ADN

Right now my head is still spinning from raum's thread, I'm still trying to digest it.


So I put it into the subconscious to work on while I pull out something else.

Something that puzzles me.


WHAT is this rivalry between the USA & Canada?


I've been pondering and asking about this for a while. I actually asked a Canadian this (was my high school guidance councillor), and he said Canadians usually dislike Americans, because tourists often confuse them for Canadians. I don't see how they can be mixed up, the accents are pretty easy to pick up.

The pronunciation of the word "about" is the Canadian analogue of a New Zealander saying "fish & chips". Pretty distinctive

Here's the combination of the accents...
("Hoo aboot some fush 'n' chups?")



Take the South Park movie for example. Of course, they are just taking the piss out of it & exaggerating, but certainly they aren't making the original idea up. There must be some reasoning behind "Mothers Against Canada".


Why do Americans "hate" Canada?

Pete, I've lived in Canada all my life (one week short of 21 years), and I've never heard ONE person say aboot. It's a stereotype.

QUOTE(Kramer)Pete, I've lived in Canada all my life (one week short of 21 years), and I've never heard ONE person say aboot. It's a stereotype.

What province do you live in?


It may be a localised thing, and the accent is stereotyped for all Canadians.

I do know though that they don't have beady eyes, that's just cheek.


About the New Zealand accent-> I've researched that and it's been said that the pronunciation of "fish & chips" is the clear distinction between Australian accents and New Zealand accents. Of course there are alot more, but that's the clearest to hear.


Kramer, could you shed some light on why there's an apparent rivalry between the USA & Canada? I've known about it way before South Park was even conceived (I just used it as an example of how it exists in the media).

I for one don't hate the Canadians. I think it's really swell that they drive all the way through the entire US to get to my home and spend all their money so I don't have to pay a state income tax. In fact, we generally prefer the Canadians over Yankees 'cause y'all tend to go back home after a while instead of moving down here and bitching about how hot it is and how rude everyone is (that's 'cause there ain't too many of us genuine Southerners left here in FL and you've been dealing with another transplanted Yankee!).

I don't know how them Canucks feel about us down here, but I reckon we must do all right by them since they come back year after year.

I live in Ontario, Pete. You see under my Avy, where it says Location? lol I've also been out West. I've never heard anyone say Aboot seriously.

As for the rivalry... I'd say a good part has to do with ignorance and arrogance. When you have people like Ann Coulter going on national TV and saying Canadians should consider themselves lucky that the U.S. lets them remain as a sovereign nation, how do you expect us to react? I suspect not many Americans know that the U.S. depends on Canada about as much as Canada depends on the U.S. There are no two closer countries in the world than Canada and the U.S.

Plus, these days it's the hip new thing to bash Bush. We were discussing how sometimes the government can control the media in my Mass Media class yesterday, and some asshat actually had the nerve to use Bush and CNN as an example.

He made no mention of the way Iran and North Korea control the media in their respective countries. He didn't even mention the way the Chinese government has a complete lock down on the media over there. No. Instead he decided to use the bullshit example about Bush and CNN. You're just not cool if you don't make fun of Bush.

Bush is a fucking tool! (Now I feel cool. lol)

Another part of the issue is wanting to be different. Canada has its own history, its own culture. We don't want to be seen as American because we're not.

Canada is like America's brother from another mother, Pete. There are past grudges and conflicts involving borders and business, but rarely do they surface in noncivil ways, unless you are dealing with Canadian seperatists, or American Supremists. otheriwse, they are the closest we have to a common origin and we are picking on them they way we pick on everyone, but with a bit more familiarity. We, as a country, like to tease more than most other countries, from what I have seen. My pal in Japan still doesn't understand why we pretend not to like the people we do...

besides we are still waiting for the chance to liberate their oil,.. (I am joking).

As far as "aboot",.. it's the Scot in Canada, and you hear it in Scotland as well, in a thick grav' it is more like "ha-beute". I only heard it from old men, and mostly in British Columbia or Nova Scotia. and it just the way the word would be pronounced based on the way it is spelled. for example, in Gaelic, "Ciamir a tha thu" (How are you doing?) is pronounced "Kimmi®h a ha heu."

In my contractual governmental duties, I deal with people from Ontario at their Ontario Energy Board, as well as
the Canadian National energy Board, and they are spectacular people with some of the hottest chicas in the world, says ME!

In fact, if i were to move anywhere outside the U.S. it would be Victoria B.C., where the pretty girls outnumber the boys 7:1.

Oh the fun I had and the laws I broke were one in the same in glorious old Canada!!

I'll answer both yours and raum's posts separately. Thank you both for the information.


I live in Ontario, Pete. You see under my Avy, where it says Location? lol I've also been out West. I've
never heard anyone say Aboot seriously.

I believe you. I guess just some American person heard a Canadian mispronounce the word, copped them for it, wouldn't stop, and let the bad joke continue and end up creating a myth that's spread all over the media.


As for the rivalry... I'd say a good part has to do with ignorance and arrogance. When you have people like Ann Coulter going on national TV and saying Canadians should consider themselves lucky that the U.S. lets them remain as a sovereign nation, how do you expect us to react? I suspect not many Americans know that the U.S. depends on Canada about as much as Canada depends on the U.S. There are no two closer countries in the world than Canada and the U.S.


I've never heard of Ann Coulter. Except that she's a damn ugly bitch. And by what you are saying, a real fascist bitch too.



Plus, these days it's the hip new thing to bash Bush. We were discussing how sometimes the government can control the media in my Mass Media class yesterday, and some asshat actually had the nerve to use Bush and CNN as an example.

I've actually been planning on writing a thread asking about why is it hip to bash George W. Bush. I understand that it's probably always common to mock the leader of the country, no matter the time. People possibly would have put down George Washington as well, if they didn't agree with him.

But- as you said, it seems like to be cool, to be hip, the hip thing to do is bash George W. Bush, even if you know squat about politics. For instance I saw this documentary about San Francisco (in fact I think it was an Australian tour guide show), and in the Mission there is this place that gets kids off the street, out of violence, and into screenprinting t-shirts. They can create art that they can also wear. They can make anything, supposedly. The host of the show asked if kids were allowed to make PRO-BUSH t-shirts, and the owner of the establishment shook her head :nono: and said NO.

I think that totally contradicts the whole Free Speech amendment thing that alot of Americans (and especially Californians) go on about. What blatant hypocrasy.


He made no mention of the way Iran and North Korea control the media in their respective countries. He didn't even mention the way the Chinese government has a complete lock down on the media over there. No. Instead he decided to use the bullshit example about Bush and CNN. You're just not cool if you don't make fun of Bush.

I guess it's not a Californian thing. But I reckon it stems from there, since everyone seems to lap up whatever California does as "cool".


Bush is a fucking tool! (Now I feel cool. lol)

Exactly.



Another part of the issue is wanting to be different. Canada has its own history, its own culture. We don't want to be seen as American because we're not.

GOOD. :tur:

And now my response to raum. Thanks again for your input.


Canada is like America's brother from another mother, Pete. There are past grudges and conflicts involving borders and business, but rarely do they surface in noncivil ways, unless you are dealing with Canadian seperatists, or American Supremists. otheriwse, they are the closest we have to a common origin and we are picking on them they way we pick on everyone, but with a bit more familiarity. We, as a country, like to tease more than most other countries, from what I have seen. My pal in Japan still doesn't understand why we pretend not to like the people we do...


So, it's just like Irish jokes? Australia was practically born from the Irish (imprisoned here because 100 too many borrowed a hankerchief without asking), and there's always jokes poked at the Irish. But we love 'em (especially ME /:D" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt=":D" /> ).


As far as "aboot",.. it's the Scot in Canada, and you hear it in Scotland as well, in a thick grav' it is more like "ha-beute". I only heard it from old men, and mostly in British Columbia or Nova Scotia. and it just the way the word would be pronounced based on the way it is spelled. for example, in Gaelic, "Ciamir a tha thu" (How are you doing?) is pronounced "Kimmi®h a ha heu."


I've read that some of the New Zealand accents stem from Scottish as well. Yeap- I do know it as "ha-beute" (that's how I heard it), I just wrote what the subtitlers did for the South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut movie. (I always watch a programme with subtitles, helps when some knob decides to take his tractor for a spin or run the whipper snipper).


In my contractual governmental duties, I deal with people from Ontario at their Ontario Energy Board, as well as
the Canadian National energy Board, and they are spectacular people with some of the hottest chicas in the world, says ME!

I know THAT! Playboy even do Special Edition magazines and calendars exclusively containing hot Canadian chicks! /:D" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt=":D" />


I always love it when I watch James Hetfield say "It's nice to be in Vancouver & out of SHIThole L.A."
And Bob Rock- "A good Vancouver Tuesday. Catch the evening shift at the 5" (stripper club down the street). /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Canada is like America's brother from another mother, Pete.
That's always been my understanding.. lol

've read that some of the New Zealand accents stem from Scottish as well.
If you do end up finding that article, it'd be very interesting to read..
But I think you'll find there's about 0 Scottish left in any NZ accent, unless you know of any Kiwis that say "Fish and Chips" differently.. lol

In conclusion, Canucks are very cool, esp. the crazy drunk ones (no reference to Kramer intended, lol)

've read that some of the New Zealand accents stem from Scottish as well.
If you do end up finding that article, it'd be very interesting to read..
But I think you'll find there's about 0 Scottish left in any NZ accent, unless you know of any Kiwis that say "Fish and Chips" differently.. lol

In conclusion, Canucks are very cool, esp. the crazy drunk ones (no reference to Kramer intended, lol)
----------------------------------


I've got a few articles- I printed them all out and archived them somewhere, in a cardbox box in the back shed. I'll pull them out on the weekend, find the URLs on the pages then look them up. I also looked up American & British accents.


The "Mainland Cheese" advertisments are a perfect example of the quintessencial Kiwi accent /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> (especially that ad where they make a recipe for a chicken risotto!)

Try asking a Kiwi to pronounce "dissipative", CDR!!!


I'd love to make/see a map of Australian accents. There certainly are differences. Y'knar-oh what or-eye meen? Loike theese toip of sheeit, yeeeeeh. :mrgreeen: