What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Brits who come to Canada and start saying stuff like "fricking" "mom" "ass" etc etc etc.
I despise pseudo canadian accents. :curse:

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

And I forgot f***ing "awesome"

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When in Rome...

It's the accent, or the vernacular you despise?

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And a Happy New Year to you too! :blink: :p:rofl:

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BOTH !! i loathe hearing folk from Bolton, saying "aaawesome" in a pathetic attempt to sound "Canadian".

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My 5 year old son, with a yorkshire twang has started saying 'awesome' and 'ahhh maaaaaan'

I think its quite funny and no different to him picking up a yorkshire accent. Some people are mimics more than others.

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Kids yeah... but grown adults??? Please...

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Going native, eh? Oh, the horror of it. :p

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Why the hell did you come to Canada then????:p

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Er.... not to speak in a fake North American accent. Nothing against Canada Im v. happy here. I just cant stand fakes.

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Being someone who hates learning new languages because I happen to very quickly pick up on pronunciations you would hate being in my presence. It has been noticed that just speaking to a Canadian on the phone I change to Canadian accent.

No-one in ol Blighty thought I was Swedish and traveling around Sweden I pick up local dialect there too.

It's totaly involuntary. Fact is, I can very rarely do accents on purpose. It just happens.

It's a blessing and a curse. It holds me back when learning new languages as locals think I'm local as soon as I open my mouth. The blessing being that I can slip in to the North American or British culture like a chameleon and no one would know I'm a foreigner.

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I just cringe when I hear it. If I were back home in England and a Canadian started to copy my accent, I would think they were taking the p**s.
Its nothing to do with "going native". If I went to Pakistan I would not adopt a Pakistani accent, so why do it here. Be who you are I say. It sounds ridiculous. There is a chef at my workplace (from Bolton) who has been here 3 months and has this crazy Lancashire/North American accent, makes me want to slap him... Sorry but it drives me mad.

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The only place it has gotten me in trouble is in Sweden when I've picked up the local accent. I've had to apologize profusely when doing that. My only defense being it is involuntary. I don't try to sound like them.

Seriously, why did you move?

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I moved... to experience geographical/cultural change, dont want to live my whole life in one place.
for a better standard of living, which I have,
because I believe I am bringing my kids up in a better environment than back home,
because I have always loved Canada and wanted to move here since I was a child.
It does not mean that I have to become a "fake pretend Canadian"
We have made many Canadian friends and settled well.

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

There's a theory that nobody changes their accent without their permission.

I don't really mind anything except 'gotten'. Can't stand that.

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Gotten....... EXACTLY. OK to say if you are Canadian/American.
When do Brits ever say that????

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But sometimes we find ourselves adopting these new words and sayings so that we are understood and "fit in" better.....I know from my own personal experience of dealing with the Canadian public on a daily basis, that my English words are often met by blank stares. I prefer to use the Canadian equivalent words to save me feeling like I'm regarded as some three headed, one eyed alien!!! :D:D

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It's a "damned if you do; damned if you don't" scenario. My husband and I have been in North America for nearly 31 years (barring two and a half years in Australia at the end of the 1990s). Canadians think we have South African accents, and our South Africa rellies think we have Canadian accents.

When I'm in Canada, I automatically say "fast" and "last" the Canadian way. When I visit South Africa, I revert to "fahst" and "lahst" without even thinking about it.

I remember being on a hike with my brother in South Africa in 1994. I was telling him about an incident involving my Calgary friend, Lynda. I told him that I'd said Such-And-Such thing to Lynda. Just as I'd finished telling him that, I realized that I'd quoted what I'd said to Lynda in my Canadian accent, but for the rest of the time I was speaking in my South African accent. I figured that Lynda must have been filed in the Canadian part of my brain, and even just thinking about her brought out my Canadian accent.

I don't think you can listen to someone else and know that they are faking a different accent. Some people do fake it, but there also are other people who pick it up quickly, as YYZlover says she does. Other people are slow to pick up a foreign accent, but after enough decades in a place they do pick up some of the accent. Then, when they visit their country of origin, they often slip back into their old accent again, without even thinking about it.

I bet if you stay in Canada long enough, annie3-4, and if you go back to the UK on visits, there will be some of your UK family members and friends who'll think you're a fake. I can almost guarantee it. You're hooped.

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I just think live and let live and if some people feel that it helps them to settle in better conciously, or subconciously pick up accents and sayings then what's the big deal - really......

Would you make a fuss, if an Asian person, came to Bolton and went out of their way learn the language and understand and employ the local vinacular???

Just let it be is my view, each to their own.

(floaty)
Mrs Miggins

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Sorry Annie - you prob wont like me after this one either.

I have used the word frickin' for a number of years as I find it so much less offensive than F%^K if you know what I mean - probably has something to do with me having family out here and them using it to me for the past 30 years :ohmy:

I shall now make sure that I say Frick with my lovely Manc accent.

Gaynor
:p

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Here here RM

Must be our Tameside accents - stand out in Alberta like a frickin' sore thumb :eek:

Must admit that I have had to use Canadian words so that people understand exactly what I mean in certain respect - saves time in the long run especially with my Corrie Accent :rofl:
BTW nearly shouted "Hi" as we drove passed Red Deer on Sunday :eek:

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I did that after my first elongated stay abroad as an adult. Came back home to the family and gave a lengthy answer to a question. When I ended my mother, who had patiently stood there nodding and listening, looked at me and said "Well, that all sounds very well, dear. For the benefit of your grandmother, would you mind repeating that in Swedish?" Apparently I'd hit a word and pronounced it in english and carried on in English from there.

25 years later I'm still doing it. I still loose Swedish words and thankfully have a mother who has lived abroad as well. Throws my dada every time by the dinner table when mom and I switch back and forth between languages.

Most Canadians these days think I'm British. I did have a massive insult once when a Vancouver based Cannuck friend's wife said I sounded French. BAH!

Just emailed a large Swedish news paper. Their online edition has a thing about the girl in UK who has survived on eating chips only, since she was born. She's 15 now. The infamous language barrier had the paper use the Swedish word chips in the article. That is all well if it wasn't for the fact that chips in swedish is crisps in english. What they should have used is pommes frites. This is probably the largest online and print newspaper/tabloid we have.

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Have your husband never called you by his ex's name?

My ex did. His daughter suddenly called me mom. Slips of the tongue like that and picking up accents happen when you are totally comfortable and relaxed and feel at home in your environment.

You probably do yourself without noticing it so instead of worrying about it just go with the flow.

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You'd hate me then, coming from a Canadian family living in the UK, I have a full on English accent (unless I get drunk, but that's a different story)

I use all of the "Americanisms" that you hate.

Cheif amongst them are mom, cookie, peanut butter & jelly, gas... I could go on...

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Dont know if any of you remember Joss Stone at that Live 8 concert, she is from Devon and spoke to the audience in a totally fake "LA" type accent. It was tangible to watch the entire audience cringe, and widely reported on in the media after that.
Just be who you are, what is wrong with the accent you have, why pretend to be something you are not.It is not necessary. People who are secure in who they are dont need to do it.
I am a nurse and have been looking after an ex pat who is 94, from Lancashire and has been here since 1949, his accent is still pure Lancashire.
We both agreed that it is cringeworthy...

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Quote: You probably do yourself without noticing it so instead of worrying about it just go with the flow.

No I dont... and I dont worry about it, it just makes me cringe....

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You're confusing that with the typical Australian/American. :lol:

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Both hubby & I like to think we'll keep our accents, but there is a possibility that we may pick up a 'twang'.

When we were last over in the Autumn, we went & introduced ourselves to our future neighbours. Hubby is Canadian & wife is English - she has been in Canada for 30+ years & still has a strong English accent, but she said she's had to work hard at retaining it as it would have been so easy to slip into a 'twang', especially as there were no other British accents around for her to hear.

My Mum is from Suffolk & had a Suffolk accent when she first moved to Gloucestershire in the 60's. She now has & has had a Gloucestershire accent for many years, yet, when she goes back to Suffolk for a family visit she's picked up the Suffolk accent again within 24 hours - she doesn't even notice she's doing it.

When we were in Canada last, we had great chats with the locals in the bar about the different words we used & pronounciations.

I say just be yourself - whether you pick up an accent or not :D

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

<turn on sarcastic tone>
Note to self:

Work hard at sounding like the Swedish Chef from the muppet show when I speak Engish or my nearly perfect english, no matter what accent, will be cringeworthy.

And I am really bad at doing accents on demand. Damn. Will have to work really hard on this one.

As for Joss Stone at Live(. Nope didn't notice it. Could have something to do that I'd been hanging out with a bunch of americans who were playing the Live8 London stage and while they were at Wembley I sat in the Mandarin watching the event on TV (and snapping pictures of the Tour de France Parade outside.) so I was already in to the whole American twang myself.

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No dont "work hard " at any accent, just BE YOURSELF". everyone can spot a fake, it makes you look shallow and silly.

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Well, the way you are reasoning, to be myself I should have the normal expected accent. Swede's are supposed to speak with the same melodic style as the Swedish Chef. Something I have never done. I speak with the accent surrounding me, involuntary, I can't help it, but according to you, if I adapt to the surrounding accent I, and anyone else who is like me, am a fake.

So, Annie3-4, which one is it?

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Chill our maaaaaannnn :rofl:

Nearly all the words you referred to as 'Canadian' I used regularly in the UK. Same words, Scottish accent.

Shock, horror, "I say tomAAto, you say tomato" ;)

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Im just saying it pisses me off hearing Brits speaking with fake accents. Sorry I didnt realise just how many of you obviously do it.
I intend to keep my accent, like I said its makes you look/sound silly and shallow.

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Why the hell would you want to "adapt to the surrounding accent" are you a sheep. Use your OWN accent ffs.

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I still have my Scottish accent - its the words I have adopted.

Life's too short to get sooo angry over something so trivial :blink:

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Not angry, just an observation on something I think is silly.

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I see in one of your previous posts that you hate having to repeat yourself to be understood. That's why people adapt the way they speak - its as simple as that.

The UK has a very rich and varied array of accents and you don't have to move very far so see huge differences in the way people talk. It can be difficult enough to for English people to understand Scottish/Welsh people and vice versa so its no surprise that Canadian's would find it even harder to understand.

In the workplace and over the phone you definitely have to make yourself understood - it wouldn't make good business sense if you didn't.

I still have the same accent but I also speak a little slower when talking to a Canadian. I am generally a very fast talker just like the people from Newfoundland. A lot of Canadian's have trouble understanding their accent. Me, I understand every work they say (almost) :D

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Clearly it is you with the issue, not us.

At the end of the day it's all about fitting in.

I pick up accents at the drop of a hat, sheesh, I go to Liverpool for a night out and come back sounding scouse.

When I was last in Canada I picked up the accent really bad.

Without wanting to sound rude... Get over it sweetheart.

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I do this. I did it when we lived in England. I was born in the North East and we moved to Bedfordshire when I was a child. I was teased dreadfully for speaking "funny". My accent changed slightly. I then went to a school that thought it was posh, and suffered even more there so my mum paid for speech lessons for me. This has helped me to be able to interpret and copy speech patterns and as a natural mimic then it stands to reason that accents and speech patterns change.

I have several accents and depending on the group I am with it changes slightly. Its a bit northern when with family, received pronouncian when I am with my public school friends, or giving a talk. Bedfordian when in Bedford. When I am at work some of the older patients dont understand me unless I try to Canadianise my speech.

Its not an attempt to mock people, it may be an attempt to fit in but whats wrong with that? Body language also has examples of mimicing stance and behaviour to fit in. I think it shows adaptability.

My father always had a Durham accent, but when we went back for visits he was ribbed for talking "swanky". He was suprised to hear them say that as he hadnt realised his speech had changed. Maybe some expats dont realise that their accents will have changed too, whether they want them to or not.

Re: What REALLY pisses me off...
 

Are we not allowed to discuss anything which we dont like then, or is this forum purely for deluding yourselves that Canada is pure Utopia.
In the real world there are things we like and dislike, I am merely stating something that p.....s me off POLLYANNA....
Im just not joining the "lets all pretend to be Canadian Club"