DO YOU SPEAK CANADIAN?

Okay, so there's no such thing as "Canadian" when it comes to language.  Canada formally recognizes two official languages -- English and French.  And while Canadian English is spoken much like we do it in the United States, there are some noticeable differences.

First of all if you need to relieve yourself in Canada you don't ask where the bathroom or restroom is located. Nope.  In Canada is called the washroom although the friendly Canadians will point you in the right direction if you ask about the bathroom or restroom.  Traveling the world it's interesting to see reactions when asking about making a pit stop.  In many foreign lands when us Yanks ask where a restroom is located they have no idea of what we're talking about.  They're used to being asked flat out:  "Where is the toilet."  In Germany the code letters for the John are the letters W.C. which stand for "water closet."

Here in the U.S. we enjoy processed cheese.  Processed is pronounced "pra-cessed" in the U.S.  In Canada processed becomes "pro-cessed."  In the U.S. a mobile unit is pronounced "mow-bul" unit.  In Canada it becomes "mow-bile."

In the U.S. the Mazda car brand is pronounced "mahz-duh."  In Canada it's "Maz-duh."  In the U.S. the Toyota Celica is pronounced "Cell-ah-ka."  In Canada it becomes "Sah-LEE-ka."

Here in the U.S. we say "someone was taken to the hospital."  In Canada, it's "someone was taken to hospital."

Here in the U.S. when the lights go out we have lost our power.  In Canada, they don't lose power but the Hydro goes out.

But the real difference between U.S. and Canadian English comes with a few key words spoken every day.

In the U.S. we might be out and about.  In Canada, they're "oat and ah-boat."  In the U.S. we say it's been a long time.  In Canada that translates into "it's bean a long time."

In the U.S. we might be prone to say:  "Wow, it's snowing pretty good isn't it?"  In Canada they just tack on an "ay" to such a sentence.  I.E.:  "Wow, it's snowing pretty good, ay?"  In fact, they tack that "ay" onto a lot of sentences.  When I covered NHL hockey I spent so much time with the players that I wound up doing it on a regular basis and in some cases, I still do!

One final lesson in Canadian.  In the U.S. we have the dollar.  In Canada, they have the "Dole-er." And more often than not when a Canadian refers to his or her mom it comes out "mum."

Okay - your Canadian language pop quiz.  Read the following sentences out loud speaking Canadian:

"Getting my driver's license has been a long process and expensive, too, ay?  I know you've got to head out and about to the hockey game but I need to borrow a couple of dollars?  I've got to get the antenna fixed on my Mazda mobile unit before I head to hospital to visit my mom.  By the way, is your hydro back on yet?"