seebs

Sometimes people in Minnesota do that too? I think it's supposed to express openness to correction? Maybe like showing your belly to avoid a fight?

FoE

No one's gonna give you any trouble for being an American. At the worst people will tease you.

So where are you going anyway?

Enlighten Me

Sakpo---you asked "Who cares if people know you're American?"

I don't care if people know I'm American....I just care about tipping them off by wearing something so sterotypically "California" or "America" that it prompts the rolling of eyes. I guess the Canadians will approve of the way we'll be spending money there---we're going to the Canadian Rockies to fulfill a dream of staying at each of the enchanting Fairmont hotels in Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper Park.
I already know I'll love our trip. We've been to Quebec, Montreal, and Vancouver, all of which I really enjoyed---except for the french fries smothered in gravy that we tried. Pretty gross....
What's a toque? I thought that had something to do with marijuana..... Ha-ha! Tell me more, you wonderful heathens! I knew if I posted my question, I'd learn something and have a few laughs, too!

Evangelion

A toque is a hat.

FoE

Well if you're going to Lake Louise most people are going to be tourists anyway, right? It is a really nice place. Enjoy your visit!

A toque is a knitted wool type hat.

Walross

If you're coming to Alberta, be sure to sample the many varieties of Big Rock beer (especially Traditional Ale and Grasshopper Wheat Ale). Enjoy your visit.

Godless Dave

You may be saying it without realizing it. My linguistics professor claimed he couldn't hear it in his own speech, and he was trained to hear phonetic variation.

blame_the_gods

SINNER!

Wholly (Full-Of) Shit! You really CROSSED THE LINE with that one! How dare you speak such cruel blasphemy here!

I guess it is a sign of the times...

(The ReDeceitLicans are training us well, aren't they?)

-----

He who grew up in a 'special' part of AmeeeeeeeriKa surrounded (on 3.75 sides, at least) by Cannuk-ada...

(***Bonus points to any heathen who can correctly guess where that might be... Yes, it was an island...)

mikester

basically we look and act the same as you do. its a bit colder here right now than it is in california, so dress properly. dont bother trying to imitate average canadian slang, because most of it doesnt exist unless you find yourself amidst a group of redneck morons.

if you're in the big cities, no one will give a rat's ass about where you're from unless you make it a point to be noticed. go out as you normally would, the only thing you might notice is the difference in some peoples' attitudes towards things (nicer, more liberal, more aloof, etc.), and really make an effort not to mention you're american or else you'll find yourself in a long discussion.

as for the beer, well, MGD kicks ass, Coors is weak but nice, anything by Molson or Labatt is pretty much the general beer around here. nothing special, not expensive, its what the averagae joe drinks. i advise you not to, since you're on vacation, drink some nicer like carlsberg, alexander keith's, sleemans, or even some of the interesting dutch, german, english or quebec beer varieties (nobody'll notice, most drink them anyway).

basically, don't be an ass, be normal and comfortable, and you'll have a good time.

Sakpo

Ladyshea/seebs, I don't know why they do it. But I've noticed it they do it when they're angry/hostile too, so the theory it's as a way of seeming gentle/open to correction probably isn't correct (I've met super arrogant people, totally unopen to correction, who do it...it's just a way of talking).

Most Canadians do not say "aboot," it is a regional thing. It's very rare to hear a western Canadian do the "ou" thing. Most Ontarians don't either, it's far more common in Atlantic Canadians (though, once again, so far as I can tell most don't). Once you consider that, plus how many Canadians these days are actually from somewhere else and speak English as a second language, or have immigrant parents who speak English as a second language who they've primarily learned their English from along with ESL classes (which teaches the normal "ou" pronunciation), it's really quite inaccurate to claim most Canadians do the "ou" thing.

Am I right in my understanding that the reason many Minnsesotans do it is because of their Swedish background?