Starting to get an ear for it

I can semi-accurately guess if someone is a Vancouverite now. I can zone in on their very subtle accent. I was raised here, so I think that is why. I guess everyone else will think this is non-sense even though accents and dialect truly do exist everywhere.

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Interesting...

Sep 28, 2020 at 10:35am

As I always thought I was a pretty good bullshitter myself but occasionally I like to listen to an expert. Please carry on.

9 11Rating: -2

How

Sep 28, 2020 at 10:41am

would you describe the accent? A bit valley girl right? Also I think it’s just a west coast accent similar to west coast American

14 5Rating: +9

Blew my mind

Sep 28, 2020 at 10:49am

When I went down to Australia years ago, I called from the Brisbane airport to a hostel that had been recommended on the Lonely Planet site. The guy who answered, a Kiwi, asked "You're from Canada aren't you?" which surprised me because I hadn't said "eh" and I was expecting people to assume I was American.... but then he said "and from Vancouver?" which really blew my mind.
Obviously I don't sound like an eastcoaster or a francophone, but how could he know I was from Vancouver and not, say, from Calgary or Edmonton, etc.
What are the inflectional/tonal differences?

17 4Rating: +13

I believe you.

Sep 28, 2020 at 10:51am

I was raised on the prairies by two ESL immigrants from very different parts of the world, so people often say I have a bit of an accent.
My dad has been in Canada since he was 17 and speaks English very well. He sounds like, well, my dad to me, I've never thought of him as having an accent, but other people often pick up on it and ask where he's from.
My coworker was born in South Africa and moved to Canada when he was 6. An hour into his first day I picked up on the slightest of accents and asked where he was born. He said no one has ever told him he has an accent.

Accents are funny things. Some are super obvious, but some you have to really pay attention to hear. I think you're right in that every region has its own distinct influence on how its inhabitants speak. Another example of how similar yet uniquely different we all are.

12 5Rating: +7

Orville Peck

Sep 28, 2020 at 12:32pm

if you know who he is, I was watching an interview with him, he answers "neuoo" to a question but obviously means 'no' and I'm 'is this guy from Vancouver?' Turns out the answer tho that question was NOT neuoo.

8 5Rating: +3

Agree

Sep 28, 2020 at 12:56pm

but for BC in general. Words like family & literally, I've noticed there is a slight difference in the way the people born and raised in BC pronounce them than what I am used to. Since I'm in BC now, I guess I'm the one with the accent ;)

8 4Rating: +4

@How

Sep 28, 2020 at 3:55pm

It's called upspeak or uptalk and vocal fry and yes Vancouver does it. Uptalk is a grating speech pattern and together with vocal fry a person will sound like they are intellectually challenged.

It is pronounced...

Sep 28, 2020 at 5:42pm

... "shur" not "shore." Sure!

12 5Rating: +7

One thing I’ve noticed

Sep 28, 2020 at 8:08pm

People from Toronto say a hard A in front of vowels instead of AN. And they say THEE in front of consonants but THE in front of vowels. They also say EH-nother EH-gain and EH-bout. Again, that hard A sound. It sounds really weird. Every time I watch a Toronto based youtuber talking at me I’m like why are you doing that?

5 3Rating: +2

Jean Luc Lucky Dickson Feely Footy

Sep 28, 2020 at 8:41pm

My accent....is that one of a barking dog

4 6Rating: -2

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