billy3esq wrote: Most people can't/don't hear their own accents. I don't hear mine (which is a fairly subtle central Texas accent) when I'm at home, but sometimes I can when I'm in the Northeast (e.g., Massachusetts) or when I'm talking to a non-native speaker (of either English or Texan).
Mine bugs me. Something weird about the "our" sound... it's like there's almost but not quite two syllables, where there should be one. Not just that vowel-consonant combo, either, I notice it in others as well. Maddening, because the more I think of it, the worse it gets...
PS - I think that no matter where you are in the US, "Yanks" are the people to the north and east of where you are. Never actually where you live, or call home.
PPS - I'm not Canadian but I had a buncha friends who were. None ever went oot and aboot in a boot. I've heard the accent before, just never in person.
Re: Yankee vs. Yank. We Southerners take into account that overseas folk and those from other countries just don't know any better so we let 'em slide. OTOH, native 'Murricans are expected to know better. 
Maybe it's like saying you look like you live in Quebec? You know, the separatists French lovers.
mistanfo wrote:mw wrote: What about those Canadian Geese that took out that airplane? Damn CanadiansThey were Canada geese. Canadian would denote citizenship, which, I am fairly certain, the kooks in Ottawa haven't granted to an entire species yet. Oh, and before anyone thinks that I hate the Canadian gov't, well, I hate most politicians (those that I don't hate, well, I haven't met them yet, so I'm witholding my opinion... for now.
That was supposed to be a joke. I am Canadian and know that they are Canada geece. I just found it funny that on some US radio station they were complaining that they were canadian geece that caused the plane to go down.
Xceler8x wrote: Maybe it's like saying you look like you live in Quebec? You know, the separatists French lovers.
Quebecers aren't so bad... they sure do know how to hold a rally and party at the same time!
As for being mistaken for being British... I mean, I wouldn't be insulted, thats where my family line comes from!
Mental wrote:Keith wrote: To an Aussie, every American is a Yank.Fair enough, but do realize calling those of us from the correct side of the Mason Dixon line (that would be Southern US for you) "Yanks" is equivelant to folks calling you a Brit. Yeah, its that bad.
Bloody hell mate, didn't know it was that bad, Being an Aussie in Ohio nobody ever questioned me when I called them Damn Yanks, I also get away with "Bob Costas play football with padding"
mw wrote:mistanfo wrote:That was supposed to be a joke. I am Canadian and know that they are Canada geece. I just found it funny that on some US radio station they were complaining that they were canadian geece that caused the plane to go down.mw wrote: What about those Canadian Geese that took out that airplane? Damn CanadiansThey were Canada geese. Canadian would denote citizenship, which, I am fairly certain, the kooks in Ottawa haven't granted to an entire species yet. Oh, and before anyone thinks that I hate the Canadian gov't, well, I hate most politicians (those that I don't hate, well, I haven't met them yet, so I'm witholding my opinion... for now.
I wouldn't be too sure about that. I had too in my backyard and they made funny noises. I assume they were speaking french.
aussiesmg wrote: Bloody hell mate, didn't know it was that bad, Being an Aussie in Ohio nobody ever questioned me when I called them Damn Yanks, I also get away with "Bob Costas play football with padding"
Oh you'd be right about the football bit. The upside of being an Aussie here is you get away with a lot becuase folks love to hear you talk. in 2003, the AAF sent a cadres of folks to Tinker AFB in OK in preparation for delivery of their wedge tail AWACS being built in Seattle. Fantatstic group of peaple, and funny! We all got used to being called pooftahs and wankers.
My favorite story was a Aussie lady, (one of our co-horts)skiing in Colorado. She is trapped on a lift with an absolute toolbag from Texas who is berating his son. So you uses her charming lilt to break the tension. He, of course asks where she is from and she explains she is from down under, but currently lives in Oklahoma. He then explains he is from Texas and ask if she has heard of it.
"Um yeah, I have heard of Texas."
"Well that surprises me, I wouldn't figure you'd know where Texas was..."
Her extensive paitence is now gone, having listened to the guy berate his son
"What the hell you wankah! I jus told you I leev in Oaklahomah, what the hell do you think is noarth of ya state?" ..then just to be funny, she addded "Go Soonahz!"
But yeah, no one confuses a Candian with a Brit, which is funny, becuase culturally they are probably closer than anyone else in the commonwealth. Culturlally we are dramatically different that teh Aussies, but we get along great becuase of the whole penal colony bit.
I will say this, I am sure everyone has seen Gallipoli but watching that movie on Austrailia day with a group of Aussies explaining the cutural signifigance of that battle and how it truely altered their relationship with the British will dramtically alter how you see that film.
Too right mate, I'd hate to be a Pom standing outside a cinema when Galipoli finished anyplace in Oz, talk about pissed off. If you haven't seen the movie do so, it is accurate about the events that transpired (Mel Gibson is very good in it).
I get complimented on my accent daily (my wife hates that) and I've been here 10 years, when in Oz they say I sound like a Yank now. I can't win.
That movie sounds way cool. I netflixed it.
I'm from New York, but with the time i spent between the city, Boston, Central new york.... it's HORRIBLE.
And now that i'm in Indy, where everyone thinks they're a part of the "Deep Souf" it's even worse. I have the worst hodge podge of accents EVER.
My parents can barely understand me.... people here don't understand me, and whenever i talk to people on the phone at work, they think i'm from Wisconsin.
I've never even BEEN to Wisconsin.
If i ever make it to the challenge, i promise you guys will laugh, as i drink "Kwawfee," drive a "Kaaaahh," and "Twalk amongst all ya'all."
In reply to Trans_Maro:
when I finally quit waiting tables, I'll be happy to never hear "When you get a chance", instead of "Please", hell you don't even have to say please, it's my job to get you what you want anyway. Oh yeah, and fellow waiters saying "sure" instead of you're welcome, or a grunt, is not cool either. There's nothing wrong with y'all, it's kinda homey, and my favorite americanism.
aussiesmg wrote: ... Being an Aussie in Ohio nobody ever questioned me when I called them Damn Yanks....
That's because in Ohio, they are damn yanks. Only southerners are offended by being called "yankee" or derivatives thereof.
Speaking of union/confederate confusion....
I LOVE seeing confederate flags all over the place in Indiana. Apparently people here have no idea that they fought on the side of the North, and Indiana was a big stop on the underground railroad...
Confused people, they are.
93celicaGT2 wrote: Speaking of union/confederate confusion.... I LOVE seeing confederate flags all over the place in Indiana. Apparently people here have no idea that they fought on the side of the North, and Indiana was a big stop on the underground railroad... Confused people, they are.
Some people in Canada have confederate flags all over the place. I don't think half of them know what they represent. We were the destination of the underground railroad!
billy3esq wrote: Most people can't/don't hear their own accents. I don't hear mine (which is a fairly subtle central Texas accent) when I'm at home, but sometimes I can when I'm in the Northeast (e.g., Massachusetts) or when I'm talking to a non-native speaker (of either English or Texan
This. The instant I start talking to someone when I'm in another state or in Canada, they can tell I'm from Massachusetts, and I can't tell why. I don't "ah" my r's with a stereotypical Bahston accent or say "wicked" much. My best guess is that I have a Boston blue-blood accent like Major Winchester from M * A * S * H, but I can't tell when I compare it to his because my voice sounds nothing like Winchester's, nor am I as pompous.
don't sell yourself short, you're plenty pompous
One of the hygienists at my dentist is from Minnesota. The first time I met her, I asked if she was from Eastern Minnesota or Western Wisconsin. She was stunned and told me she was from some town that was within a few miles of the state line. You would've thought I was the second coming of Prof. Higgins by the way she reacted. I recognized the accent because I have a college buddy from the area, and the hygienist sounded just like his sister.
Everyone else in the office had told her how thick her accent was, but she didn't believe them because she couldn't hear it herself. Everybody could hear it, but not everyone could place it as precisely.
mw wrote:93celicaGT2 wrote: Speaking of union/confederate confusion.... I LOVE seeing confederate flags all over the place in Indiana. Apparently people here have no idea that they fought on the side of the North, and Indiana was a big stop on the underground railroad... Confused people, they are.Some people in Canada have confederate flags all over the place. I don't think half of them know what they represent. We were the destination of the underground railroad!
My B-I-L reenacted with Canadians. I always found that interesting.
Jensenman wrote: Tim, you just haven't had grits done the right way. Good n' hot with a little butter and some grated sharp cheddar cheese, maybe sprinkle some diced jalapenos in there, mmmm! Cream of Wheat is a poor pretender to the throne. It's what Yankees eat because they just don't know any better.
Well you beat me to it Jman.
By the way, I correctly picked out a Michiganer while I was waiting in the Jakarta airport a while back. You guys have an accent all your own.
J
Yeah and Ohioans believe that they don't have an accent........lol
Jay wrote: By the way, I correctly picked out a Michiganer while I was waiting in the Jakarta airport a while back. You guys have an accent all your own. J
+1. I believe "Tuh-MORE-uh" as a substitute for "tommorow" is uniquely Michigandery.
My wife's is from Vancouver. We originally met online (coincidence... not any kind of "service"), so we only talked via email for the first little bit, so I didn't hear her speak. I asked her if everyone said "eh" a lot (jokingly), and she said not too much, that was just a stereotype.
After meeting her family for the first time, I pointed out that they said "eh" quite a bit. She said she's so used to hearing it, she doesn't notice it anymore... kinda like when she met my family (Texas Panhandle) and she practically needed a translator to understand what my S-I-L was talking about because she was so twangy.
I've been around the Canucks enough, that I don't notice the "eh's" anymore either. The only thing that still bugs me is how they always use the short "a" sound for everything:
I.E. "I own a Mazz-da" "Let's eat some pass-ta". We still go 'round and 'round on that one.
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