Why do Canadians say oat instead of out?
Canadians do something called ‘Canadian Raising’, meaning that they pronounce some two-part vowels (known as dipthongs) with a higher part of their mouths than people from other English-speaking regions – this is what causes the ‘ou’ sounds in words like ‘out’ and ‘about’ to be pronounced something like ‘oot’ and ‘ …
How does a Canadian say house?
Despite the fact that they’re spelled the same way, the noun house is pronounced with an /s/ sound while the verb house is pronounced with a /z/. (I’m going to spell the verb as houze for the rest of this, just so we can keep track.)
Why is the word “American” no longer used in Canada?
When all the British colonies (minus Newfoundland) federated into the Dominion of Canada, “Canadian” took on a national meaning it never had before, and replaced “British American”. And because the United States so thoroughly colonized the word “American” in the English language, it’s now impossible for us to use it.
Is it common for Canadians to call themselves Americans?
No. Definitely not. Not only is not common, we Canadians in fact never refer to ourselves as American. Citizens of Canada are Canadians, citizens of the USA are Americans. We’re both North Americans. I sometimes find that the British think we’re all called Americans – but we are most definitely not.
What are some Canadian language habits that all Americans know?
The other Canadian language habit that all americans know is “eh”. Canadians sometimes say this at the end of a sentence, with a rising intonation. “Eh” is used in casual conversation, and especially for small talk. Nice weather we’re having, eh? They’re pretty crazy, eh? She’s coming back early, eh?
What is the difference between Canadian and American citizens?
Citizens of Canada are Canadians, citizens of the USA are Americans. We’re both North Americans. I sometimes find that the British think we’re all called Americans – but we are most definitely not. When travelling in New Zealand some years ago we met someone wearing a T-shirt denoting Canada. I asked where he came from – “Detroit”.