[Alty]

Judy, if only I had Heidi's body. ;)

I actually don't have an accent, lost that years ago. I came to Canada when I was almost 4 years old. My parents used to tape me all the time, in the beginning it was all German, then english with a German accent and then just english.

Funny thing is, I'm told that I don't have a Canadian accent. I didn't realize that Canadians really had an accent. ;)

[starbuck8]

Judy, if only I had Heidi's body. ;)

I actually don't have an accent, lost that years ago. I came to Canada when I was almost 4 years old. My parents used to tape me all the time, in the beginning it was all German, then english with a German accent and then just english.

Funny thing is, I'm told that I don't have a Canadian accent. I didn't realize that Canadians really had an accent. ;)

I don't think we have an accent either. But if you're from certain parts of Eastern Canada, then yes. Especially Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick, and well of course the French speaking people from Quebec, or Ontario.

[Alty]

True Starby.

We should make up an accent. The Albertan accent. We need to distinguish ourselves from other Canadians. :)

I do have to say, my friend Brent who now lives in California, was surprised that everyone could tell that he was Canadian because of the way he talks. Instead of saying Grade 1, the Americans apparently say, first grade. That alone clued everyone in. Funny, the small things we notice.

[starbuck8]

Some people think it's funny the way we say "towel" too! I've heard that many times. Also that we say "snuck"... as in"I snuck up on him" Oh, and the way we say Mom. There are lots of words that Americans think sound funny the way we say them, but I dumbfounded. I can't tell the difference!

[Synnen]

Ya, you betcha, doncha know.

The best word to hear from Canadians is "Aboot".

True story.

[Alty]

Aboot? Isn't that footwear? ;)

[JudyKayTee]

Aboot? Isn't that footwear? ;)

Eh? So you're going on holiday?

[starbuck8]

I'm going on a holiday to the boonies eh? Yep that's where I's be! I's going to bee gun fer aboot a weak er so eh! Can sum one come an watch over my's polar bears while's I's gon? LRH... oh that there means laugh reel hard!

I would laugh just as hard as you guys if I heard a Canadian say 'Aboot" I wear a size 8 and a half thanks! :D

[Emland]

Some Virginians say "aboot", too.

[starbuck8]

As far as I know, in Canada, the only ones that say 'aboot' are in Newfoundland, on the eastern coast. I'm way on the other end of Canada. One province away from the western coast. Alty too! :)

Emland, maybe they are immigrants from Newfoundland... LOL!

Also, a lot of people think we all speak French here! Hmmmm! I think I might be able to count to ten... haha! OH OH I can say voilà, caviar and escargot! :p

... and the line from Sister Marmalade! ;)

[Alty]

That line has gotten me into a lot of trouble in the past Starby. ;)

Yup, the aboot is mainly in Newfoundland, I've never heard anyone utter that word here. Starby and I are in Alberta, I live close to Edmonton, you know, the home of the Oilers, the City of Champions, which isn't very accurate anymore, we haven't won anything in a while. ;) Maybe it's the City of Mushrooms now. ;)

I took one year of french, I can ask what time it is, but if you answer me, I won't know what the heck you said. I know lots of dirty words though. Surprised? ;)

[SweetDee]

Unfortunately I HAD to learn French and become as bilingual as possible in order to survive here in Quebec... wish the government would expect the same from the French people here. Most Quebecoise cannot speak ENGLISH!! And Quebec is IN Canada...

I may sound a little bitter, I apologize. It's a very lovely and cultured place to live. Feels a lot like little Europe here. It's just that we have too much politics here... The English really are tired of the French for all the language police that goes on.

What state/province (government) ACTUALLY puts money into a "language police"? They are FUNDED! Their job is to make sure that there are no signs found in English... So, if you have a business and you want to call it "Sam's coffee shop", the language police will fine you and then ask you to remove the English words and make them French. You are allowed to have the English underneath the French PROVIDING the words are very small, so the French is prevailent. That goes for menu's and anything and everything that is written for the public...

I would LOVE to leave here, but my husband's career is here. So, is mine, but I can be a "dog trainer" ANYWHERE...

The English stream school system is what needs to be funded here. They have these beautiful new French schools going up all the time... and they fully equip those schools. The English schools look like ghetto's! They're falling apart inside and they have no materials...

If you move to this province you are not allowed to put your child into an English school unless you can prove that you went to an English one here in Quebec, as a young child. If you're from the states or other parts of Canada and you don't know French you still HAVE to put your kids in the French stream. You have to have physical proof of having been educated in the province of Quebec in ENGLISH as a child in order to have permission to educate your kids in English... lol.

The French want you all to learn their language. I love their language, it's just that I don't like it SHOVED down my throat!

... Just some info about the government here and the people... fun ay?

[Emland]

SweetDee, is English offered as a second language or is it completely left out?

[Synnen]

Amazingly... those of using the US feel that if you emigrate here, you should know how to speak ENGLISH, and most of us are sick of funding schools that teach solely in SPANISH. If you come here from Mexico, we want you to learn ENGLISH. I want English shoved down peoples' throats.

So... have to admit I side with the Quebeqoise here.

[JudyKayTee]

Amazingly....those of usin the US feel that if you emigrate here, you should know how to speak ENGLISH, and most of us are sick of funding schools that teach solely in SPANISH. If you come here from Mexico, we want you to learn ENGLISH. I want English shoved down peoples' throats.

So...have to admit I side with the Quebeqoise here.

This is becoming a hot issue in NYS because of the large Puerto Rican population. One of my process servers is Puerto Rican and I very often have to call him and he translates over a cell phone when I'm investigating, usually an accident.

Amazing to me!

[Alty]

Wow. Here in Alberta we can choose.

For instance, my kids are in the German biligual school, they offer both German and English programs. Because my son was in speech therapy I opted to put him in the English class, as a result he is learning French this year, but it's still up to us if we want that as his second language.

My daughter is in the German class, and she will continue until grade 6, after that she can take German by correspondence or go to a German school after her regular classes.

English is still the primary language taught, even in the bilingual class. We also have french immersion as an option.

Synnen, what irks me is that people who don't have a good grasp of the english language usually get jobs in telecommunications. Really? Now I have to speak 10 languages in order to understand someone who is calling me in order to sell something? I don't think so. :(

[starbuck8]

Amazingly....those of usin the US feel that if you emigrate here, you should know how to speak ENGLISH, and most of us are sick of funding schools that teach solely in SPANISH. If you come here from Mexico, we want you to learn ENGLISH. I want English shoved down peoples' throats.

So...have to admit I side with the Quebeqoise here.

But Synnen, you need to understand that Quebec is ONE province in Canada. Every single other province in Canada speaks English. (except for the immigrants also) There has been a war of separatism going on for years. They wanted to be in Canada, but they want to separate from it. It's like they want to build a wall around the province, and have their own country, inside a country.

It would be like if all of the Mexicans moved to Montana, and the mexican politicians decided that Montana was now a Spanish State, and everything had to be in Spanish, and the people that already lived there were forced to conform, and learn Spanish. I'm sure the other States would be in an uproar over something like that.

If they want to be in our Country, they should speak the language that the rest of us speak, and it should not be forced upon the rest of us, because 1 province and it's politicians, have decided they would like to speak French. We are under British rule here, and of course the official language of Britain is English.

[Alty]

Starby, had to spread the rep but of course I agree. :)

Even here in Alberta, were english is the main language, we still have to have french on all our products. Of cours english is prominent, but the french is there.

[starbuck8]

Alty, take a guess where my CANADIAN phone company is located! Go ahead... guess! Can we all spell PAKISTAN? Try getting service when you call THEM! It's an all day job!

[Alty]

Eeek! Good luck Starby. :)