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This is all subjective, but Canadians definitely seem much closer to the British in character, and cling to their British heritage and notions of "Commonwealth" much more than Aussies.
I am not seeing this. Yes, some Canadians tend to value the monarchy more than Aussies (likely in a way to distinguish themselves from the U.S.) and Canadians tend to be more reserved "still-upper-lip" types than Aussies who are more exuberant and boisterous, but aside from these two notable exceptions Australia is much more British than Canada is.
Australians drive on the right.
Australian English uses mostly Britishisms. The Australian accent is closer to those in Britain.
Australia's education system is more like the British. Kids in public schools wear uniforms as in the UK.
Australians are more familiar with British popular culture and celebrities than Canadians are. (And Brits are more familiar with Aussie stuff than Canadian stuff.)
Except for Aussie rules, Australian sports are all aligned with the sports popular in Britain.
Australian food is closer to British food than Canadian food which is much closer to American.
As for the political and legal systems of Canada vs. Australia, it's basically a draw as they are quite similar and British-inspired in both cases.
I am not seeing this. Yes, some Canadians tend to value the monarchy more than Aussies (likely in a way to distinguish themselves from the U.S.) and Canadians tend to be more reserved "still-upper-lip" types than Aussies who are more exuberant and boisterous, but aside from these two notable exceptions Australia is much more British than Canada is.
Australians drive on the right.
Australian English uses mostly Britishisms. The Australian accent is closer to those in Britain.
Australia's education system is more like the British. Kids in public schools wear uniforms as in the UK.
Australians are more familiar with British popular culture and celebrities than Canadians are. (And Brits are more familiar with Aussie stuff than Canadian stuff.)
Except for Aussie rules, Australian sports are all aligned with the sports popular in Britain.
Australian food is closer to British food than Canadian food which is much closer to American.
As for the political and legal systems of Canada vs. Australia, it's basically a draw as they are quite similar and British-inspired in both cases.
Driving "on the right": that's a pretty superficial thing we also share with countries like Thailand, Japan and Indonesia.
Mainly Britishisms? No. Some, yes, but definitely not "mainly", and there are elements of vocabulary and usage shared by British and North American English that are absent in Australia. Compare the British "saloon", "estate car" and "junction" with the Australian "sedan", "wagon" and "intersection", or the British pronunciation of "vitamin", "privacy" or "harassment" with the Australian. Accents? That depends on which British and Canadian (or North American more generally) accents you're comparing, and some are very similar. I haven't heard any Brits speak with a typical Aussie style drawl, their clipped pronunciation being more like North Eastern US and Canadian patterns.
Australian familiar with British culture? You're making a huge assumption which I think is incorrect.
Sports? Australia plays rugby in two states, and cricket. Canada plays curling, while the Brits still call baseball by its original name of "rounders" and consider it a children's game. But the biggest sports in Australia in terms of participation would be golf, tennis and this; https://www.google.com.au/search?q=s...=2313&bih=1288
Food? Seriously, "Australian" food is just a mix of various European and Asian cuisines. Go to a typical pub and you'll find lasagne, chicken parmigiana and Thai green curry on the menu along side oversize BBQ steaks. The more upmarket "modern Australian" food style that emerged in the 1980s is really just a Euro-Asian fusion.
Political systems: No, Canada's is definitely closer to the British, and differs from the Australian in a number of key aspects. Like the US and unlike Canada, Australia has always had a single document declared and considered "the constitution", has all members of the legislature elected by popular vote, and has a Senate that is a party political "state's house". Canada's constitution, due the 1867 Act, is much more expansive and hence less clearly defined, and mirrors British things in this regard, as does the Canadian Senate, which is styled on the British House of Lords. I think Canada uses simple "first past the post" voting as well, like the British and unlike Australia.
And overall, Canada is much, much closer to the Europe, including the UK, physically, in terms of trade relations, as vacation destinations, and government relations, while Australia is much more involved in, influenced by and impacted by Asia. Historically, while Canada was shaped by empire loyalists fleeing the American revolution, a very large proportion of Australia's early arrivals saw Britain in very different way.
Last edited by Bakery Hill; 08-18-2015 at 04:10 PM..
Canada became independent at the same time as Australia (and NZ and Ireland, etc.) with the Statute of Westminster in 1931.
It depends on whether you're taking of independence in terms of legal symbolism or a substantive manner. If substantive, all those countries were independent long before 1931.
It depends on whether you're taking of independence in terms of legal symbolism or a substantive manner. If substantive, all those countries were independent long before 1931.
We all went to war in 1914 automatically because the UK went to war. That is not independent to me.
Driving "on the right": that's a pretty superficial thing we also share with countries like Thailand, Japan and Indonesia.
Mainly Britishisms? No. Some, yes, but definitely not "mainly", and there are elements of vocabulary and usage shared by British and North American English that are absent in Australia. Compare the British "saloon", "estate car" and "junction" with the Australian "sedan", "wagon" and "intersection", or the British pronunciation of "vitamin", "privacy" or "harassment" with the Australian. Accents? That depends on which British and Canadian (or North American more generally) accents you're comparing, and some are very similar. I haven't heard any Brits speak with a typical Aussie style drawl, their clipped pronunciation being more like North Eastern US and Canadian patterns.
Australian familiar with British culture? You're making a huge assumption which I think is incorrect.
Sports? Australia plays rugby in two states, and cricket. Canada plays curling, while the Brits still call baseball by its original name of "rounders" and consider it a children's game. But the biggest sports in Australia in terms of participation would be golf, tennis and this; https://www.google.com.au/search?q=s...=2313&bih=1288
Food? Seriously, "Australian" food is just a mix of various European and Asian cuisines. Go to a typical pub and you'll find lasagne, chicken parmigiana and Thai green curry on the menu along side oversize BBQ steaks. The more upmarket "modern Australian" food style that emerged in the 1980s is really just a Euro-Asian fusion.
Political systems: No, Canada's is definitely closer to the British, and differs from the Australian in a number of key aspects. Like the US and unlike Canada, Australia has always had a single document declared and considered "the constitution", has all members of the legislature elected by popular vote, and has a Senate that is a party political "state's house". Canada's constitution, due the 1867 Act, is much more expansive and hence less clearly defined, and mirrors British things in this regard, as does the Canadian Senate, which is styled on the British House of Lords. I think Canada uses simple "first past the post" voting as well, like the British and unlike Australia.
And overall, Canada is much, much closer to the Europe, including the UK, physically, in terms of trade relations, as vacation destinations, and government relations, while Australia is much more involved in, influenced by and impacted by Asia. Historically, while Canada was shaped by empire loyalists fleeing the American revolution, a very large proportion of Australia's early arrivals saw Britain in very different way.
One thing that is certain is that some Aussies are just as keen to distance themselves from the UK as Canadians are vis a vis the US.
Generally, people in countries that are industrialized stop emigrating in large numbers (eg. Irish and Italian immigration to the New World has slowed since Ireland and Italy are now rich), so rich countries generally stop getting immigration from other rich countries but instead get immigration from poorer countries. Many New World countries, from Canada to Argentina once received very large numbers of European or British Isles immigrants but very few in modern times.
But for Australia and New Zealand, it seems immigration from the UK still seems high up into very recent times.
Why is that? It seems like in the US and Canada, most immigration is from poorer countries (Mexico, China, India) and few from developed ones any more (like Italy, Ireland, the UK, even Japan). Why does Australia and New Zealand still attract immigrants from a rich, western country?
Pure lifestyle reasons mate plus construction in oz is booming $$$ wise so would attract most I think
most americans are indifferent to the UK, they think the UK is another european country to vacation on or study for a semester and that's about it.
this whole special relationship and the UK being America's number one it's a british thing, very vivid in the imagination of british who have never been to the US..... the ones who have been to the US know Americans could care less about the UK and most only know cliches such as the queen, tea, crumpets, james bond.
About Canada..... a country so big and full of resources and still a colony (I think the only piece of land in the americas that still is a colony to a european country) EMBARRASSING!!!
most americans are indifferent to the UK, they think the UK is another european country to vacation on or study for a semester and that's about it.
this whole special relationship and the UK being America's number one it's a british thing, very vivid in the imagination of british who have never been to the US..... the ones who have been to the US know Americans could care less about the UK and most only know cliches such as the queen, tea, crumpets, james bond.
About Canada..... a country so big and full of resources and still a colony (I think the only piece of land in the americas that still is a colony to a european country) EMBARRASSING!!!
Canada is not a colony of the UK. I am not for retaining the Queen but the truth is still that for Canada she is totally symbolic and it has zero real effect on our governance and independence.
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