Have you ever been asked to say something in Canadian?

Question

A few years back, while on holiday in L.A., we stopped at this take out pizza place. From the ordercounter, we had a good view of our car. The conversation with the guys behind the counter went something like this:

him: "Nice car."
us: "mm thanks"
him: "Dont' recgonize plates, where ya guys from?"
us: "We are from Alberta."
him: "Where's that?"
us: "A province in Canada."
him: "No sjit? Canada?" pause "Say something in Canadian."

We looked at him, we looked at each other, and busted a gut laughing! My sister then had the bright idea to answer. "We would like to order a pizza, eh!"

Answer 1

I'm from the prairies, so aside from the typical words, I use Vico, bunny-hug, and the term re'ed out!
I eat chocolate bars, as candy bars just don't seem as appealing!
There's a lot more where these came from, eh. I will be chuckling as I read all of the other responses.

Additional note: I have never travelled to the U.S.A., but I have been to a few countries in Europe and this is the feedback I got (besides how everybody loves Canadians and are so helpful and respectful as soon as they hear you talk). I was told many times that non - English speaking people could tell right away, when we spoke, that we were from Canada, because we didn't sound incomprehensible like the English or with the American accents that make them sound slow and stupid. (Not my words - I am quoting); I also heard several times that English speaking Canadians have almost a musical tone to their spoken words (again - I'm quoting)!

Answer 2

Oh yeah our good old canajain eh. Americans swear we say aboot and hoose(rhymnes with moose) although my friend from South Africa said the niagarans she met sounded like they said aboat and wader for water. The closer to Buffalo the more Americanized the accent becomes.LOL

I always say voulez vous eff off eh s'il vous plait? Since canadians can use the eff word as a noun, a verb, a subjective completion and an adverb usually in the same sentence. LOL

Answer 3

Good answers! On our travels the most common one we've had is being asked to say "eh" - and my husband and I never say "eh" in real life, though we always try to oblige them in a natural way!!

We sometimes "put on" a southern drawl when we talk with some of our US friends - "When y'all comin to see us in Caaaanada?" Funny thing is they often don't notice it.

If you have heard the Rick Mercer interview (CBC) with George W. a few years ago, there are some good expressions in it, and a few good laughs!! Worth seeking it out if you haven't heard it!! I don't know how he managed to get close enough to do an ad lib interview with him!! Probably couldn't happen today.

Answer 4

I did have someone once tell me "y'all tak funny" in a thick southren drawl...

but when I was a teen - went on a language exchange to Quebec City - spent the entire 2 weeks in Vieux Quebec picking up cute American tourist girls with very limited French skills.. We just had to turn up the "Pepé le Pew" style french accent / charm and our own meagre skills with the language to literaly charm the pants off them - even when we explained we were from Vancouver and thusly didn't know the area too well - thye just assumed "zat all us Canajien men speek wit zee Franch accent n'est pas.."

.. good times..

Answer 5

I once told an especially dim American that I would say something in Canadian, but I'd left my translation book back with my dogsled at the airport at home in Calgary.

He actually asked me then if they slept in my igloo!

Seriously - throwing a couple of "eh's" seems to keep them giggling.

Answer 6

My friends parents are Canadian and from British Columbia. They put up with quite a bit when they used to visit us in Atlanta. Some guy actually said , "It's amazing that you don't speak French amongst each other fluently...when did you learn to speak English?" My friend's father answered.."Since about the time the British invaded...."

Answer 7

Many years ago my best friend (an American ex-pat from Connecticut who grew up with me in Montreal ) and I were camping in the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. We ended up sharing a camp site with two terrific young Americans from California. During our time camping together one of these guys remarked in his lazy drawl: "It's really easy to talk like an American, just talk real nice and slow and pronounce all your words right."

We laughed so hard we both almost fell into the camp fire.

Answer 8

I was on vacation in Canada, Alberta by the way (beautiful country!) and one of the locals asked me what the capital of Canada was, I said Ottawa, and he said, last American I asked said Ontario.

Answer 9

What a hoot! I've had similar requests, but a couple of words of French usually stops the conversation. I like your answer better!

Answer 10

I travel to the US alot for business, and I am sometimes asked that, but more often I am aske - "oh you're from Canada - do you know so-and-so smith?"

"Oh yes he's just on the other side of Hudson Bay from my house"