I live near the the Windsor-Detroit border of Canada. So I have had contact with Canadians from time to time. They usually try to blend in with the rest of the population when the visit America (they are a very discrete and law-abiding people–not at all like Americans, contrary to the popular notion).
But there is one thing that always gives them away, I’ve noticed. Their accent. And there is one sound that is the clincher. “Ou”. Just have them say “How now brown cow” and you’ll know at once.
Has anyone else ever noticed what I am talking about? Because it is truly astounding. Never fails.
BTW, I think there also is a difference between the various provinces in Canada too. I used to get Canadian tv. And I think the Nova Scotia accent is somewhat like a Scottish accent. But that is all I can add to what I already said.
Works every time where I live. Recently, my father was in the hospital. And the medical technician was letting slip an occasional stray “ou” here and there. I asked her if she was Canadian, and she said, yes. Works every time:).
That’s like saying “I’m world famous in parts of Michigan.” Nearly all people with that accent are Canadian, but not all Canadians have that accent. How do you know how many Canadians you’ve met? Do you ask everyone you encounter?
Judging by all of the HGTV programming that is filmed in Ontario, washroom/bathroom and cupboards/cabinets are two useful shibboleths. For that region, anyway.
So my original question was largely confined to Ontario to begin with. It was only later posters who claimed (and criticized) that I was referring to all of Canada.
My wife grew up in southern Ontario, she left when she was 11, over 30 years later she is still mocking us Manitobans for not saying How now brown cow correctly. As well as silly things like Crayons only having one syllable, “Crans” how is that a thing?
It’s “Restroom” in the US, but not usually in Canada (my parts of it, anyway). We can tell when we’ve hit the US (other than having to stop for the border crossing) once we start seeing “restroom” signs.
Another giveaway word for Canadians - the way we say “other.” It ends up being closer to “ether” (with a short e sound).
Amazingly, I still cannot tell. Canadians seem to know instantly that I am American, but even after living here for 46 years I still cannot detect the Canadian accent. Oh, there are a few tells. They pronounce “either” as Ither, while I say EEther, and sometimes say “aboot” for “about”, but even that is not consistent. Oh, here’s one: they invariably say the t in “often” where it is silent to most Americans. My American Heritage dictionary gives only one pronunciation: silent t.
It is not as though I am insensitive to accent. I heard a guy this morning with what I call a mid-Atlantic accent. He would have started out in Britain, but has spent most of his life here. But i recognized after about three words.
