Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Monkeybot · 06-06-2003, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MzNeko
I think that's the idea. They don't really want to hear you mangling the language, but you at least get points for trying, instead of just arrogantly expecting everyone else in the world to speak English.

That's my theory, anyway...

That's exactly what my roommate told me. Now, she only went to France for a week or so so it's not like she's expert testimony here, but according to her, it's not a grave crime to speak English as long as you preface it with "Parlez-vous anglais?" (Or whatever. Whatever pitiful French I know is self-taught.)

Of course, you'd want the other person to say yes before you continued.

godfry n. glad · 06-06-2003, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Monkeybot
That's exactly what my roommate told me. Now, she only went to France for a week or so so it's not like she's expert testimony here, but according to her, it's not a grave crime to speak English as long as you preface it with "Parlez-vous anglais?" (Or whatever. Whatever pitiful French I know is self-taught.)

Of course, you'd want the other person to say yes before you continued.

What if they respond with, "Oui"?

godfry n. glad · 06-06-2003, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by godfry n. glad
Really? Chesterfields? Man...That's a mouthful. We just used "sofa". Still do, for that matter.

godfry

Come to think of it, when I was very young, my mother used to use the term "davenport", which is just as much a mouthful. She hailed from central Indiana, near the Ohio border.

godfry

Straight Hate · 06-06-2003, 02:24 PM

Haha, I say 'lengkth' - to say it properly betrays both false eloquence and my love of clipped language.

Couch now, chesterfield when I was young, sofa never. Pop, not soda, and man, how the hell can you not know what a toque is? it's like 'socks? what are those?'.

Aravnah Ornan · 06-06-2003, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cricket
Going to Manhattan this month; I am from Colorado and MO and dress badly even by those states standards. Please tell me what to do.

Wear a lot of black. Look jaded. Don't work on your tan before going.

CuriosityKills · 06-06-2003, 03:29 PM

Take my quick tutorial on identification of Canadian currency.

1) The little copper coins are pennies (just like yours but with the Queen's head on one side and a Maple Leaf on the other).

2) The slightly larger silver ones are nickels (just like yours but with, again, the Queens head and a beaver on the other side).

3) The smalles coins of the lot are called dimes (just like yours) and have the Queen on one side and a boat (the Bluenose) on the other.

3) The silver ones that are larger than nickels are quarters and they have (surprise!) the Queen's head on one side and an unidentified moose's head on the other.

Here's where it gets tricky...

4) We have large gold coloured coins that are one dollar pieces. we refer to these as "Loonies" as they have a picture of a loon on one side and again the queen on the other.

And even wackier....

5) The biggest coin on them all has a silver coloured rim with a gold coloured piece in the middle. this is a two dollar piece. We call it a "Toonie" or the more correct spelling of "Twoonie" (don't pronounce the 'w'). I have forgotten which side has what. This is OK. You'll know the Twoonie or Toonie when you see it.

Our bills are pretty cool. I like them because, unless you are colourblind you can know which is which by colour alone.

6) Blue = $5.00

7) Purple = $10.00

8) Green = $20.00

9) Brown = $100.00

Please don't laugh at our currency as we are quite fond of it. Having worked in a resort town (in Jasper in the Rockies as a matter of fact), I know there is nothing that screams AMERICAN like someone proclaiming the currency looks like play-money.

And yes, Americans DO have accents. All Americans, not just the ones from the south. But don't worry, we're pretty tolerant of accents here (my favourite is the New England "haht attack", "chowdah" etc...)

Enlighten Me · 06-06-2003, 03:46 PM

CuriosityKills...thanks so much for the Canadian money tutorial. It was REALLY helpful. Now could you mail me a sample of each coin and bill you described so I can start getting used to it?

CuriosityKills · 06-06-2003, 03:50 PM

Enlightened Lady,

I think it would only be fair if we exchanged American for Canadian bill for bill, coin for coin. You know, so I can experience a bit of the culture of your country.

FoE · 06-06-2003, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CuriosityKills

3) The silver ones that are larger than nickels are quarters and they have (surprise!) the Queen's head on one side and an unidentified moose's head on the other.

It's a cariboo not a moose on the obverse of the quarter! The Toonie has a polar bear and her two cubs on it.

Straight Hate · 06-06-2003, 05:08 PM

It got an update, though, didn't it? I believe the new ones feature a portrait of an Inuit or Dene.

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06-06-2003, 02:24 PM	#54
Straight Hate Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 4,171	Haha, I say 'lengkth' - to say it properly betrays both false eloquence and my love of clipped language. Couch now, chesterfield when I was young, sofa never. Pop, not soda, and man, how the hell can you not know what a toque is? it's like 'socks? what are those?'.

06-06-2003, 03:29 PM	#56
CuriosityKills Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada Posts: 114	Take my quick tutorial on identification of Canadian currency. 1) The little copper coins are pennies (just like yours but with the Queen's head on one side and a Maple Leaf on the other). 2) The slightly larger silver ones are nickels (just like yours but with, again, the Queens head and a beaver on the other side). 3) The smalles coins of the lot are called dimes (just like yours) and have the Queen on one side and a boat (the Bluenose) on the other. 3) The silver ones that are larger than nickels are quarters and they have (surprise!) the Queen's head on one side and an unidentified moose's head on the other. Here's where it gets tricky... 4) We have large gold coloured coins that are one dollar pieces. we refer to these as "Loonies" as they have a picture of a loon on one side and again the queen on the other. And even wackier.... 5) The biggest coin on them all has a silver coloured rim with a gold coloured piece in the middle. this is a two dollar piece. We call it a "Toonie" or the more correct spelling of "Twoonie" (don't pronounce the 'w'). I have forgotten which side has what. This is OK. You'll know the Twoonie or Toonie when you see it. Our bills are pretty cool. I like them because, unless you are colourblind you can know which is which by colour alone. 6) Blue = $5.00 7) Purple = $10.00 8) Green = $20.00 9) Brown = $100.00 Please don't laugh at our currency as we are quite fond of it. Having worked in a resort town (in Jasper in the Rockies as a matter of fact), I know there is nothing that screams AMERICAN like someone proclaiming the currency looks like play-money. And yes, Americans DO have accents. All Americans, not just the ones from the south. But don't worry, we're pretty tolerant of accents here (my favourite is the New England "haht attack", "chowdah" etc...)

06-06-2003, 03:46 PM	#57
Enlighten Me Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Southern Ca. Posts: 1,109	CuriosityKills...thanks so much for the Canadian money tutorial. It was REALLY helpful. Now could you mail me a sample of each coin and bill you described so I can start getting used to it?

06-06-2003, 03:50 PM	#58
CuriosityKills Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada Posts: 114	Enlightened Lady, I think it would only be fair if we exchanged American for Canadian bill for bill, coin for coin. You know, so I can experience a bit of the culture of your country.

06-06-2003, 05:08 PM	#60
Straight Hate Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 4,171	It got an update, though, didn't it? I believe the new ones feature a portrait of an Inuit or Dene.

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