Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lao Wai]

Hi,

I'm wondering if any of you have had similar experiences. I find that people from British Columbia and Ontario seem to always seem to 'pick' at others' accents. For example, in both Korea and in Hong Kong I've been made fun of for the way I say the following words 'are, bar, park,etc.'. 'Apparently' I saw these words with a really strong 'r' sound. My friends from Ontario say them in a more 'drawn out' manner by opening their mouths a bit more. I can hear what they're talking about, and can easily say these words the way they do. But, of course, why would I want to?

I grew up in New Brunswick and generally have a pretty neutral accent but realize there are some variants in my accent. The annoying thing is the way these people assume they have no accent or they have a completely 'standard' accent (whatever that is...). For example, my friend from BC says the word 'know' with a really round 'o' sound (think Bob and Doug MacKenzie). Many of my friends from Toronto have immigrant parents and thus their accents are tinged with Jamaican, Chinese, Korean etc, influences. Yet they have a good ole' time making fun of my 'East Coast' accent.

I'm not actually REALLY bothered by this but to all of you people from Ontario and BC: "You have accents too."

[RACETRAITOR]

I have to admit the only Canadian accents I'm really, really conscious of are east coast and Native.

[Lao Wai]

[RACETRAITOR]

Also, I have noticed some Canadians who move here start to exaggerate their accents, especially by saying "eh" all the time, in a shameless way to let everyone know they're Canadian.

[alex83]

Canadian accents, as with accents from almost any country, largely have to do with how close people live to a metropolitan city.
For example, people from the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) will likely speak differently than someone from Orillia (1.5 hours north).

[SeoulShakin]

I'm from the Halifax area, and my boyfriend is from Alberta. He always laughs when I saw bar, car, credit card, etc. Any word with an "ar" in it. I don't hear the difference myself, and when I've asked some of my American and Kiwi friends if they can hear the difference between he and I, they say not really, except that they feel I pronounce the word better. Who knows. I don't think it's that big a deal, but he seems to get a kick out of it.

[Hollywoodaction]

[Hollywoodaction]

[Newbie]

7 replies and no American calling us losers yet... must be a record. Where's Yaya when you need him?

[spliff]

I went to a big meeting of Hogwon owners and they all agreed that if there were enough Americans to go around there wouldn't be any Canadians working in Korea.

[blaseblasphemener]

I cringe when I hear people from rural Alberta or Saskatchewan on TV. Think any member of the Sutter family, Theo Fleury, Barry Melrose (sorry if you are not a hockey fan, these references would go right over your head). Salt of the earth, but, well, they don't come across as the most articulate of speakers.

[twg]

[SarcasmKills]

[cwemory]

[kimchi story]