#1 || 10·06·17··08:20 || Daniel

As a Canadian, I can tell you that in almost every Canadian province both "out" and "about" are pronounced no different than you might hear them pronounced on American television (i.e. they both rhyme with words like shout, clout, and sprout).

However, just as certain states in the US foster various "drawls", so also some of the easter provinces in Canada likewise foster something of a odd accent. No one really says "oot and aboot" - that is just a television caricature that is exaggerated for the "hilarity" of such an outrageous accent (think of the "french" accent from Monty Python's Holy Grail, and you have a good parallel to work with).

That being said, few Canadians pronounce Newfoundland as new-found-land. We say, New-fin-land. I don't know why, but there it is.

#2 || 10·06·17··08:30 || Kim in ON

I have only ever heard the "oot" and "aboot" sounds when in the Maritime provinces. I think they would sound different in the province of Quebec, and would vary from Francophone to Francophone, because not all have the same proficiency with the language.

Not having ever heard Tim Challies speak, I don't know how he sounds. He's from the same general geographical area as I am, so perhaps we do pronounce words similarly.

And Daniel is correct regarding the way we say "Newfoundland," all though I would say that the "fin" syllable uses more of schwa sound as the vowel than the short "i."

#3 || 10·06·17··08:39 || David

So your southerners talk funny, too?

I know no one says “oot” and “aboot.” That’s why I’m asking. I can say it like Tim, but I can’t write it.

I’ve always pronounced Newfoundland “New-fnd-land.” That’s how I’ve always heard it. Kind of like Worcester (England, Massachusetts, or -shire sauce) is really “Wooster.”

Listen to one of Tim’s podcasts, and you’ll no doubt hear it. Of course, if you talk like him, you’ll just say, “What? What accent?”

#4 || 10·06·17··08:57 || Kim in ON

Oh, you're absolutely correct about Newfoundland. There is very little of the vowel sound there.

I'm curious about Mr. Challies now; I will have to try and listen to one of his podcasts and see if I can detect something.

#5 || 10·06·17··10:10 || David

The closest I can get would be something like a diphthong of short a and long o, thus: “ăōt.”

#6 || 10·06·17··13:43 || Kim in ON

I found a link to something by Tim Challies, and I think you're on to something about that dipthong. The "o" sound is definitely a little more pronounced. I may sound like him; I don't know.

#7 || 10·06·18··07:24 || Jeff Peterson

Think of the French month - August: "août."

Living in Northern Lower Michigan, there's a transitional area between the typical Michigan accent and the Canadian accent - the Upper Peninsula. Usually a combination of Canadian and Finnish, believe it or not. My best friend's wife is an Official Thessalonian, being from Thessalon, Onatario, and has lived in the States for 30+ years but still sounds WAY Canadian. People call our office from Sault Ste Marie, CAHHnada (across the river from Sault Ste Marie, Michigan) and they don't even have to identify themselves...

#8 || 10·06·18··09:05 || Kim in ON

I was born and learned to speak in Western Canada, and then spent a number of years in southern Ontario. When I was in junior high school, in Alberta, I was accused of having an "accent" by my fellow Canadian classmate. I don't know what it was that made her think that.