The and Canada

[scandal 951]

and me, from california, calls any interstate in the US a freeway, and the ones that are called actual highways, are just highways.

You would call a US Interstate toll-road a 'freeway'?

For example, the "Main Street of the Midwest" extends from the NY Thruway through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and a bit of Illinois on I-80/I-90. Around these parts it's called a tollway, certainly not a freeway. A freeway is free. A tollway- you pay tolls.

I lived in CA for about 5 years in the Bay area. To the best of my knowledge there are no toll roads. Certainly lots of toll bridges - Dumbarton, San Mateo, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate, San Rafael. You're right that I-80 over the Bay Bridge is a 'freeway', not a 'tollway' even though the bridge has tolls.

I think it's a west coast/ east coast/ midwest thing. There's no national standard on this stuff.

[Krikit 1,163]

Yes, "the" is necessary for the sentence to make sense grammatically. "I'm going to hospital"? Really? People talk like that? I have some English friends and they are quite eloquent...

eYep, they invented the language, and that's the way they talk. I lived in London for a few years (loved it) and always felt like I should keep a pocket full of "THEs" to give to my friends. Maybe not grammatically correct in North America...again, they created the language. But seriously, it sounds as if there's only one hospital, or university in the UK.

That's analogous to saying that all Americans speak in Ebonics. You obviously had very limited exposure to a diverse array of British citizens.

[wowswift 3]

and me, from california, calls any interstate in the US a freeway, and the ones that are called actual highways, are just highways.

You would call a US Interstate toll-road a 'freeway'?

For example, the "Main Street of the Midwest" extends from the NY Thruway through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and a bit of Illinois on I-80/I-90. Around these parts it's called a tollway, certainly not a freeway. A freeway is free. A tollway- you pay tolls.

I lived in CA for about 5 years in the Bay area. To the best of my knowledge there are no toll roads. Certainly lots of toll bridges - Dumbarton, San Mateo, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate, San Rafael. You're right that I-80 over the Bay Bridge is a 'freeway', not a 'tollway' even though the bridge has tolls.

I think it's a west coast/ east coast/ midwest thing. There's no national standard on this stuff.

i would call those toll roads and avoid them anyways lol.

[scandal 951]

and me, from california, calls any interstate in the US a freeway, and the ones that are called actual highways, are just highways.

You would call a US Interstate toll-road a 'freeway'?

For example, the "Main Street of the Midwest" extends from the NY Thruway through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and a bit of Illinois on I-80/I-90. Around these parts it's called a tollway, certainly not a freeway. A freeway is free. A tollway- you pay tolls.

I lived in CA for about 5 years in the Bay area. To the best of my knowledge there are no toll roads. Certainly lots of toll bridges - Dumbarton, San Mateo, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate, San Rafael. You're right that I-80 over the Bay Bridge is a 'freeway', not a 'tollway' even though the bridge has tolls.

I think it's a west coast/ east coast/ midwest thing. There's no national standard on this stuff.

i would call those toll roads and avoid them anyways lol.

me too!

[Ling Ling 22]

Yes, "the" is necessary for the sentence to make sense grammatically. "I'm going to hospital"? Really? People talk like that? I have some English friends and they are quite eloquent...

eYep, they invented the language, and that's the way they talk. I lived in London for a few years (loved it) and always felt like I should keep a pocket full of "THEs" to give to my friends. Maybe not grammatically correct in North America...again, they created the language. But seriously, it sounds as if there's only one hospital, or university in the UK.

That's analogous to saying that all Americans speak in Ebonics. You obviously had very limited exposure to a diverse array of British citizens.

Where the hell did I say ALL English people speak like that, or that it was something bad (such as your racial overtone in Americans speaking Ebonics)?

Regardless of how diverse the array of British citizens I was exposed to, it is a patent fact that SOME British citizens drop "the" referring to a hospital, university, and some other places.

This has been a very civil thread, I don't understand why you're injecting such hostility. You obviously have a need for reading comprehension skills improvement, as well as for proper etiquette in a civilized forum.

[thetreble 19]

You want funny talk? In Canada?

Try the upper Ottawa Valley. Arnprior, Pembroke area. THEY talk funny.

'dem 'dere lads in Da Frew (Renfrew)

I lived in Canada for five years and I know people from Renfrew. None of them talk like that.

I find a lot of my friends from Northern England do not use articles at all or don't use them properly. But in their semantic setting, to them, they are obviously using it properly.

[Reba 2]

Charlotte, right? It ain't that bad out there.. is it?

Nope, ahm in the footheels. Charlotte's the Big City, you'uns never go to the Big City.

[scandal 951]

You want funny talk? In Canada?

Try the upper Ottawa Valley. Arnprior, Pembroke area. THEY talk funny.

'dem 'dere lads in Da Frew (Renfrew)

I lived in Canada for five years and I know people from Renfrew. None of them talk like that.

I find a lot of my friends from Northern England do not use articles at all or don't use them properly. But in their semantic setting, to them, they are obviously using it properly.

I believe that your Renfrew friends don't talk like that. Not everyone in the Valley talks like that. But many, especially those in traditional occupations (farming etc.) do. No contradiction there. Some people talk that way. Not everyone does. Your friends don't. Just like not everyone from New Jersey talks joysie.

If you don't want to take my word that Ottawa Valley is a legitimate dialect, distinct from Newfie and Eastern Townships and other such regional dialects, here's wikipedia on the subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_Valley_Twang

I grew up in Ottawa, good friends of mine went to summer camp at Camp Bnai Brith in Quyon Quebec. They would come back to town at the end of August with a hint of Valley talk in their dialect (aside: years later, I was confused as to why Frank Zappa wrote a song about Renfrew and Packenham, not realizing initially that HIS 'valley talk' was referring to the San Fernando Valley). I was never a Bnai Brith'er - I went to Camp Gesher in Cloyne Ontario, north of Kaladar. Cloyne people talk funny too but that's cos they're all scared of the ghost that haunts Myers' Cave to this day (at least that's what we were told over the campfires).

[KristinL 0]

Where the hell did I say ALL English people speak like that, or that it was something bad (such as your racial overtone in Americans speaking Ebonics)?

Regardless of how diverse the array of British citizens I was exposed to, it is a patent fact that SOME British citizens drop "the" referring to a hospital, university, and some other places.

This has been a very civil thread, I don't understand why you're injecting such hostility. You obviously have a need for reading comprehension skills improvement, as well as for proper etiquette in a civilized forum.

Speaking of civilized, it would be much appreciated if you could refrain from swearing.

[trailmix 77]

Maybe we should start a new thread if anyone wants to chat about this? - keeping this thread going might encourage him to come back for a visit.

Edited May 1, 2009 by trailmix

[Arabella 4]

It always rubs me the wrong way when my fiance says something like, "John is going to University." I want to tell him that he is supposed to say, "John is going to the Univeristy of [insert name here]," or "John is in college."

Edited May 1, 2009 by Arabella

[Holliday 4]

I will totally vouch for the Ottawa Valley accent. Most of my family on my Mom's side have it. I hear it most when they say words like "car" or "bar". I can't type out the pronunciation because I honestly don't know how, but you know it when you hear it. Also, they say "bu-day-duh" instead of "potato". I find it to be charming.