Come Again?

[Reba 2]

Do wha? That's different. LOL

EVERYONE here in NC says that. Bugs the ####### outta me. That and you'uns.

Canadians = Sem-ee, Ant-ee etc. Americans = Sem-eye, Ant-eye etc... (although there are pockets of America that use the ee sound rather than the eye sound too)

Someone on another forum explained it to me why our pronunciations are different. Apparently in American schools they're taught that the English language is phonetic (but it really isn't, there are too many language variables to make it phonetic). But it would explain Ahnt instead of Ant (for Aunt) and other peculiarities and the ee vs eye I guess.

And well...we all know how well huked on fonix worked:p

[MissStacey 1]

as for the ashphalt, it is actually Canadians who say it incorrectly:

1as·phalt

Pronunciation: \ˈas-ˌfȯlt also ˈash-, especially British -ˌfalt\

Variant(s): also as·phal·tum \as-ˈfȯl-təm, especially British -ˈfal-\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English aspalt, from Late Latin aspaltus, from Greek asphaltos

Date: 14th century

1 : a dark bituminous substance that is found in natural beds and is also obtained as a residue in petroleum refining and that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons

2 : an asphaltic composition used for pavements and as a waterproof cement

— as·phal·tic \as-ˈfȯl-tik, especially British -ˈfal-\ adjective

A larger bottle of liquor would be called either a twenty-sixer (for a 26 oz bottle, equiv. to "a fifth" here in the US) or a 40 pounder (for a 40 oz bottle). Which of course are all measured in metric now, but this goes back to before Canada switched. At least in my neck of the woods in Ontario. A mickie, as someone mentioned already, is small enough to fit in your pocket. I've no idea what they call that here in the US. Cheap date perhaps.

My husband now calls his winter knit hat a "toque" because I just Cannot call it a toboggan! WHY do they call it a toboggan? It's just crazy!

And why is the dog IN the floor, and not ON the floor? Whenever he says that, I have this vision of our house sucking up the dog INTO the floor, and it scares me!

And why, when he is helping me put groceries away, is he putting them UP, even if he has to bend down to do it? Why can't he just put them away?

And don't even get me started on "you'uns" ugh...####### is that?

Yes- my husband always uses the term "putting things up" instead of "putting things away".

Also here in New Orleans (although I have yet to hear someone use this term) they call it "making groceries" when they go grocery shopping.

[SomberCat 0]

Here's another one that I find interesting. My SO uses a 't' at the end of several words that I use an 'ed. Example - I say spelled. He says spelt. He was educated in Nova Scotia and swears they taught him to spell that way. Anyone else use that?

BTW, since I originally brought up the ashfault vs. assfault subject and found that all of you say ashfault, he now thinks I should start pronouncing it the Canadian way. He's seriously underestimated just how stubborn I am.

[Texanadian 10]

I also LOVE to drive in Canada as it seems like I get everywhere so much faster than I thought I would. When I see the distance signs, my mind always thinks miles and calculates ETA accordingly, but a while later I realize I had a brain fart and then I get there a lot faster than I thought I would!

I had the opposite problem. Driving through Montana. Only 250 (kms) left to get to Billings.....it's actually 250 miles. A lot longer when you putting down the highway doing 90 mph. The distance goes down sooooo slow, it feels like you're not even moving.

When I got to Amarillo and saw the signs for Dallas and Houston, it was even longer. (350 and 600 on the signs)

[Texanadian 10]

One thing I've noticed is that in Canada, people say Mum even though it's spelled Mom.

In the US, it's pronounced Mom.

[JillA 2]

One thing I've noticed is that in Canada, people say Mum even though it's spelled Mom.

In the US, it's pronounced Mom.

That's the British in us!!

[SomberCat 0]

One thing I've noticed is that in Canada, people say Mum even though it's spelled Mom.

In the US, it's pronounced Mom.

That's the British in us!!

You couldn't be more right. My SO always says mum! He also always says bum when I say butt. Or he says ####### when I say a$$. I like the British in you, it's cute. We're speaking the same language and mostly understand each other (except I'll never get past the ashfault pronunciation ) but it's still slightly different which gives us each a little more personality.

[Krikit 1,164]

So is it a sem - eye circle or a sem - ee circle? See we can't even agree in our own country. Is it a Dem - eye Moore or Dem-ee Moore? (Demi Moore) Now who is the weirdo??? lol

Ooo! Oooo! I know!! *jumps up and down* It's Dem-ee. Short for Demetria.

Do wha? That's different. LOL

EVERYONE here in NC says that. Bugs the ####### outta me. That and you'uns.

Not everyone.

Here's another one that I find interesting. My SO uses a 't' at the end of several words that I use an 'ed. Example - I say spelled. He says spelt. He was educated in Nova Scotia and swears they taught him to spell that way. Anyone else use that?

I do! It's a British thing too.

[Reba 2]

the t at the end of past tense words is a UK English thing, and for Canadians of a certain age, we would have learned that way as well. We generally learn English English in school as opposed to American English. But technically, both the t and the ed would be correct.

Krikit, everybody I know in North Carolina says do wha?. Even the non-native Carlolinians do.

[Krikit 1,164]

.

Krikit, everybody I know in North Carolina says do wha?. Even the non-native Carlolinians do.

It's okay, Reba. I believe you. I just haven't heard it from anyone I've met there. (It's my husband's home State.)

[Emancipation 2]

Do wha? That's different. LOL

EVERYONE here in NC says that. Bugs the ####### outta me. That and you'uns.

Where did hubby get that from then? The closest he's lived to NC is DE!! His dad says it too and he's from (and all his ancestors before) MO

Hmmmmmmmm

Edited January 22, 2009 by Emancipation

[thetreble 19]

the t at the end of past tense words is a UK English thing, and for Canadians of a certain age, we would have learned that way as well. We generally learn English English in school as opposed to American English. But technically, both the t and the ed would be correct.

Yes, the additional "t" is a British thing. I have always said "spelt" instead of spelled. That is a good example. In England, people say "Whilst" instead of "while" or "admidst" instead of "amid" and "amongst" instead of "among". Both are correct as Reba said.

That really comes from middle English where at some point, someone added the "t" and "st" to many words and it has stuck in the UK but not in North America.

Some Canadians like myself who have British parents, family or who were born there got that from British speakers.

Often times I hear myself say a word like spelt and get that weird feeling in my brain that I am saying something wrong when I know I'm not. I do hate that feeling.

[SomberCat 0]

the t at the end of past tense words is a UK English thing, and for Canadians of a certain age, we would have learned that way as well. We generally learn English English in school as opposed to American English. But technically, both the t and the ed would be correct.

Yes, the additional "t" is a British thing. I have always said "spelt" instead of spelled. That is a good example. In England, people say "Whilst" instead of "while" or "admidst" instead of "amid" and "amongst" instead of "among". Both are correct as Reba said.

That really comes from middle English where at some point, someone added the "t" and "st" to many words and it has stuck in the UK but not in North America.

Some Canadians like myself who have British parents, family or who were born there got that from British speakers.

Often times I hear myself say a word like spelt and get that weird feeling in my brain that I am saying something wrong when I know I'm not. I do hate that feeling.

Interesting. I had never heard that. Let me rephrase - I had never seen that. I've heard people say "spelt", but until he wrote it in an email one day, it never really hit me. It just looked really different to me.

I'm one of those people who pick up different phrases and words from those around me subconsciously. I've found myself in the last six months or so saying "eh" instead of my usual "huh". It totally cracks up my co-workers and son. I can't see myself saying "spelt", but once we're finally together, I'll probably pick up all kinds of things he says, so anything's possible.

[Reba 2]

Do wha? That's different. LOL

EVERYONE here in NC says that. Bugs the ####### outta me. That and you'uns.

Where did hubby get that from then? The closest he's lived to NC is DE!! His dad says it too and he's from (and all his ancestors before) MO

Hmmmmmmmm

Like I said, even the non Carolinians around here say it, so it's probably not specifically a Carolina thing.

[JillA 2]

What I find odd is in Canada, all the food/dairy products say "Expires on" or "Expiration date" which means the item is not best after such date. But down here, everything says "sell by" such and such date. So the stores need to sell it by that date, but when does in then expire? A week later? Few days later? I thought that was strange.