Speaking of Stereotypes.....

Isobel - posted on 10/19/2009

some of my best friends have been newfies (we're supposed to say Newfoundlanders but I use the term Newfie with great affection :)...once you get 2 drinks into 'em there is no understanding a single word more. Nobody on earth can talk (or listen) that fast. my favorite Newfiism: Where are you to? I'll come where you're at!

Jackie - posted on 10/19/2009

You want to really get them... add an s to the aboot!! My husband pisses himself laughing when I do that! We are both from Ontario but his grandparents were from England.. fresh off the boat. My family is french Canadian and newfie. I didn't grow up with the newfies but I think it actually might be genetic! And oddly enough not only can I speak newfie.. i can understand it too! Its so funny listening to the different ways we say things. For example when something is warped... it has a bow in it if you ask me. If you ask him it has a wow in it. But still my personal fav is to ask him "Where aboots are we going eh?" It gets him in stitches every time!

Charlie - posted on 10/18/2009

such cheeky accents , gotta love the Irish !

Sharon - posted on 10/18/2009

LMAO!!! Thats funny!!!



I was listening to an Irish comedian today who cracked me the heck up. I tried to focus on what on he was saying but I couldn't. I was totally sidelined by his gorgeous accent.

Charlie - posted on 10/18/2009

i was having a conversation with an Irish guy who had a thick accent , i am not sure why we were talking about pirates ( we were drinking , lol) but i said to him "you know the pirate's , parrot ?'
And as it was loud in the pub he said " what the parrots pirate "
" no , no i said the pirates , parrot"
he said " THATS WHAT I SAID the parrots , pirate "

That went on forever until our cheeks hurt from laughing , he pronounced pirate as parrot and parrot as pirate and even after he tried to do it the other way round he just couldnt !

Isobel - posted on 10/18/2009

I know!!! which is hilarious because we call those hip bags fanny packs! she got a huge kick out of that one

Jodi - posted on 10/18/2009

Quoting Laura:

I heard that the word "root" is basically f*** in Australia, In Canada, we have a clothing store called roots...and there is a beaver in the logo...when my Aussie friend moved here she went into the store and bought almost everything...to send home to her friends ;P

Yes it does, but it is considered crude slang.  No idea where it came from!  It's not a word I use - if I am going to use a crude word, I'll use the 'f' word!!!

Also, the word fanny is slang for vagina here :)

?? - posted on 10/18/2009

Quoting Laura:

I heard that the word "root" is basically f*** in Australia, In Canada, we have a clothing store called roots...and there is a beaver in the logo...when my Aussie friend moved here she went into the store and bought almost everything...to send home to her friends ;P

at my old highschool there was a teacher from Aus and a kid wore a Roots hoody to his class and he brought it to the schools attention. There was a HUGE ordeal about it in the newspaper and dresscode was "re-examined" blah blah blah it was pretty silly!

Jocelyn - posted on 10/18/2009

Quoting Laura:

I saw a beaver once...on the side of the road (alive)...a porcupine too!!! never a moose though

you've never seen a moose?!?! come visit me in alberta and i'll take you to go see one :)

Sharon - posted on 10/18/2009

hahaha AZ is not sandy desert with cactus dotted here & there with rattlesnakes under every rock and scorpions scuttling across the road.



Its crazy but there are a crap load of palm trees. Its like florida without the humidity, palm trees, orange trees and sand everywhere you look.



I'm kidding. It did used to look like that. Back in the 50s, 60s, & 70s that is what everyone who lived here planted and you can still see the remnants. But the 80s, 90s and the present has people going "native".

Isobel - posted on 10/18/2009

I heard that the word "root" is basically f*** in Australia, In Canada, we have a clothing store called roots...and there is a beaver in the logo...when my Aussie friend moved here she went into the store and bought almost everything...to send home to her friends ;P

Jodi - posted on 10/18/2009

Quoting Jean:

Alot of Kiwi and Aussie slang are pretty simular although in New Zealand thong is another name for a gstring, one of our national icons is the jandal (flip flops for you americans).
I've just started to work in a tourist shop so it will be interesting to see what tourists expect when they come here.

Thanks for the tip Jean, next time I'm in NZ, I'll know when I ask where I can get some thongs and I'm directed to a lingerie shop, I will know why the shop I'm in doesn't sell flip flops (we call them thongs)..... LOL :)

. - posted on 10/18/2009

Alot of Kiwi and Aussie slang are pretty simular although in New Zealand thong is another name for a gstring, one of our national icons is the jandal (flip flops for you americans).

I've just started to work in a tourist shop so it will be interesting to see what tourists expect when they come here.

Isobel - posted on 10/18/2009

BAHAHAHAHAHHAA

Jenny - posted on 10/18/2009

Quoting Krista:

I once had to write an essay question on a final exam about the beaver!! It was a Canadian history course and my prof loved to ask simple questions and then have us elaborate enough to include pretty much everything he taught us throughout the entire semester. The question was "Discuss the importance of the beaver as a national symbol." Could that be any more vague?? All I remember is writing about the fur trade and the fabulously fashionable beaver hats...

And my first thought is "Vagina Monologues" lol.

Johnny - posted on 10/17/2009

Quoting Laura:

The Toronto zoo has a beaver exhibit where you can look into the den...it's awesome...it's been the same since I was 6 and I still MUST see it when I go

That's it!!! Get me on the next plane to Toronto.

Johnny - posted on 10/17/2009

I'm trying to think if I've even ever seen a beaver pelt.... That is lame.

I go to this resort every summer on Vancouver Island. I've been going for 9 years. It has a resident beaver in it's pond. Everyone I've ever met at the resort has seen the damn beaver. But not me. I've spent hours beside that stupid pond waiting silently for the beaver to come out. Last time we went my husband gently informed me when we arrived that he wouldn't be participating in my "beaver vigil" this year. I realized that it wasn't going to happen, so one morning I skipped our usual walk to the pond in favor of going kayaking. And I was so psyched because I saw a whole herd of sea lions sunning themselves on this rock and got some great pics. So I get back and go to show off my pics to hubby, who has just returned from his walk. And shows me his camera. With pics. Of the beaver. WTH?!?!

I'd have better luck seeing a dodo bird in Mauritius.

Krista - posted on 10/17/2009

I once had to write an essay question on a final exam about the beaver!! It was a Canadian history course and my prof loved to ask simple questions and then have us elaborate enough to include pretty much everything he taught us throughout the entire semester. The question was "Discuss the importance of the beaver as a national symbol." Could that be any more vague?? All I remember is writing about the fur trade and the fabulously fashionable beaver hats...

?? - posted on 10/17/2009

ohh owls, coyotes, wolves, buffalo, mountain goats, sheep and rams, sea lions, orcas, dolphins and then all the animals I've seen in zoo's too - giraffe, elephant, panda, lions, tigers, etc etc etc etc etc etc .... all the other animals were in the wild..... and still never at an airport.................... ALTHOUGH........ I HAVE seen seagulls, herons, ravens, random annoying chirpy birds, and rodents while walking out to get onto an airplane.... if that counts?!?!?

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

The Toronto zoo has a beaver exhibit where you can look into the den...it's awesome...it's been the same since I was 6 and I still MUST see it when I go

Johnny - posted on 10/17/2009

Okay, I take that back. I have seen a coyote at our airport. But not in the terminal.

Johnny - posted on 10/17/2009

I'm with Krista, I've never noticed the "aboot" and "sooth" thing out here. I guess it must be a "back east" thing.

I've seen grizzly bears, black Bears, Kermode Bears, racoons (everywhere), coyotes, wolves, Buffalo, cougars, mountain goats, mountain rams, deer, elk, moose, wolverines, porcupines, eagles, otters, sea lions, orcas, dolphins, and a muskrat. All in the wild, although never at the airport. But not once have I ever seen a beaver. Not even when I went to the zoo and stood by the beaver exhibit for about 1/2 an hour. Could this be a sign of some sort of "Canadianness" failing of mine?

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

hhahahaahahaha

?? - posted on 10/17/2009

I say oot n aboot on purpose cause it usually pisses people off lmao

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

when I was in LA my brother in law used to take great pleasure in asking me to say "there's a mouse loose about the house" *read* there's a moose loose a boot the hoose

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

yeah, I've never had any questions from eastern Americans...

Krista - posted on 10/17/2009

So my theory holds true!!!

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

I'm in Toronto :)

Krista - posted on 10/17/2009

What part of Canada are you from, Laura? I never understood the "oot and aboot" Canadian stereotype...I'm from the west and I'm pretty sure I don't say aboot, or sooth! I always thought it must be the easterners who couldn't say it properly lol!

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

oh my god...raccoons are everywhere in the city...i love them so (most people in the city don't...big garbage messes)...I think I'll plant a fruit tree in my new yard so they don't need my garbage

?? - posted on 10/17/2009

I've also seen porcupines, a wolverine, muskrat, cougars (mountain lions), lynx, bobcats, raccoons annnnnnnd about 1000 kinds of fishes lol



again... never in an airport lol

?? - posted on 10/17/2009

I've seen beavers, otters, moose, elk, caribou, kangaroo, koala, wallaby, eagles, aligators, bears, rattlesnakes, a brown snake, pythons, (about a dozen other kinds of snakes too,) lizards, dragons, annnnnnnnd LOTS of deer on my trips around Canada and Australia :D



None at an airport though....

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

I saw a beaver once...on the side of the road (alive)...a porcupine too!!! never a moose though

Johnny - posted on 10/17/2009

Well, darn it! I'm not going to bother going to your silly country then. If I'm not going to be greeted by a koala hug, there's no point!

As for Hawaii... no coconut bras, grass skirts, and getting "lei"ed at the airport? Hmph! Forget it! I don't need endlessly beautiful sunsets and palm trees. Especially if pineapples don't fall out of them.

I'm done with Canada too. I've lived here for 32 years and I've NEVER seen a beaver. I'm outta here. Perhaps I'll move to England where I can have afternoon tea and visits with the Queen. I'll make sure to visit my dentist here before I go though. At least I'll be further from those ignorant Americans.

Jodi - posted on 10/17/2009

LOL, I didn't think of it that way, but that's funny too!!!!

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

LOL

Sharon - posted on 10/17/2009

LMAO - my thought was cheaper air fares and winning the lottery let the idiots fly to exotic destinations and thereby embarassing the feck out of us.

Jodi - posted on 10/17/2009

Quoting Sharon:

This is the price we pay for cheaper air fares and the lottery... omg....

Yep, unfortunately, you don't get kangaroos at the airport because of the cutbacks :)

Sharon - posted on 10/17/2009

This is the price we pay for cheaper air fares and the lottery... omg....

Isobel - posted on 10/17/2009

I say eh ALL the time...when I say "about", Americans here "a boot". I called a taxi in LA once to a street called South Bend and they made me spell it...they thought I said sooth.
HAHA

ME - posted on 10/17/2009

We have a fabulous accent here in Chicago, which I was completely unaware of until I moved to Denver, and every single person I met immediately asked me if I was from Chicago..."The" sounds like "da", every actual "d" is silent, there are only "short" a's, no "long" ones, and S's often sound like "sce"...apparently, after I had lived in CO for a awhile, my accent faded, but when I talked to my family on the phone my friends would laugh hysterically in the background...I'm not sure how I made it to age 22 without realizing that I ALSO have an accent ;-)

Jodi - posted on 10/16/2009

I was going to comment on that one too Loureen, that Aussies do much the same thing, but it's aye, with the flat vowel. And 'yeah', thats another big one. It can be used as a replacement for yes, but I know a lot of people who put that at the end of a statement.

Charlie - posted on 10/16/2009

Aussies dont say "eh" we say AYE , well here on the coast they do in a long drawn out way eg.

" pretty good surf today , aye "

Jodi - posted on 10/16/2009

Quoting Krista:

That's impressive, Jodi, I don't think that I'd be able to tell the difference between an American and Canadian accent most of the time, unless the American was from the South or Boston, or somewhere else with a recognizeable accent.

Maybe we should switch things up and I'll start greeting everyone with "g'day" and you can start ending all your sentences with "eh!"

LOL :)  I'm not sure I could still pick the accent, it's been a long time, but by the time I left, I could tell - I was usually right, occasionally I got it wrong, but not often!  Maybe we could confuse people and swtich, eh?

Krista - posted on 10/16/2009

That's impressive, Jodi, I don't think that I'd be able to tell the difference between an American and Canadian accent most of the time, unless the American was from the South or Boston, or somewhere else with a recognizeable accent.



Maybe we should switch things up and I'll start greeting everyone with "g'day" and you can start ending all your sentences with "eh!"

Jodi - posted on 10/16/2009

Quoting Loureen:

I always say G'day !! haha

I do sometimes, not a lot though.  My little thing with my son when he gets home from school, though is "g'day kiddo, how was your day?".

Charlie - posted on 10/16/2009

I always say G'day !! haha

Jodi - posted on 10/16/2009

Quoting Krista:

As for Canadians saying 'eh', it's probably true for a lot of people, but when other countries mock us, they never use it correctly! It usually comes at the end of a sentence to make it a question. For example: "It's pretty damn cold outside for October, eh?" I'm more likely to say "hey" or "huh" instead of "eh." And if you're going to make fun of how Canadians speak, you've got to listen to someone from Newfoundland and see if you can understand it! (sorry to any Newfies out there...)

Krista, I actually wasn't making fun :)  I quite like it, LOL.  While I was there, I actually managed to be able to distinguish between a Canadian and an American accent, which most Australians can't.  It wasn't just the 'eh", it was a lot of things that were different, just often we can't hear the differences because to our ear they are very subtle.  But I was curious about that one because its the one that is commonly known :)  We all have our stereotypes with our language too, ours is 'gidday'.  Not everyone says it, but most do - some only very occasionally, and some do all the time.  It often depends on where you live here, or where you were born and raised .

As for the article, yes, it was funny and tongue in cheek, but yes there are enough stupid American tourists for it to have developed a stereotype that can be laughed at.  It absolutely is good to be able to laugh at yourself and not take it too seriously.  There are a lot of other stupid tourists too.  I'm sure there have been some articles written in similar terms about British tourists who come here in the summer to enjoy our sunshine and then complain that its too hot. 

Krista - posted on 10/16/2009

Yeah, I agree with some of you who said that she's just trying to be funny. I don't know what the big deal is! There are obviously enough dumb American tourists to fuel the stereotype, but I'm pretty sure that everyone knows that not everyone from America is an idiot. It's a good thing to be able to laugh at yourself and your country and not take everything so seriously.



As for Canadians saying 'eh', it's probably true for a lot of people, but when other countries mock us, they never use it correctly! It usually comes at the end of a sentence to make it a question. For example: "It's pretty damn cold outside for October, eh?" I'm more likely to say "hey" or "huh" instead of "eh." And if you're going to make fun of how Canadians speak, you've got to listen to someone from Newfoundland and see if you can understand it! (sorry to any Newfies out there...)

Jodi - posted on 10/16/2009

Quoting Laura:

Just so you know...Beavers are not remotely friendly either ;P

Oh, that's not fair!  They were friendly in Narnia!!

LOL Laura, I don't personally have any stereotypes about Canada, perhaps except the 'eh' thing, everyone I met there spoke like that!!  Is it only certain regions, or were they trying to take the piss out of a bunch of Australians?  Just curious, because it actually was noticeable.