Do you think Canadians sound like Americans? (bars, Amtrak)
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Location: East Central Pennsylvania/ Chicago for 6yrs.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chocolatekisss
And don't forget, Vancouver has "the lightest" Canadian accent in all of Canada. Ontario has it 20 times as strong as what you've already pointed out.
Canadians aren't "losing" their accents anytime soon, if anything they're getting stronger. Which is odd considering you would think increasing Americanization in Canada in terms of media would level out the accent?
It's funny, when I listen to someone like Michael J Fox in family ties re-runs he didn't sound that Canadian at all but young canadian actors these days on TV shows (like degrassi) have strong and pronounced accents "OOOAT and abooooat". As I said, the accent seems to be actually getting stronger not weaker through the generations.
There are differing accent levels in most US states. Southern states most notable. But you basically HAVE TO LIVE IN A AREA, to pick-up some of the accent too. Generally WITHOUT REALIZING IT YOURSELF. Not merely watching TV programming and News broadcast of the Generic American Accent basically or Canadian for thy matter?
Reason is... if you know someone from say the Northern US or say Canada. The move for a few years to a Southern US state where the Southern accent is the norm. When THEY RETURN HOME, YOU NOTICE THE PICK-UP SOME OF THE SOUTHERN ACCENT TOO. I knew a few people that happened to.
I clearly can tell a Albertans accent. Not so much Ontarians. It is almost as strong a difference as the North of the US vs. the South accent. Just going by examples I heard. Not some expert view. But in Big cities you are use to people from all over and subtle differences just don't even get caught.
But on TV if it is close enough to be a New York Italian Mafia of Chicago accent. It works for them. They know we are not dialect experts.
There are a few distinct American accents that TRUELY stand out. We can tell the Boston to Brooklyn accent to the deep south Alabama Tennessee and Texas Oklahoma south. To say a Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, or Californian general accent no.
No one would ever say Michael J Fox was SURELY a Canadian by his speech. So subtle a difference is between all of us in North American States, Provinces and Counties. Look at the British Isles.
And don't forget, Vancouver has "the lightest" Canadian accent in all of Canada. Ontario has it 20 times as strong as what you've already pointed out.
Canadians aren't "losing" their accents anytime soon, if anything they're getting stronger. Which is odd considering you would think increasing Americanization in Canada in terms of media would level out the accent?
It's funny, when I listen to someone like Michael J Fox in family ties re-runs he didn't sound that Canadian at all but young canadian actors these days on TV shows (like degrassi) have strong and pronounced accents "OOOAT and abooooat". As I said, the accent seems to be actually getting stronger not weaker through the generations.
The accent maybe... but uniquely Canadian vocabulary and Britishisms in Canadian English tend to be fading fast and are being replaced with Americanisms.
They sound about the same until they say "out" or "about". Their words can also be a little short and choppy depending on where in Canada they're from.
What? Michiganders have the northern cities vowel shift. Sounds totally different than Canadian. I can bet money you don't say "aboat"
I don't think I do, but everyone else I know does. It's not something most people even notice unless they're listening for it. I don't know if the comparison would hold up under a legit linguistics analysis, but it's definitely there if you listen closely. Many Michiganders sound distinctly different than Indiana, Ohio, etc. and sound very much like an Ontario accent. Short, clipped words, "aboat," etc.
I don't think I do, but everyone else I know does. It's not something most people even notice unless they're listening for it. I don't know if the comparison would hold up under a legit linguistics analysis, but it's definitely there if you listen closely. Many Michiganders sound distinctly different than Indiana, Ohio, etc. and sound very much like an Ontario accent. Short, clipped words, "aboat," etc.
Not in the Detroit area, it's like night and day between Windsor and Detroit when it comes to accents. If anything, it's Windsorites who are influenced by the Detroit accent, but only slightly.
We have a very strong accent in Canada compared to the average American but you do NOT notice it all when we live here. We have a very slow, halting and lispy(?) sound to our English and we draw OOT our vowels like there's no tomorrow. We Canadians are the lost children of the scots as it's demonstrated by our "accent".
The only areas of Canada I have been are Winnipeg and the surrounding area. I felt like the accents were very similar to Minnesota, but there are some noticeable differences. But to me, a couple dozen different pronounces or words doesn't make their accent much different. I have a harder time understanding someone from Alabama, then Winnipeg... I've watched a few old Canadian tv shows and movies, and the accents were much stronger, even just 40 years ago, and I'm sure their are people who still have a very strong Canadian accent, but I've never met any in my few trips to Canada. Out of all the national English accents, Canadian is closest to American. I don't understand why some claim it's closer to English or Scottish, or even Australian English. Have you guys heard those people speak before? There are night and day differences between all of those groups. Even Australians and Kiwis are more noticeably different. American English will continue to evolve, and so will Canadian English, but the two will always be more similar then different and they are more similar now then ever.
It depends where they're from. People from the following areas don't:
St Johns
Winnipeg
Alberta
Halifax
Full sentences please, are you saying the people from the following areas don't sound like Americans? I've been to Winnipeg a few times, and I'd always imagined it being one of the more Americanized cities, but I've never been anywhere else in Canada. I do have 3 friends from Canada, 1 from Vancouver, 1 from Moncton, and 1 from Edmonton. The ones from Vancouver and Moncton sound almost exactly like Americans, the one from Moncton is fluent in French as well, but no accent related to that. The one from Edmonton has the most accent, but still isn't a strong accent.
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