Author Topic: aboot canadian pronunciation (Read 7537 times)

upperlake04 · « **on:** March 17, 2006, 06:47:21 AM »

just curious - I've heard many times (and here recently) that Canadians can be identified by the way we pronounce 'about' Never having heard anyone here ( Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) say 'aboot', it would be interesting to know what part of the country this came from.

6pkrunner · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2006, 06:56:02 AM »

I hear from a lot that we pronounce it "aboot". I've never heard it, but then I never have heard anyone I know use "eh" as part of their basic language either.

clarkjh · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2006, 06:58:30 AM »

aboot is them rubber things you put your feet in.

You could also try this link
http://www.dooryard.ca/index0.html

Good local dialect

from NB

James

upperlake04 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2006, 07:13:10 AM »

thanks guys - runner are you in Ontario? clark - I found 'rightoutaver' in your link. 'rite-out-ah-ver' adj. meaning drunk. same as here - maybe a pissed illiterate northern Newfie fisherman said that.

clarkjh · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2006, 07:16:34 AM »

very possible, when the fishery died they spread like wild fire. That and their good on the high steel.

James

my78k · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2006, 08:12:26 AM »

I gotta admit I use "eh?" all the time...I never noticed it until a few years back I was at a family reunion in Rochester and they bugged me aboot it.

clarkjh · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2006, 09:20:08 AM »

I always use to use "mind you" until my wife pointed it out to me. Now I just say "Yes dear", helps keep peace in the house.

James

heffay · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2006, 10:48:22 AM »

my girlfriend and i went out with her geophysics friends the other night. there was a couple recently transplanted from canada. they were both heavy in the aboots and ehs. we felt like we were at the zoo observing some new strain of human. they told us not to feed them cuz, they could do it themselves.

clarkjh · « **Reply #8 on:** March 17, 2006, 10:56:17 AM »

Do you know how to tell the difference between us Canadians and the people down south this time of year?

We're the ones in t-shirts and shorts instead of full winter gear.

James

upperlake04 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2006, 11:05:27 AM »

good one James

sooo - lets see - no aboot on the prairies, not Ontario or Mariitmes, and not likely the Far North. That leaves some subversives in Quebec or possibly the New Age folks on the west coast. Its noon here, I wonder if any of them are up yet...

clarkjh · « **Reply #10 on:** March 17, 2006, 11:28:38 AM »

I don't know, they might be waiting for the "fog" to lift out there this time of year.

upperlake04 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 17, 2006, 11:36:53 AM »

true - hopefully we will get an answer later. Other than that, only Heffay has a lead on this question. I wonder if his drinking buddy was a fisherman from northern Newfoundland.

6pkrunner · « **Reply #12 on:** March 17, 2006, 11:54:30 AM »

Upperlake - I'm in Half-a-lax Nobba Skotia.
I was a field hydrographer for many years and one of the main places we used to survey was the waters off Newfoundland. spent a lot of time in the bars in St. Johns and along hundreds of outports. And theNewfs do have a distinct dialect all unto themselves. The worst part is that after a few months not only can you undestand them, you speaking just like them - all without knowing it.
The further up the coast you go the longer twords become. That is in St John's they compress every two words into one. By the time you are near the Strait of Belle Isle, entire paragraphs are one word spit out as quickly as possible. And to assist in this every third vowel is dropped in favor of speed.

Jeezbyeiseeyasarefromdafe'ralgubbimintwiddabigwhi'boat.

clarkjh · « **Reply #13 on:** March 17, 2006, 12:01:48 PM »

Quote from: 6pkrunner on March 17, 2006, 11:54:30 AM

Jeezbyeiseeyasarefromdafe'ralgubbimintwiddabigwhi'boat.

Jeeze boy, I see you are from the federal government with the big white boat. Yes?

James

6pkrunner · « **Reply #14 on:** March 17, 2006, 12:06:00 PM »

Byederbenofoolin'yeenowbeder?

Yes

clarkjh · « **Reply #15 on:** March 17, 2006, 12:07:46 PM »

Ilongsumago

upperlake04 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 17, 2006, 12:19:55 PM »

yikes - heffay -you speak the language - what did he say?

heffay · « **Reply #17 on:** March 17, 2006, 12:33:12 PM »

I have no idea... just point and smile at them like they're in the zoo exhibit... they like that

upperlake04 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2006, 01:55:43 PM »

OK - thanks for that about the language spoken in Newfoundland - 6pkrunner- can't translate yours James. Is there a regional dialect somewhere in the UK that uses this pronunciation? Maybe there is a group that emigrated to Canada. Its difficult to understand how this misconception is so widespread without any basis in fact.

Anyone in the UK have an idea?

clarkjh · « **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2006, 02:50:48 PM »

I, long time ago.

I have also been told that I sound like I'm from Jersey, but thats been years agone.

James

Zane · « **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2006, 04:28:04 PM »

One difference between American and Canadian pronunciations of English words that interests me a little is with the word "aunt". I've always pronounced it "ant", and that's the way I've always heard it pronounced. Most Americans I've heard say the word, pronounce it "awnt". It makes me chuckle a bit too, when I hear "aunt" pronounced "awnt" because it's the way a Canuck would pronounce "aunt" if he or she were being somewhat affected and or pretentious. It's like saying "draw-ma" instead of drama.

Another curiosity I notice between US and Canadian pronunciations is this; I work with Americans quite often, and I will find an accent which is quite no ticable when speaking with a person "in person" to be almost completely unnoticeable when listening to that same person speaking on film or on TV. It has to be a pretty thick accent to be easily noticable on screen. I wonder why that is ....?

Gordon · « **Reply #21 on:** March 17, 2006, 04:31:18 PM »

It's definitely not a misconception. While I do have to admit that most times it's pronounced that way tend to be in more of a joking manner, it has a basis in reality, as do most stereotypes. The first time I heard it was from my best friend in elementary school. His family had just moved to Texas from Canada and he got teased mercilessly aboot his pronunciation until he finally started saying about.

One of my bosses at work (grew up in Canada) slips every once-in-a-while and says aboot. I'll have to ask him where he's from, exactly. I've heard it several other times in the past, just don't know exactly from whom. And if you see any interviews with Michael J. Fox, you can catch him letting one out occasionally. Where's he from?

Gordon · « **Reply #22 on:** March 17, 2006, 04:34:17 PM »

Okay, just looked up Michael J. Fox. He's from Edmonton, Alberta. I think we're narrowing this down.

6pkrunner · « **Reply #23 on:** March 17, 2006, 04:49:21 PM »

Actually there is a huge Scottish region in Cape Breton here in Nova Scotia. There are some very thick brogues there. And they have an actual Gaelic College there, possibly the only one in North America? If you want to hear a harsh language, Gaelic is pretty much it.
But the Scottish would say "aboot".

seaweb11 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 17, 2006, 05:08:20 PM »

Quote from: gordon on March 17, 2006, 04:34:17 PM

Okay, just looked up Michael J. Fox. He's from Edmonton, Alberta. I think we're narrowing this down.

I happen to be from from Vancouver and Mikey was brought up in Burnaby, "a suburb of Vancouver". His parents still live in the same house.

Now can we get back to bashing Australia? eh.

P.S. The "Eh" seems to be a tern used mostly in Alberta, Sask, Man at least that's my experience.

sorry, buddy says, gota go ;-) for my friends on the other side.

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Author Topic: aboot canadian pronunciation (Read 7537 times)

upperlake04

upperlake04

upperlake04

upperlake04

upperlake04

upperlake04

Zane