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Toucan
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18 Jul 2014, 6:21 am

What are the differences between a general American accent and a Canadian accent?

Sorry to ask. I'm deaf and I'm from Britain, and not a lot of us can tell the difference between the two accents.



kraftiekortie
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18 Jul 2014, 9:33 am

One difference is something called "Canadian Raising," where words such as "about" are pronounced with something approximating "aboot", or "aboat," rather than "abowt."

This occurs in most parts of Canada--west to east; and in the northernmost parts of the northern Midwest of the US.

Are you totally deaf? If not, you should listen to NHL ce hockey commentators. Most are Canadian.



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18 Jul 2014, 9:42 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
One difference is something called "Canadian Raising," where words such as "about" are pronounced with something approximating "aboot", or "aboat," rather than "abowt."

This occurs in most parts of Canada--west to east; and in the northernmost parts of the northern Midwest of the US.

Are you totally deaf? If not, you should listen to NHL ce hockey commentators. Most are Canadian.


Ah, I see. Do most Candanians sound slightly more nasal then?

No, I'm severely deaf in both ears so I have to wear hearing aids. Though I do like to watch a TV programme called Murdoch Mysteries which is Canadian and features Canadian actors. :lol: I don't know if there's an NHL channel in Britain but I'll definitely try searching for one!



kraftiekortie
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18 Jul 2014, 9:43 am

I think they actually sound less nasal.

If you watch HGTV, there's a show called "Love it or List it" which has a guy who speaks with a heavy Canadian accent. The woman speaks "posh British," though. Most of the "action" takes place in the Toronto, Ontario area.



AlmostNT
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18 Jul 2014, 2:21 pm

I drag the letter s really long apparently though I never heard it, otherwise regionless monotone.



NaturalProcess
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18 Jul 2014, 3:57 pm

Depending on the day, I sound generic american, speech impeded, slightly country, or robotic.



cyberdad
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19 Jul 2014, 12:59 am

Dillogic wrote:
I haven't noticed any difference between rural Brisbane compared to the suburbs closer to the coast, other than some talking a little slower in the former (I think that tends to be common in most rural areas)


Actually that's a good point. Regional and Northern Qld/Northern territory has a different accent, slower and more of a drawl. Brisbane is more like Sydney as the majority of the population have NSW or Victorian background.



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20 Jul 2014, 9:40 pm

DevilKisses wrote:
I've asked people on other websites what my accent sounds like and none of them thought I was Canadian. I didn't list my location on those websites.


I listened to this and heard nothing that clearly advertises "Canadian". I think you'd have to speak at greater length before I could pick up on anything. OTOH I heard nothing that I think would lead another Canadian to suspect you were something else (e.g. US). For example, if you had said "10th grade" rather than "grade ten".

I happen to believe that distinctively Canadian English is becoming progressively less prevalent as time goes on and the younger somebody is, the harder it is for me to identify them as Canadian unless they use what I would recognize as a distinctive "Canadianism". This is equally true for regional accents in the US. Decades ago, when I would visit relatives in Canada, it seemed everyone sounded very Canadian especially one cousin who was a blue collar worker. Nowadays, not so much. Although I suppose many Canadians will strenuously object.


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