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As does the American need to denigrate Canadians to explain the embarrassment of decades of Americans pretending to be Canadians while travelling abroad for reasons of shame.
How else can one justify constantly denigrated Canadians by predominantly one nationality only? How else can one explain that when we take the same attitude of standing up for our country in the very same manner the "numero unos" are famous for, Canadians get tagged as suffering from an inferiority complex by that very same nationality. Freud wrote many papers describing this very transferal phenomena.
Embarrassment spanning decades must be a terrible burden to carry and how better to deal with it than to denigrate the primary source of that embarrassment.
Actually,
"cheque" is British spelling, NOT Canadian. Same with "colour,"
"centre," "labour," analyse," "paralyse," "oestregen, "whilst," "draught," etc.
Some of these, Canadians use; for others, they employ American spelling (I guess
only a certain number of American spellings are acceptable in the Canadian
forums. Beyond that, one runs the risk of being snickered at (another
Britishism)).
Though I have British parents and use Brit spellings
occasionally, I actually think some of them are kind of pretentious and prefer
the American.
How can a language and spelling be pretentious? That's one of the silliest things I've ever heard.
What an odd comment.
Ah yes, a very interesting (almost ironic ) accusation coming from an American who seems to spend an awful lot of time on the Canada forum™
I can almost feel the insecurity and butthurt coming through my screen! These are the kinds of comments that add fuel to the fire. Thanks for embarrassing us again! Lighten up a bit?
But isn't the majority of what is being claimed on here anecdotal, including the (alleged) "facts" about Canadians and how they are nicer, more polite, and blablabla?
The majority probably. The stories about nicer and polite Canadians can be general statements, but people usually have real life stories to either confirm or deny that stereotype.
I was trained to use Canadian spelling so I am pretty rigorous on that front.
That said I don't really care which spellings people use, although there's something jarring when I see the word "cheque" written "check". It just does not look right.
Well, according the to Dixiechick, you're being pretentious.
The fact that Canadians use some of the same spelling as the UK, as does Australia, does not make that use " pretentious ".
People are schooled in those spellings, as you should know since you claim to be Canadian.
Your comment about what Americans spellings are acceptable in Canada hints at the belief that someone sat down and gave it some thought. You are totally ignoring how language and spelling work and changes depending on history and location.
I truly find it odd, that any Canadian would think spelling Cheque is pretentious. Really odd.
I didn't specifically say that I find "cheque" pretentious (but even if I did, so what?). But there are other British spellings that I DO find pretentious (and I find it odd that you find that odd. Really odd). That is only my opinion, and although I was schooled in Canada (K-undergraduate), some American spellings ARE my personal preference. Is that alright?
As for my comment about which American spellings are acceptable in Canada, I was simply using a little bit of humor, as you were when you called out the other poster for his use of "check."
And I can assure you, I am Canadian born and raised. I have British immigrant parents. I have lived in the US for years. I guess I just don't fit into any one box. I do apologize.
I can almost feel the insecurity and butthurt coming through my screen! These are the kinds of comments that add fuel to the fire. Thanks for embarrassing us again! Lighten up a bit?
What a patronizing putz. You're confusing embarrassment with inadequacy syndrome there Mikey. Should you actually be a Canadian your need to spread cheeks to curry favour with your adoptive countrymen reminds me of a Sylvestor cartoon where the little-bitty dog is constantly brown-nosing to gain acknowledgement and relevance from someone he perceives to be the "superior" big dog.
Do not ascribe your involuntary affliction to all Canadians.
It's usually Canadians claiming to be more polite, more sophisticated, more worldly, etc than Americans. Americans don't care about Canada. Canada is a joke to most Americans. I live in the US and Canada NEVER comes up, and certainly not in a negative light. Most people here don't even think about Canada. Canada is a joke to most Americans. They all like Canada but just don't take it seriously. Put yourself in their shoes and it's usually a Canadian boasting about having natural resources or something silly like that. In real life Americans don't boast about being #1 nearly as much as Canadians. Look at that beer commercial with the "I AM CANADIAN" guy - everything he says that make him CANADIAN are comparisons to the US. And this reflects how many Canadians see themselves in real life. As "not Americans". Then Americans see overly defensive responses like Natnasci and Jesse made over the smallest critiques and then they are exposed to the Canadian Inferiority Complexâ„¢.
"I once witnessed a guy from Brampton, Ontario, in a New York City hotel bar, actually go and get his laptop from the room in order to show a bunch of dudes from Texas that not only do we have Taco Bell in Canada, but that we actually have a ****load of them. You know, using Google Maps."
^ These are the kinds of things that make Americans realize that Canadians carry an air of insecurity.
And these things happen regularly. I don't buy that its a reaction to Americans talking about being #1. almost all of us are geographically RIGHT across the border from the Americans and basically emulate their culture, while claiming to "not be American". Trying to prove things to Americans makes the more insecure of us feel like we are truly unique. It replaces the absence of a real culture (like the one they have in Quebec). Look at the comment here alone and how they try to rationalize the fact that Canadian culture basically amounts to not being Americans.
I didn't specifically say that I find "cheque" pretentious (but even if I did, so what?). But there are other British spellings that I DO find pretentious (and I find it odd that you find that odd. Really odd). That is only my opinion, and although I was schooled in Canada (K-undergraduate), some American spellings ARE my personal preference. Is that alright?
As for my comment about which American spellings are acceptable in Canada, I was simply using a little bit of humor, as you were when you called out the other poster for his use of "check."
And I can assure you, I am Canadian born and raised. I have British immigrant parents. I have lived in the US for years. I guess I just don't fit into any one box. I do apologize.
No need to apologize Dixie you make great posts and great points!
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) accusation coming from an American who seems to spend an awful lot of time on the Canada forum™
