The Canadian Accent

[warlord 73]

On the shoe thing, I never could figure out how wearing shoes in the house could be comfortable. For me they're always off as soon as I get in the front door. My wife who then is almost my height with her shoes on, keeps them on, so I have to always be aware of where she is in proximity to me so that she doesn't step on my shoes with her shoes or whatever.

Guess that's another thing, I also do the vacuming, if she did that, then maybe she'd start taking hers off too.

Then again I know a few Americans that request shoes to be taken off as well, but not as much. Maybe it has something to do with they'd rather have dirt and grass stains on their carpets then someones smelly body oderous feet rubbing along their carpets? Or maybe taking them off signifies someone is planning on staying awhile and most people now days are in a hurry and on the run so much. Of course if someone invites you over for the evening or something, then that wouldn't really make sence...

Edited July 11, 2008 by warlord

[thetreble 19]

Or maybe taking them off signifies someone is planning on staying awhile and most people now days are in a hurry and on the run so much. Of course if someone invites you over for the evening or something, then that wouldn't really make sence...

I never thought about that. You may be on to something. It does seem as though people like to rush us out the door more than they want us to stay...but maybe that is just us!

[Reba 2]

My M-I-L got mad at me one time for taking my shoes off at the door (I think it was first time I met her and I was not aware of the leaving shoes on thing) and she said "please do not take off your shoes, your socks will get all dirty" so I replied, "they wouldn't get all dirty if everyone just took their shoes off at the door"

After nearly 4 years here though, and really nowhere near the door to leave my shoes without tripping over them or blocking the door, they stay on until I can get to the closet. Which is a PITA.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

My M-I-L got mad at me one time for taking my shoes off at the door (I think it was first time I met her and I was not aware of the leaving shoes on thing) and she said "please do not take off your shoes, your socks will get all dirty" so I replied, "they wouldn't get all dirty if everyone just took their shoes off at the door"

After nearly 4 years here though, and really nowhere near the door to leave my shoes without tripping over them or blocking the door, they stay on until I can get to the closet. Which is a PITA.

First time meeting eh? Nice impression....kidding! What was HER reaction to your answer?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

About the variety of accents thing . . . I was born in English Quebec, grew up in Kingston, Ontario then lived mainly in Southwestern Ontario as an adult. When I was young, I used to lisp so had speech therapy to learn how to pronounce 's' correctly. Fast forward 39 years to last year when I was working as a docent in an Antebellum Historic Plantation, dressed up in proper Civil War clothing (yes, all 7 lawyers!) conducting a tour. I generally ask everyone where they are from at the beginning of the tour and enjoy the variety of responses. One couple from somewhere out West, however, asked me about my accent. They said "So, you don't sound Georgian - are you from Virginia?" Hehehe, I replied that I was from so far north I didn't even qualify to be called a Yankee! After a few puzzled looks, I took pity on them and explained, "I'm from Canada."

Edited July 12, 2008 by Kathryn41

[MrsCat 6]

About the variety of accents thing . . . I was born in English Quebec, grew up in Kingston, Ontario then lived mainly in Southwestern Ontario as an adult. When I was young, I used to lisp so had speech therapy to learn how to pronounce 's' correctly. Fast forward 39 years to last year when I was working as a docent in an Antebellum Historic Plantation, dressed up in proper Civil War clothing (yes, all 7 lawyers!) conducting a tour. I generally ask everyone where they are from at the beginning of the tour and enjoy the variety of responses. One couple from somewhere out West, however, asked me about my accent. They said "So, you don't sound Georgian - are you from Virginia?" Hehehe, I replied that I was from so far north I didn't even qualify to be called a Yankee! After a few puzzled looks, I took pity on them and explained, "I'm from Canada."

Virginian

Kathryn, I spoke with a lisp too when I was young. When I had to leave class early for speech therapy, I would have to tell the teacher that "I am going to see my sptheech therwapwist because I speak with a lithsp".

No one ever asked if I was a Virginian though.

Edited July 13, 2008 by cattattude

[Reba 2]

First time meeting eh? Nice impression....kidding! What was HER reaction to your answer?

meh...she didn't like me even before she met me. She figured I was after James for HER money and for a green card

Which of course makes no sense whatsoever, considering first we'd tried for him to immigrate to Canada. She didn't see it that way

Kathryn, I keep trying to explain to people down here that Yankee stops at the border, and yet they still insist on calling me Yankee. Its rather bothersome.