# Hey Canada! Could you please change your countries name to Canadia? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 10, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421 "2005-08-10T08:56:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/21 "2005-08-11T18:24:36Z")
Well, even if we can’t decide on this Canada/Canadia business, I think we can all agree, we shouldn’t use plural for posessive. Now, I wonder what how I was grammatically incorrect in this post. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/22 "2005-08-11T18:28:40Z")
> [@Coil](#): > > Well, you know what happens to all those Eye-countries. For some reason they tend to be considerd Evil. 😉 It’s “e-VILE”! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/23 "2005-08-11T18:29:41Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > From my experience, you can tell if someone is from Canada by how they pronounce Newfoundland. > > I and every other Canadian I know say “Newfunl’nd”. > > Everyone else in the world says “New-found-land”. 😃 I call it Newfin’ Land, 'cause that’s how I heard an announcer say it on the CBC. What’s with that 30-minutes-off-the-rest-of-the-world time zone, anyway? What is that getting Newfin’ Land but confusion and unkind jokes? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/24 "2005-08-11T19:40:51Z")
Bush plans to change the name to Americanada after the invasion… What? Sorry. Mr. Rove just told me that is classified information. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/25 "2005-08-11T20:09:49Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > From my experience, you can tell if someone is from Canada by how they pronounce Newfoundland. > > I and every other Canadian I know say “Newfunl’nd”. > > Everyone else in the world says “New-found-land”. 😃 I live in New Jersey and I’ve never heard anyone call it New-found-land. I’m actually surprised. In the 20-30 times I’ve probably heard it, I’d expect at least 1 person to mispronounce it that way. I guess anyone who says it knows how to pronounce it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/26 "2005-08-11T20:39:01Z")
On the other side of the border, I’ve never understood why [Amerigo Vespucci’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_vespucci) first, rather than last, name was used as the basis for naming the new continent. I mean, come on . . . Vespuccia sounds so much cooler! North Vespuccia. South Vespuccia. The United States of Vespuccia. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/27 "2005-08-11T20:40:28Z")
I guess that’s still better than calling our country Candida. Being hated by Ann Coulter is no bad thing. And speaking of Arrogant Worms, she reminds me of their classic song, “The War of 1812”. (In 1812, Madison was made, he was the President, you know Well, he thought he’d tell the British where they ought to go He thought he’d invade Canada, he thought that he was tough Instead, we went to Washington, and burned down all his stuff And the White House burned, burned, burned, and we’re the ones that did it It burned, burned, burned, while the President ran and cried It burned, burned, burned, and things were very historical And the Americans ran and cried like a bunch of little babies, wah wah wah, In the War of 1812.) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/28 "2005-08-11T23:01:40Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > And speaking of Arrogant Worms, she reminds me of their classic song, “The War of 1812”. That’s not an Arrogant Worms song. It’s Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie, who are coincidentally mentioned upthread. Western sketch comedy troupes never get any credit, dammit. Grrrr, snarl. Excuse me. ---
**Author:** ![VegemiteMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df788c/32.png) [@VegemiteMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VegemiteMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/29 "2005-08-11T23:23:05Z")
Ontari-ari-ari-O! Therefore, (as all of Canada belong to us): Cana-da-da-da-da-da. [sub]_ **What you will and what you won’t- uh-huh; what you do and what you don’t - uh-huh** _[/sub] [sub]da-da da-da.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/30 "2005-08-12T00:30:29Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Some loopy American? I resemble that remark! 😛 Since apparently no one got my joke, I’ll point out that the loopy American who coined the term ‘[Soviet Canuckistan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Canuckistan)’ was none other than that thoughtful and eloquent political commentator, Pat Buchanan. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/31 "2005-08-12T00:34:40Z")
Wouldn’t people in Canadia be “Canadiaians?” It’s kind of a mouthfull. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/32 "2005-08-12T00:50:01Z")
My mistake. It’s a good thing they didn’t settle for two dead trolls in a baggie. ---
**Author:** ![PigBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@PigBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigBoy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/33 "2005-08-12T00:59:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Wouldn’t people in Canadia be “Canadiaians?” It’s kind of a mouthfull. I say “Canadia” a lot, and I call the people Canadiadians. Rolls right off the tongue! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/34 "2005-08-12T01:14:57Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > From my experience, you can tell if someone is from Canada by how they pronounce Newfoundland. > > I and every other Canadian I know say “Newfunl’nd”. > > Everyone else in the world says “New-found-land”. 😃 You might want to let the Newfoundlanders know, as they say “New-fund-LAND.” Or so some of them tell me. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/35 "2005-08-12T01:36:40Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > From my experience, you can tell if someone is from Canada by how they pronounce Newfoundland. > > I and every other Canadian I know say “Newfunl’nd”. > > Everyone else in the world says “New-found-land”. 😃 Yep. I’m from the Maritimes, and every now and then I hear someone on television say “New-found-land”. Ha! I’ve heard it a few times from people around here… one in particular slayed me, because he was lying through his teeth\*, but trying to impress me. Him: “Yes, I’ve been to New-found-land many times. Practically a second home.” Me, not concerned much by it, nor even susupecting that he was lying, just thought it was the way he was taught to pronounce and so sticks to it, mention: “Ah, you mean Newfunl’nd. Where did you stay?” Him, turning bright red: “Well, I could be exaggerating a bit. I stayed in St. John.” Me: “Ah, St. _John’s_. Saint John is in New Brunswick.” Him, turning redder: “Ah, yeah. I really liked it there. Another place I liked, it’s in Quebec, I spent much more time there. I think it’s near your province, maybe close to where you lived? In fact I even have family there.” Me: “Where’s that?” Him: “_Gasp_.” Me, giggling uncontrollably: “Oh. I think you mean Gaspé?” Him: “I’d like to travel more.” I also didn’t live anywhere near Gaspé. I lived closer to Calais, Maine. (rhymes with “callous”. HA!) I told him I was from southern NB. :dubious: And forget those damn weathermen who keep calling the Miramichi “Meerymeechy”. And **AFG** , that Canadian Tire money story? _Beauty_! I should try that here… though these Seattlites are a sharp bunch (with a few exceptions, but that goes for anywhere). Probably because they live so close to the border. - - this was not the only conversation where he lied, so I’m not calling him a liar based on his out-of-towner pronunciation, I just understand now that he was lying because that’s what he _does_. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/36 "2005-08-12T14:05:50Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Me: “Ah, St. _John’s_. Saint John is in New Brunswick.” Yah, if we’re going to change anything, I think we should change that. It’s bizarre. I can never keep it straight. But no more bizarre, I guess, than having two teams in a tiny football league with names that are identical (except for a space and a capitalization). Yay Canada! Confounding geographical names since 1867 … ---
**Author:** ![VegemiteMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df788c/32.png) [@VegemiteMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VegemiteMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/37 "2005-08-12T16:54:20Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > Yah, if we’re going to change anything, I think we should change that. It’s bizarre. I can never keep it straight. > > But no more bizarre, I guess, than having two teams in a tiny football league with names that are identical (except for a space and a capitalization). > > Yay Canada! Confounding geographical names since 1867 … The way I was taught was that there is only one lower case “s” in each instance. St. John, New Brun **s** wick St. John **s** , Newfoundland ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/38 "2005-08-12T23:01:49Z")
If you change your national name to Canadia, the first line of your national anthem would no longer scan. Since that’s all anyone apparently knows, it’s a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/39 "2005-08-12T23:12:30Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > From my experience, you can tell if someone is from Canada by how they pronounce Newfoundland. > > I and every other Canadian I know say “Newfunl’nd”. > > Everyone else in the world says “New-found-land”. 😃 I don’t! 😃 FWIW, Canada’s not alone in its very trivial noun/adjective confusion: Bermuda/Bermudian is another example ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421/40 "2005-08-12T23:39:00Z")
> [@VegemiteMoose](#): > > The way I was taught was that there is only one lower case “s” in each instance. > > St. John, New Brun **s** wick > > St. John **s** , Newfoundland Nitpick: In New Brunswick, the proper spelling is Saint, not the abbreviated St. This was drilled into our heads from elementary school all the way to high school in NB. Our answers would be marked incorrect if we used “St.” We have a St. George, St. Stephen, St. Andrews… but Og love 'em, it’s _Saint_ John. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-canada-could-you-please-change-your-countries-name-to-canadia/316421.md?page=3)