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[slink]

Are there other Canadian accents besides Ont, Quebecois,  and whatever you call the variety spoken in BC (which didn't sound all that different from West Coast US to me) ?

Newfy, for one... (and most amusingly).

[theinevitable]

my friend does a Quebecois accent-- as none of us have ever met a Quebecois, I assume that it is correct.

The way I will test this: When you meet a person from Quebec, do you want to punch them right in their face? Or look in their mouth for whatever it is full of?

If yes, then his accent is really good.

[side_show]

Actually, according to dialecticians, where I am from  - Manitoba - is considered "accent neutral," which is why most companies who want a North American call center have one/and/or their main branch in my area.  We sound non-specifically North American here.  Back in my call center days, I'd only get caught if I said "about" or "zed."  There's loads of Canadian accents though - Quebec (ineve is right btw), Newfie, East Coast, West Coast, Northern, Rural Francophone... there's more, but these are the most distinct.

[theinevitable]

I have been accused of saying "about" like a Canadian. Once this is pointed out, though, I start saying it the American way. So I am not sure if that is true.

[robot_god]

I'd only get caught if I said "about" or "zed."

Well, how often do you have to say zed, besides for, "Zed's dead, baby."?

[littlefallsmets]

I am pretty sure if someone mentions "Timbits" then they are Canadian.

Unless their boyfriend is named Tim, I suppose.

[V-Adore]

Is it wrong that I want American English to pick up the use of "zed?" I consider it to be a fabulous word.

[wombat]

I taught in Canada for a year and as I remember it, the students really hated it that I didn't say 'zed' and I taunted them by saying 'zee' at every opportunity.

[CortJstr]

I taught in Canada for a year and as I remember it, the students really hated it that I didn't say 'zed' and I taunted them by saying 'zee' at every opportunity.

This is only barely related, but it bugs the crap out of me that the narrator on Mythbusters uses british rules for collective nouns. Every time he says "the build team are" I want to find him and strike him. Especially because I know in England they dub over him with another guy.

[side_show]

I taught in Canada for a year and as I remember it, the students really hated it that I didn't say 'zed' and I taunted them by saying 'zee' at every opportunity.

I dealt with the reverse for way too long.  There would be people who would fly in to a rage if I accidentally said zed instead of zee.  And I had to say it constantly because my id code (derived from my last name, and.. random numbers) had a "z" in it.  And this was what you had to give people to when they were pissed off at you.  It was hilarious to encounter people who were truly unaware of what zed meant.  I definitely remember a least a couple party people being all "zed?  What's zed?  What are you saying?  I don't understand you."  It was fantastic.  I'd also always get the "you don't say zed-bra do you?" question at least once a day.  Which, well... fuck you.  I'm married to saying "zed" - like I said, I've got one in my last name, so it's something ingrained in me from kindergarten times. 

Also, I remember one guy taunting me when I told him I was transferring him to tech support, telling him the wait "is about 3 minutes."  He said "What?  Say 'about' again.  Say it.  Say 'about.'"  "Like I said sir, the wait is approximately 3 minutes."  "No.  I want you to say it.  Say 'abooout.'  Where are you from?  You're Canadian aren't you?"  I'm pretty sure I just transferred him without a word.  This sort of thing happend all the freakin' time.

These are stories from back in dumbrella days - back then I was posting from the pit of hell that was the call center.

(Also, interesting:  Spell Check doesn't know what "zee" is, but accepts "zed.")

[CortJstr]

(Also, interesting:  Spell Check doesn't know what "zee" is, but accepts "zed.")

It knows aitch, and that's what's really important.

[jay-ell]

I grew up in the midwest with virtually no accent whatsoever, although according to my in-laws I do say "cyalender" and "cyoopon."  Since moving south fourteen years ago - I have finally reached the point where I've spent equal time in the South and the North now -- I've adopted "y'all" as a useful substitute for "you guys" but this changes depending on the situation.  I tend to talk like whoever I'm speaking with at the time so I even develop a faint Spanish accent when I spend too much time around my mother-in-law.  When I go see my hair stylist I come out sounding like Scarlett O'Hara with a bad case of the "girl-friend"s. 

Every time I visit family in Ohio it takes me about a week to switch back to "soda" from "pop." 

[Sub_Topical]

Does anyone else in the world say soda as so-der like I do? I mean, wash as warsh and tater for potato I can figger, er, figure. But who the holy-molys says soder and how did it infect me?

[theinevitable]

jl-- do people really say Pop there? i feel like people in Charlotte say Soda. But I suppose it -is- a bastion of Carpetbaggers.

Also: the way my friend Alison says "bag" and "flag" and such endlessly entertains me.
"So, Dan, I was listening to Black Flayg the other day..."

[Choop]

I can attest that it is indeed called "pop" in Ohio.

Here in Georgia, regardless of the brand or flavoring, it's all called "Coke."

"Hey, you want a Coke?"
"Sure."
"What kind?"
"..."