About... Abooooooooooooot?

dtaylorl · 10-05-2010, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giga Hertz

My kangaroo's cold in Canada, eh?

(So we've determined aboot is a joke. But do you guys say "eh?" all the time? And are you afraid of the dark?)

We do use eh fairly often. I never think I do until I go down to the states and they point out every time I use it. Its actually the word "hey" but often you cannot hear the first "h" so it sounds like "eh". It really is a convenient way to turn a statement into a question. I'm not sure how all the non-Canadians get along without it.

**Rainer.** · 10-05-2010, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TFK14

The guy in the video sounded like he was either from like the east coast or was Scottish or something, his accent sounded vaguely celtic.

Btw, you Americans do know Canada is general accepted as having the least accent of all right?

Yeah, I know I was in trouble for continuing to post in the Canada forum.

**tmlfan123** · 10-05-2010, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtaylorl

We do use eh fairly often. I never think I do until I go down to the states and they point out every time I use it. Its actually the word "hey" but often you cannot hear the first "h" so it sounds like "eh". It really is a convenient way to turn a statement into a question. I'm not sure how all the non-Canadians get along without it.

Me either. I use "eh" probably 10-15 times a day.

dtaylorl · 10-05-2010, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainer.

Yeah, I know I was in trouble for continuing to post in the Canada forum.

Don't people in Seattle talk pretty much like Canadians anyway? I don't remember noticing the difference last time I was there... maybe I'm just used to travelling and hearing different accents.

Giga Hertz · 10-05-2010, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtaylorl

We do use eh fairly often. I never think I do until I go down to the states and they point out every time I use it. Its actually the word "hey" but often you cannot hear the first "h" so it sounds like "eh". It really is a convenient way to turn a statement into a question. I'm not sure how all the non-Canadians get along without it.

Well now that I think about it, we do that too. Though potentially not to the extent you guys are known to. :P

***Art*** · 10-05-2010, 05:39 PM

It is definitely more "aboat" than "aboot". I like it. In my experience, the "Canadian accent" gets stronger the farther East the person is from.

**Rainer.** · 10-05-2010, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtaylorl

Don't people in Seattle talk pretty much like Canadians anyway? I don't remember noticing the difference last time I was there... maybe I'm just used to travelling and hearing different accents.

People from British Colombia basically speak the same as people from Seattle. The whole West Coast from Alaska to B.C. to San Diego seems to have a pretty even accent. I'd guess it'd be much more idiosyncratic in the East Coast.

zedman · 10-05-2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainer.

There's a whole Wikipedia article on "aboat".
Canadian raising - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Check it.

Backs up my Scottish theory.

**SporkV** · 10-05-2010, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art

It is definitely more "aboat" than "aboot". I like it. In my experience, the "Canadian accent" gets stronger the farther East the person is from.

out east they definately have a pretty serious accent.
mind you, isn't that the same more or less in the states?

**Rainer.** · 10-05-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TFK14

out east they definately have a pretty serious accent.
mind you, isn't that the same more or less in the states?

Well, sort of. New England accent is closer to Canadian, but is pretty different from, say, Brooklyn/Jersey, which is different from the Great Lakes. And not to mention the Pennsylvania Dutch.