For those who say that "aboot" is a lie, it's not. It is used in Eastern Canada, though I don't know how often they use it now, but I have a few friends who do say "aboot" and "eh", one of which is from Newfoundland (the one who says "aboot").
American and Canadian accents - Telling them apart
- Thread starter Crewman47
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No-one knows exactly what goes on in that portion of the country... but I know that everywhere else, aboot is a lie.
Yes, not all Canadians say "aboot", just some eastern Canadians.
Other retarded assumptions: No, Canadians do not live in igloos or have dogsleds as transportation and Canadian summers are HOT. It is not cold, winter weather 365 days a year.
What you really mean is telling Yankees and Canadians apart. Its hard for us down here too.
When I went overseas last year, most people assumed I was an American until I told them otherwise.
When I first went to Europe, eight years ago, it was as part of a school-organized trip, and all the students were given backpacks with the Maple Leaf symbol on it... it was thought that we would be met with less hostility that way.
And I still stand by my assertion that I've never heard another Canadian say "aboot" or "aboat"... although, I must admit, I didn't engage in that much conversation with the locals when I visited the Maritime provinces around a decade ago, so maybe it's slightly different there.
When I first went to Europe, eight years ago, it was as part of a school-organized trip, and all the students were given backpacks with the Maple Leaf symbol on it... it was thought that we would be met with less hostility that way.
And I still stand by my assertion that I've never heard another Canadian say "aboot" or "aboat"... although, I must admit, I didn't engage in that much conversation with the locals when I visited the Maritime provinces around a decade ago, so maybe it's slightly different there.
Thank you.
Next person who wants to call me a fucking liar can come the fuck over to the UK and say it to my face. I'll make sure the ambulance is ready ahead of time.
When I first went to Europe, eight years ago, it was as part of a school-organized trip, and all the students were given backpacks with the Maple Leaf symbol on it... it was thought that we would be met with less hostility that way.
Smart school. I wonder what they had heard...?
When my wife and I travel, I do find people to be a bit friendlier when I say that we live in Canada and omit that I am an American Citizen. Canada does have a better reputation than the US, although that may be changing.
This is entirely false stereotype garbage. In my life, all 29 years in Canada, I have never heard a single person say "aboot." Not once.
Now the use of "eh," absolutely. It's very handy to turn any sentence into a question, eh?
We do indeed say "eh" a lot, I was going to mention that. I do it, my friends do it, my cousins in Ontario and BC do it. Not all the time, but it comes out. But Americans never seem to get it. When making fun of it they just throw it on the end of any sentence. It never feels right. Canadians always use it when seeking agreement or acknowledgement of a sentence. "It's cold out, eh"?
I wonder if that "seeking agreement" is a small byproduct of the Canadian cultural identity as a people who naturally seek to get along with one another.
Well, that stereotype was made popular on SCTV (Canadian produced originally) in a recurring a sketch called The Great White North hosted by "Doug & Bob MacKenzie" played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas.
The recurring sketch was so popular that the "How's it goin', eh?" and "Take off, you hoser" lines as well as eating back bacon, drinking beer, and wearing toques were catch phrases and terms for a number of years.
The whole idea of the sketch was to over-blast the Canadian stereotypes that other countries had. Ironically, it just perpetuated them and made them hilarious.
--Ted
I wonder if it's one of those things that the people who have that accent don't understand what people mean when they try to describe it. After all, if you say that Canadians say "aboot" instead of "about" anyone who does pronounce it like that is likely to also pronounce "boot" differently, so to them it doesn't sound the same.
(does that make sense?)
The problem is, people keep saying Canadians in general say "aboot" when it's just some Eastern Canadians. The rest don't.
I think that is where the confusion is. Everyone is generalizing when it's just a small portion of Canada who says "aboot" because of their accents.
I think that is where the confusion is. Everyone is generalizing when it's just a small portion of Canada who says "aboot" because of their accents.
The reason being that the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Television Comission) had told SCTV that their show did not have enough Canadian content, being set at a fictional American TV station, so that was their response, along with a particularly hilarious episode in which they have to air a feed of the CBC instead of the normal station.
People just shouldn't take stereotypes seriously.
My brother is Canadian and doesn't say "eh" or "aboot". My dad is British and doesn't have nasty teeth. Myself, my mom and my younger brother are American and we're not fat and rude.
My brother is Canadian and doesn't say "eh" or "aboot". My dad is British and doesn't have nasty teeth. Myself, my mom and my younger brother are American and we're not fat and rude.
I say we canadians have a bit of a different accent, eh? I mean one time, I was on a cruise ship and some girls from america who I was sharing the hot tub with called me out on my accent!
Actually, it was a bit of a protest against the CRTC's demand that they show a portion of identifiably Canadian content on every episode. And it became my favourite thing to watch as a kid.
Edit: Another hoser got it already, eh?
Yeah, I've noticed I'm losing.lost a lot of my accent, and notice what it used to sound like, since I've moved to Michigan. Oddly enough, Yoopers (people in the upper peninsula of MI) sound a lot like Canadians.
My wife never noticed my lack of accent more until we spent time with my best friend and his family.
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Even then it's only some Eastern Canadians. Pretty much my whole family lives in Nova Scotia and not one of them says "aboot".
Take off, eh? Quit trying to steal all the credit ya hoser.
Your comment seemed to refer to all Canadians, though. Which is still very much a lie.
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