***The Accent Thread*** - ALL accent/speech/vowel/language posts go here! [MERGED] (statistics, title)

[TiredOfyycCold]

Originally Posted by Jesse44

Where do these people live then? In the sticks? If I have ever needed an x-ray or something diagnostic, it is always scheduled same or following week.

You have obviously never needed an MRI.... that wouldn't be happening same or next week ANYWHERE in Canada unless you are paying cash at a private facility. For any Canadian to argue that our medical care is equal to, or better than, the care that an *INSURED* American can get is ludicrous.

And now the big "but".... I will gladly take our lines and "wait and see"/triage style of medical care knowing that not one Canadian citizen will be flat out denied care. Socialist? maybe... I call it compassionate.

[Old Monkey]

Originally Posted by mikejjones1234

Liar...

"Earlier this month, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released a major survey on international health care waiting lists and policies. Canada is at the bottom of the pack in almost every category. One example among many: 25 per cent of Canadian patients waited more than four months for non-emergency, elective surgery, the highest proportion of any country reported. The figure is 18 per cent in Australia and seven per cent in France, Switzerland and the United States.

When it comes to waiting for health care, Canada is last in line - Week in Review - Macleans.ca

I'm sure you just walk into a doctors office or a walk in Medical Center and walk right into the examining room....lol tell me another fib.

I am not lying. Why are you being rude?

I am more than happy to PM you the name, location, and phone number of the clinic (I didn't go a particular doctor). I'll also provide you with the general date of treatment (it's been 20 years) and type of complaint--whatever you need.

Ho-hum, non-emergency, elective surgery: In the states, people wait for the same procedures as their insurance company decides whether or not it is going to pay or not....often not.

Where did you seek healthcare in Canada? What is your firsthand experience, exactly?

Naturally, the answer is "none." You have no credibility--but you already knew that, right?

[maclock]

Originally Posted by BrianH

Being Irish you should here how I say three =)

Tree?

[Old Monkey]

Originally Posted by TiredOfyycCold

You have obviously never needed an MRI.... that wouldn't be happening same or next week ANYWHERE in Canada unless you are paying cash at a private facility. For any Canadian to argue that our medical care is equal to, or better than, the care that an *INSURED* American can get is ludicrous.

And now the big "but".... I will gladly take our lines and "wait and see"/triage style of medical care knowing that not one Canadian citizen will be flat out denied care. Socialist? maybe... I call it compassionate.

Actually, employer-subsidized health care varies considerably. It all depends on the size of the "pool." I had one plan that was terrific--covered 90% to 100% of almost everything and the deductible was small. At my last job, the pool was small and the plan was terribly inadequate; it seemed lke every year the deductibles and co-pays went higher and higher. I'm fortunate that my current plan is very good, but there are still hassles that i never encountered in Canada.

[ChevySpoons]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

Why do Americans bug people so much? seriously.... on every non American section on this website you can find so many threads full of people just complaining and complaining and complaining about Americans...

I think--and this is only my opinion--it's because Americans tell others how they are supposed to be.

Wait. Think about the thread title: "Americans in their rude assumptions about Canadians."

I cannot count the number of times Americans visiting Canada have told me things like,

-- "This is Canada? Why don't I see or hear more French? You're supposed to be French."
-- "A mile is a unit of distance used in the US. You don't know them, because you use kilometers."
-- "Your Constitution doesn't allow free speech, and you can be put in jail if you insult the Queen, or the government otherwise doesn't like what you say."

These (and many other similar statements) are assertions, boldly stated, and incorrect to boot. They would not rub Canadians the wrong way if, perhaps, they were phrased differently:

-- "I thought Canadians all spoke French, but I don't see or hear a lot of French. Why?"
-- "Are you familiar with miles?"
-- "Tell me about your free speech laws. I've heard that they're not as lax as we have in the US--can you clarify?"

Notice that the assertions tell us what we're supposed to be, while the rephrasings are questions. Questions indicate that one wishes to have their ignorance fought--they may have had an assumption, wondered about it or found it not to be true, and want to know why (or why not). Canadians will gladly answer questions, though they do not take kindly to a foreigner telling them what they are supposed to be; and we may find the answer to the question, "Why do Americans bug people so much?" in the "assertion vs. question" approach. I think most Canadians would be happy to be able to answer questions from Americans and others about Canada and the Canadian way of life.

You asked a serious question, Invincible. I have tried to give you a serious answer. I hope that I have.

Aside:

Why are the above assertions incorrect? Let's see:

-- "This is Canada? Why don't I see or hear more French? You're supposed to be French."

Canada is officially bilingual at the federal level. The province of New Brunswick is constitutionally bilingual. Some other provinces, such as Ontario, are de jure (at the provincial level) bilingual English-French in areas where it is warranted. Quebec speaks French by law, though under federal and provincial provisions and statutes, it must allow English in certain places; and proceedings of the National Assembly (the provincial legislature) are published in English and French. The other provinces have mostly adopted a "where demand requires" stance, which has resulted in such traditionally non-French provinces as Alberta offering services in French to French-speaking residents. However, to claim or assert that "Canada is French" would be incorrect.

-- "A mile is a unit of distance used in the US. You don't know them, because you use kilometers."

The Canadian changeover to the metric system happened in the late 1970s, putting Imperial (or if you prefer, "traditional US") measurements well within the memories of many Canadians today. Americans might look at the Canadian whom they are telling about miles; and for that matter, quarts, gallons, inches, feet, and pounds. If the person looks to be above 40, chances are they know Imperial measurements, either directly or indirectly (such as hearing about them from parents).

-- "Your Constitution doesn't allow free speech, and you can be put in jail if you insult the Queen, or the government otherwise doesn't like what you say."

I could write a book on this one, and just may someday. In short, you can insult the Queen all you like. Here, look: "Queen Elizabeth II sucks!" I'm waiting for the Mounties to come through my door. They won't, of course, because under section 2(b) of our Charter, they cannot.

Threatening the Queen, on the other hand, is prosecutable. However, this charge generally only comes into play if plans seem to be possible: the Queen is staying at the Royal York in Toronto, and somebody in souther Ontario says that they will blow up the hotel during her stay. The renegade in Vancouver who says he wishes he could be in Toronto to blow her up won't be taken seriously until he buys a plane ticket to Toronto.

If the government doesn't like what I have to say, tough. The only time I cross the line involves hate speech, which is defined through caselaw at the Supreme Court level. Cases such as Zundel and Keegstra set the bar very high. In other words, most Canadians in their every-day dealings would never run afoul of hate speech laws, even if they use the F-ing N-word, the F-ing K-word, or the F-ing M-word.

[botticelli]

Originally Posted by Maxie89

I'm annoyed because we don't sound ANYTHING like they perceive us to sound. They rely on stereotypes and appallingly bad SNL sketches, like the Rob Ford one done recently, to form their opinions about our accent. In reality, and this is noted by the famous linguist William Labov himself, the Canadian accent is among one of the most neutral sounding in north America.

There is so such thing as neutral sounding. When saying that, you are already assuming some sort of "standard English", that is most likely Mid West or California English.

When a British speaks English, most will know he is from Britain; When a American speaks English, one can tell he is from America. What you are trying to prove is that Canadians talk just like an American - that IS an accent - American accent, which is by no means "neutral".

You know what is neutral? The R.P. (Received Pronunciation, the one you heard from the BBC in the old days), that's neutral. There is nothing neutral about North American English accent, which is simply a regional dialect of standard English.

Your assumption that some sort of American English is the neutral standard while anything different is an accent is ridiculous. The desperation to prove that "Canadians sound just like Americans" is utterly pathetic. Act like citizens of a real country with some spine for christ's sake.

[EkriirkEHere]

At the end of the day, why do we always need to compare ourselves?

[EkriirkEHere]

Originally Posted by botticelli

There is so such thing as neutral sounding. When saying that, you are already assuming some sort of "standard English", that is most likely Mid West or California English.

When a British speaks English, most will know he is from Britain; When a American speaks English, one can tell he is from America. What you are trying to prove is that Canadians talk just like an American - that IS an accent - American accent, which is by no means "neutral".

You know what is neutral? The R.P. (Received Pronunciation, the one you heard from the BBC in the old days), that's neutral. There is nothing neutral about North American English accent, which is simply a regional dialect of standard English.

Your assumption that some sort of American English is the neutral standard while anything different is an accent is ridiculous. The desperation to prove that "Canadians sound just like Americans" is utterly pathetic. Act like citizens of a real country with some spine for christ's sake.

There's not just one american accent.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Maxie89

Sigh... Americans will always pretend they have the best health care in the world regardless of articles like this. They are in the deepest darkest level of denial over their health care situation it's just sad. No one should be forced to go into debt over a medical crisis.

Would you not agree there a difference between "health care" and a "health care system?"

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by ChevySpoons

I think--and this is only my opinion--it's because Americans tell others how they are supposed to be.

Wait. Think about the thread title: "Americans in their rude assumptions about Canadians."

Yeah, as opposed to Canadians, who it's okay for them to tell Americans how they should be?