27, 2008 . . .
Good point though! LOL

[kflecknell]

I would agree with most comments. It's hard to make a derogatory remark about a Canadian. Moderator:snip - threadjack Calling us Canucks is no big deal, heck it's most often used in a most respectful manner.

[theatergypsy]

Originally Posted by sunshineleith

CanuckLynn's Last Activity . . . May 27, 2008 . . .
Good point though! LOL

Well, the thread was already dragged back up so I jumped in.

BTW, I have long been a proponent of locking up a thread that hasn't had any activity in 12 to 18 months. Apparently, it's not to be. "Someone" seems to think that because people may still be interested in moving to an area that old posts may be helpful. I say not. Change happens at lightning speed. Old threads may no longer be relevant.

In this case, CanuckLynn probably still doesn't want to be called american so my suggestion has merit.

[PostSecularist]

Canuck / Canucks are an alright term

Canuckistan on the other hand....

[Adrianw2]

It's a playful term, not offensive but not proper. My hockey team is the Vancouver Canucks so I take a bit more pride in the term than most people outside of Vancouver/BC I imagine.

[GTOlover]

Originally Posted by PostSecularist

Canuck / Canucks are an alright term

Canuckistan on the other hand....

Never got Canuckistan before but the most common is we are 51st state and Americas Hat..But hey yuo have toadmit America has one awsome hat IMO LOL