Questions About Language From a North American

[Sarah]

I think accents take time to develop so older populations have more unique ones. This is my theory anyway on why the eastern populations have more unique accents. There's very little variation in the western half of the US (to my ear) except Texas, which actually has a couple of its own. California does seem to be breaking off a bit. Anyway, I got off track. My point is that it makes sense that Canadian accents are following the same pattern. But like I said, this is only my theory :)

[[deleted user]]

That being said ... My mom is American and my Dad is British (I am born Canadian) so i am a bit of a mixed bag haha.

[Sarah]

I bet you have a mixed bag of strange words too :)

[[deleted user]]

Sarah wrote: "I bet you have a mixed bag of strange words too :)"

Indeed, along the way my brother and I have both picked up habits from each of the countries.

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

It's funny the stuff that changes. I was talking about drinking lemonade, which to Australians is as much Sprite-style clear carbonated soft drink as it is actual lemon-squeezed juice, and my American friend was very cross. She was adamant I was drinking Sprite, not lemonade :P

Same with cookies/biscuits, scones/biscuits.

[Sally906]

Liam wrote: "Not to mention the bizarre pronunciations that some of the eastern states have. 'Cass-ell' instead of castle, 'graff' instead of graph, etc.
..."

I come from Newcastle in NSW and have always pronounced it Carsel not Cassel - I also say Graph not Graff.

But then I darnce not daaaaance and go to France not fraaaaance

I do agree with you about our lovely Queenslanders though - they certainly have their own accent.

[[deleted user]]

RitaSkeeter wrote: "I think you can always pick people from Melbourne too. It sounds like Malbin rather than Melbin."

I just said those in my head with an Aus accent hehe :D

[Leonie]

As an Australian originally from WA, now living in NSW, I've noticed quite a lot of words that differ, as well as different pronunciation.

In WA you say pahsta, while here it's know as passta (a as in ass).

Then there's the whole polony (WA)/Devon (NSW) thing. (I think it's Fritz somewhere else?)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Fritz in SA Leonie...but it's nothing like devon..

[Leonie]

Brenda wrote: "Fritz in SA Leonie...but it's nothing like devon.."

What's it like, Brenda?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Much much nicer! I grew up on it then was devastated when we moved to NSW and couldn't buy it anywhere! The old fritz and sauce sandwich was a staple;)