This spelling thing everyone keeps warning me about is more complicated than I thought! This page runs through the terms of the debate. Check it out - it's informative and amusing. Thanks to ALPF, of course.
This is not really on topic about the post, but I just discovered your blog and I wanted to wish oyu all the luck in the world. I wish I could move to Toronto, but monetary problems abound. I have visited Toronto, about 10 times since 1997, and am going back the end of September. I feel in love with the city the first time I was there, and so has everyone else I have ever taken along with me. I envy you, making the move. Maybe someday, i can get up there with ya! Again, good luck, and keep us posted once you're up there.
I'm sorry you aren't able to move if you want to. It does cost a lot. I'm amazed that we're able to do it ourselves, having struggled financially for so long.
Thank you for all your good wishes. I will certainly be writing about our new life in Canada, so stop by anytime for updates.
Interesting article, but it oversimplifies a few things. For example:
Floor vs. storey: Floor is preferred in Canada.
I say things like "I'm on the fifth floor of a 12-storey building".
Holiday vs. vacation: Canadians generally go on vacations.
"Holidays" are legally mandated days of work, "vacations" are either days you book off through your manager or pleasure trips. In 2002, I went on vacation in the Dominican over the Christmas holidays.
I also differwith this bit:
"By the side of favour there is horror, beside ardour pallor, beside odour tremor, and so forth." Worse still, many words that take -our lose the extra letter when the words are elongated. Glamour becomes glamorous , honour becomes honorary and colour becomes coloration.
In all their "-our/-or" examples, the pronounciation is different. "flavour" is more "-er" while "horror" is "-ohr". Likewise, "col-er" goes to "col-ohr-ization". That's why the spelling difference. :)
In all their "-our/-or" examples, the pronounciation is different. "flavour" is more "-er" while "horror" is "-ohr". Likewise, "col-er" goes to "col-ohr-ization". That's why the spelling difference. :)
Must be a regional thing, I don't notice any difference in pronunciation of the -or/-our in colour, horror or colorization when I say them.
I think "colorization" is wrong. It doesn't look right to me.
Thre's an anecdote I heard once about a Canadian student at a US school who recieved a paper back--the word colour was circled in red, with the note: THIS IS NOT A WORD.
I think so long as you avoid doing something like that, LG, you should be fine. :)
For those too lazy to look at the link, Canadian English is a mix of American and British conventions, with some homebrew. Since some parts of canada were settled by shakspearean-era British and others by American Cowboys, This strikes me as a fine outcome.
What can I add, except that a chesterfield IS a couch, and skookum means "good" or "satisfactory". Beavertails are also delicious with jam. mmmmm.
I once had to integrate two types of software by exporting from one for import to the other. One of the lines in the file specification called for the word 'labour'. Of course what they really wanted was 'labor'. The import failed and took a week of debugging to determine the problem was my Canadian spelling.
Canadians also tend to pronounce cot the same as caught and collar the same as caller.
But how the heck else would you pronounce them?
We have this debate in our own household. Redsock, former New Englander, says something like cahfee and cot. L-girl, native New Yorker, says cawfee and cawt. Don't even ask about chahclate. It's chalk-lit.
Ditto. "Hor-ror" sounds like something they'd say in a some 1930s Mutiny On the Bounty rip-off. Say, like... Apocalypse On the Bounty...:)
"We train our young men to shove bayonets in people, but their commanders will not suffer them to write "shag" upon their muskets because... it is obscene! The hor-ror, Mr. Christian! The hor-ror!" :)
If it weren't for France, Dave, you'd still be answering to London. Tell it to the Redcoats
Hey, LP, this is the first tip-off that you are not a Canadian.
Never mind history; I'm learning current events from people like you
Current events is one thing, but please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in. The Plains of Abraham is the place where the English kicked the French's *ss. That's why the Queen is in charge.
Slave hard then, you worker bee, and get a clue: you're apparenly not living in the same Canada with the other 32 million of us
If there's not a Queen on YOUR loonie, then you're not living in the same Canada with the other 32 million of us!
Sorry, but have to stick up for DS, he can't help it, he's dyslexic, which he would tell you himeself, but HE'S DYSLEXIC...LOL..can't spell worth a darn...LOL....
Now go to the beer store and tell them 'give me 24 house'!
James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover! LOL
I agree with the "d" for "t" thing about our speech. I know for sure that people around here pronounce "Ottawa" as "Oddawa" and "Water" as "Wader"...etc
Current events is one thing, but please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in. . . . James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover!
Um, Mrs Dave S, could you not "come for" anyone here? These are long-time readers, we may sometimes disagree on issues but we never throw barbs at each other. It's just not the culture here.
I know there was some tension when Dave S first appeared, but his posts were a bit inexplicable, and they appeared to be hostile. Once we straightened that out, nobody's been ragging on him, so he doesn't need defending.
You are welcome here, but please calm down. Thanks.
"Current events is one thing, but please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in. . . . James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover!
Um, Mrs Dave S, could you not "come for" anyone here? "
So sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone, thought this blog was a place to debate.
"James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover!" was actually followed by "LOL", I thought that meant 'laugh out loud', so seems like maybe I'm being taken out of context a bit.
But how do you know that I'm not 'comung' for him in order to have an in depth intelligent debate? He seems to be quite informed on many subjects. One should not ass-u-me anything.
"...please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in."
Sorry, have to stand by this one. It's one of my major irritants when people immigrate and don't have enough respect for thier host country to learn anything about it. You would expect the same of anyone coming to the US, I am sure.
If it weren't for France, Dave, you'd still be answering to London. Tell it to the Redcoats
Hey, LP, this is the first tip-off that you are not a Canadian.
Mrs. D: Mr. D was so abysmal at tagging his quotes that I, not unnaturally, took him for an American. Read the comment in that context and it will make sense to you. Or should, at any rate. If not, look up "Lafayette" and "Yorktown", among others.
I'm not Canadian? If you'd be willing to attest to that fact to Revenue Canada next April 30th, I'd be much obliged. :)
As for the Queen on the loonie ref, again, you have to read that in the context that Dave came across as someone in the US.
I know for sure that people around here pronounce "Ottawa" as "Oddawa" and "Water" as "Wader"...etc
Ah-ha! More New Yorkese - excellent!
I think it's general in North America to pronounce mid-word t's as d's. I've noticed the British (Briddish?) are very precise about pronouncing them properly. Little, for them, is "lit-tle", not "liddle".
But New Yorkers (well, the woman I know from the Bronx, if not the guy I know from Staten Island) don't pronounce it "wadder", but "waddah"... whereas the British would say "wattah". Geez, look at the word! Nobody can get it quite right... :)
It's "water"! You know, "Water! Bring me my soup! Water! Another glass of wine! Oh, and some ice wadder!" :)
But how do you know that I'm not 'comung' for him in order to have an in depth intelligent debate? He seems to be quite informed on many subjects. One should not ass-u-me anything.
I was basing my comment on your post. You certainly didn't seem to be implying you were interested in in-depth debate. You seemed to be sarcastically attacking.
If this was an incorrect impression, then I apologize for it. But based on your other comments, I don't think it was.
It's one of my major irritants when people immigrate and don't have enough respect for thier host country to learn anything about it.
I'm not sure who you're referring to. I've been doing nothing but learning about Canada for the past two years, and LonePrimate is Canadian. So I can appreciate that it may be an irritant to you, but it's not happening here.
You would expect the same of anyone coming to the US, I am sure.
Nope. I have no interest in that. I live in a city full of immigrants from all over the world, and I couldn't care less if they learn about the US or not. What they do is their business.
I'm sorry you disliked my comment to you, but although we do debate here, we try hard not to be snarky. I hope you will do the same.
But the Brits also say "or-eh-ga-no" and "al-u-min-i-um", which just sounds wrong.
Yeah, they seem to have this real predilectation for pronouncing things in weird and laborious ways. It seems to verge on contrariness. Like "MEE-thane" for methane. And, conversely, "zeb-ra" (rhymes with Deborah) for "ZEE-bra". I find even years in North America from childhood up doesn't straighten this out. I think it's time we declared independence! Or as the British might say, "in-DAY-p'n-DAWNS"!
37 comments:
This is not really on topic about the post, but I just discovered your blog and I wanted to wish oyu all the luck in the world. I wish I could move to Toronto, but monetary problems abound. I have visited Toronto, about 10 times since 1997, and am going back the end of September. I feel in love with the city the first time I was there, and so has everyone else I have ever taken along with me. I envy you, making the move. Maybe someday, i can get up there with ya! Again, good luck, and keep us posted once you're up there.
Thank you, Polt!
I'm sorry you aren't able to move if you want to. It does cost a lot. I'm amazed that we're able to do it ourselves, having struggled financially for so long.
Thank you for all your good wishes. I will certainly be writing about our new life in Canada, so stop by anytime for updates.
Interesting article, but it oversimplifies a few things. For example:
Floor vs. storey: Floor is preferred in Canada.
I say things like "I'm on the fifth floor of a 12-storey building".
Holiday vs. vacation: Canadians generally go on vacations.
"Holidays" are legally mandated days of work, "vacations" are either days you book off through your manager or pleasure trips. In 2002, I went on vacation in the Dominican over the Christmas holidays.
I also differwith this bit:
"By the side of favour there is horror, beside ardour pallor, beside odour tremor, and so forth." Worse still, many words that take -our lose the extra letter when the words are elongated. Glamour becomes glamorous , honour becomes honorary and colour becomes coloration.
In all their "-our/-or" examples, the pronounciation is different. "flavour" is more "-er" while "horror" is "-ohr". Likewise, "col-er" goes to "col-ohr-ization". That's why the spelling difference. :)
BTW, more Toronto photos up at Flickr.
Bang, Laura... you've just been blogspammed! :/
Yeah, that's the third one today. Usually I'm so quick on the delete, no one even sees them. Damn, that stuff is annoying!
In all their "-our/-or" examples, the pronounciation is different. "flavour" is more "-er" while "horror" is "-ohr". Likewise, "col-er" goes to "col-ohr-ization". That's why the spelling difference. :)
Must be a regional thing, I don't notice any difference in pronunciation of the -or/-our in colour, horror or colorization when I say them.
I think "colorization" is wrong. It doesn't look right to me.
...colourization...
...colorisation...
...colourisation...
I don't know, they all seem wrong.
...colourization...
...colorisation...
...colourisation...
I don't know, they all seem wrong.
That's because colourization is wrong! Darn you, Ted Turner! Darn you to heccckkkkk!!
Thre's an anecdote I heard once about a Canadian student at a US school who recieved a paper back--the word colour was circled in red, with the note: THIS IS NOT A WORD.
I think so long as you avoid doing something like that, LG, you should be fine. :)
For those too lazy to look at the link, Canadian English is a mix of American and British conventions, with some homebrew. Since some parts of canada were settled by shakspearean-era British and others by American Cowboys, This strikes me as a fine outcome.
What can I add, except that a chesterfield IS a couch, and skookum means "good" or "satisfactory". Beavertails are also delicious with jam. mmmmm.
Beavertails are also delicious with jam. mmmmm.
Especially raspberry. But the lemon-and-sugar ones at the Zoo are great too.
Must be a regional thing, I don't notice any difference in pronunciation of the -or/-our in colour, horror or colorization when I say them.
It may well be. Do both the "o"s in "horror" sound the same to you, or do you say "horrer"?
It may well be. Do both the "o"s in "horror" sound the same to you, or do you say "horrer"?
I definitely pronounce it more like "horrer".
The link sez:
Canadians also tend to pronounce cot the same as caught and collar the same as caller.
But how the heck else would you pronounce them?
Canadians also have a unique pronunciation of the word "vase". It's not "vaiss" or "vahz", it's "vaiz", rhymes with maize.
I once had to integrate two types of software by exporting from one for import to the other. One of the lines in the file specification called for the word 'labour'. Of course what they really wanted was 'labor'. The import failed and took a week of debugging to determine the problem was my Canadian spelling.
Canadian in Atlanta, GA
...colourization...
...colorisation...
...colourisation...
I don't know, they all seem wrong.
That's because colourization is wrong!
I was about to say this! I swear.
Canadians also tend to pronounce cot the same as caught and collar the same as caller.
But how the heck else would you pronounce them?
We have this debate in our own household. Redsock, former New Englander, says something like cahfee and cot. L-girl, native New Yorker, says cawfee and cawt. Don't even ask about chahclate. It's chalk-lit.
Imcatl, welcome to wmtc. Has anyone ever told you your name sounds like an ancient Mexican god?
I definitely pronounce it more like "horrer".
Ditto. "Hor-ror" sounds like something they'd say in a some 1930s Mutiny On the Bounty rip-off. Say, like... Apocalypse On the Bounty...:)
"We train our young men to shove bayonets in people, but their commanders will not suffer them to write "shag" upon their muskets because... it is obscene! The hor-ror, Mr. Christian! The hor-ror!" :)
Also, in Canada "caramel" has three syllables, "kair-a-mell", not "kar-mul".
Also, in Canada, "cat" has seventeen syllables, of which sixteen are silent.
it is obscene! The hor-ror, Mr. Christian! The hor-ror!" :)
I was thinking of Elaine after the party, where Kramer doesn't pick them up... The hor-ror... Anyone...?
Also, in Canada "caramel" has three syllables, "kair-a-mell", not "kar-mul".
Apparently Canadian English is a lot like New Yorkese. I also say Care-a-mell. Karmul is a town somewhere in California, or upstate NY or something.
Also, in Canada, "cat" has seventeen syllables, of which sixteen are silent.
?!
Also, in Canada, "cat" has seventeen syllables, of which sixteen are silent
LOL
Dam lol
you da man LP
I agee with your post. Hey check this out--You're Going To LOVE This Site. Visit this Free Ebooks Site!
A little off-topic, but still a debate!
If it weren't for France, Dave, you'd still be answering to London. Tell it to the Redcoats
Hey, LP, this is the first tip-off that you are not a Canadian.
Never mind history; I'm learning current events from people like you
Current events is one thing, but please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in. The Plains of Abraham is the place where the English kicked the French's *ss. That's why the Queen is in charge.
Slave hard then, you worker bee, and get a clue: you're apparenly not living in the same Canada with the other 32 million of us
If there's not a Queen on YOUR loonie, then you're not living in the same Canada with the other 32 million of us!
Sorry, but have to stick up for DS, he can't help it, he's dyslexic, which he would tell you himeself, but HE'S DYSLEXIC...LOL..can't spell worth a darn...LOL....
Now go to the beer store and tell them 'give me 24 house'!
James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover! LOL
ALPF
I agree with the "d" for "t" thing about our speech. I know for sure that people around here pronounce "Ottawa" as "Oddawa" and "Water" as "Wader"...etc
I still don't get the "oot" and "aboot" thing?
Current events is one thing, but please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in. . . . James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover!
Um, Mrs Dave S, could you not "come for" anyone here? These are long-time readers, we may sometimes disagree on issues but we never throw barbs at each other. It's just not the culture here.
I know there was some tension when Dave S first appeared, but his posts were a bit inexplicable, and they appeared to be hostile. Once we straightened that out, nobody's been ragging on him, so he doesn't need defending.
You are welcome here, but please calm down. Thanks.
I know for sure that people around here pronounce "Ottawa" as "Oddawa" and "Water" as "Wader"...etc
Ah-ha! More New Yorkese - excellent!
"Current events is one thing, but please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in. . . . James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover!
Um, Mrs Dave S, could you not "come for" anyone here? "
So sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone, thought this blog was a place to debate.
"James: I'm coming for you next - duck and cover!" was actually followed by "LOL", I thought that meant 'laugh out loud', so seems like maybe I'm being taken out of context a bit.
But how do you know that I'm not 'comung' for him in order to have an in depth intelligent debate? He seems to be quite informed on many subjects. One should not ass-u-me anything.
"...please be a polite guest, and learn about the country that you live in."
Sorry, have to stand by this one. It's one of my major irritants when people immigrate and don't have enough respect for thier host country to learn anything about it. You would expect the same of anyone coming to the US, I am sure.
Enjoy T.O.
If it weren't for France, Dave, you'd still be answering to London. Tell it to the Redcoats
Hey, LP, this is the first tip-off that you are not a Canadian.
Mrs. D: Mr. D was so abysmal at tagging his quotes that I, not unnaturally, took him for an American. Read the comment in that context and it will make sense to you. Or should, at any rate. If not, look up "Lafayette" and "Yorktown", among others.
I'm not Canadian? If you'd be willing to attest to that fact to Revenue Canada next April 30th, I'd be much obliged. :)
As for the Queen on the loonie ref, again, you have to read that in the context that Dave came across as someone in the US.
I know for sure that people around here pronounce "Ottawa" as "Oddawa" and "Water" as "Wader"...etc
Ah-ha! More New Yorkese - excellent!
I think it's general in North America to pronounce mid-word t's as d's. I've noticed the British (Briddish?) are very precise about pronouncing them properly. Little, for them, is "lit-tle", not "liddle".
But New Yorkers (well, the woman I know from the Bronx, if not the guy I know from Staten Island) don't pronounce it "wadder", but "waddah"... whereas the British would say "wattah". Geez, look at the word! Nobody can get it quite right... :)
It's "water"! You know, "Water! Bring me my soup! Water! Another glass of wine! Oh, and some ice wadder!" :)
Hey L.P.:
I'll attest, if you'll attest, buddy!
Understand the confusion, we do have alot of fun with Dave's dyslexia, it's cheap entertainment.
...did you get you're 24???:)
But how do you know that I'm not 'comung' for him in order to have an in depth intelligent debate? He seems to be quite informed on many subjects. One should not ass-u-me anything.
I was basing my comment on your post. You certainly didn't seem to be implying you were interested in in-depth debate. You seemed to be sarcastically attacking.
If this was an incorrect impression, then I apologize for it. But based on your other comments, I don't think it was.
It's one of my major irritants when people immigrate and don't have enough respect for thier host country to learn anything about it.
I'm not sure who you're referring to. I've been doing nothing but learning about Canada for the past two years, and LonePrimate is Canadian. So I can appreciate that it may be an irritant to you, but it's not happening here.
You would expect the same of anyone coming to the US, I am sure.
Nope. I have no interest in that. I live in a city full of immigrants from all over the world, and I couldn't care less if they learn about the US or not. What they do is their business.
I'm sorry you disliked my comment to you, but although we do debate here, we try hard not to be snarky. I hope you will do the same.
I've noticed the British (Briddish?) are very precise about pronouncing them properly. Little, for them, is "lit-tle", not "liddle"
My girfriend had a British prof who complained constantly "It's wat-er! Not wa-der!" to his students.
But the Brits also say "or-eh-ga-no" and "al-u-min-i-um", which just sounds wrong.
al-u-min-i-um
Actually, I should say it sounds like
al-ooo-min-ee-um
...did you get you're 24???:)
I'm a rumball, not a beerbelly. :)
But the Brits also say "or-eh-ga-no" and "al-u-min-i-um", which just sounds wrong.
Yeah, they seem to have this real predilectation for pronouncing things in weird and laborious ways. It seems to verge on contrariness. Like "MEE-thane" for methane. And, conversely, "zeb-ra" (rhymes with Deborah) for "ZEE-bra". I find even years in North America from childhood up doesn't straighten this out. I think it's time we declared independence! Or as the British might say, "in-DAY-p'n-DAWNS"!
Yeah, they seem to have this real predilectation for pronouncing things in weird and laborious ways.
Don't forget jag-yew-ar.
Maybe we need a comment from B.W. Ventril on this matter.....
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