Its sometimes quite funny how Canadians and the Scots who have immigrated to Canada compare their conversations with each other. From the Canadians point of view, they will insist they are speaking correct English and of course, the Scots when using their native tongue actually speak in whats known over the pond as guttural English. Unless they happen to have grown up through private schooling or are perhaps self claimed aristocracy. A good example of the difference between Canadian and English is when the Canadian come out with sayings such as; the wauder is warm or maybe pass me the buder please. No, I didnt misspell the words. Canadians tend to replace the letter T with the letter D when they speak, but they do not realize that. On the other hand, the Scotsman would say the same phrases as the waatir is warim and pass me that buttir, usually without the word please.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am from Scotland myself and now proud to call myself a Canadian, all be it one with a strange accent. I love Canadians in many ways and to prove my point, I married the woman I still consider to be the best one. Never the less, it amazes me that Canadians have the type of accent they have. They all insist they do not have any accent but to all those who are non-Canadians, their accent sound like a quieter and softer spoken American twang, hence the reason that many Canadians are unintentionally mistaken for Americans when they are visiting Europe. At least to Europeans who have not travelled much themselves, or maybe the ones who watch too many American movies on television. Therefore, when we take into account that other than our First Nations and Inuit peoples, Canada was developed by an endless influx of immigrants from far off lands and especially from Ireland and Scotland.

Accordingly, one would think that the colloquial accents which there after developed across Canada would have been more likely to have a mixture of Scottish or Irish twang. Yet it doesnt, unless you travel to Newfoundland or Nova Scotia and other small hamlets of Atlantic Canada where the accent is distinctly mixed Scottish and Irish. So, where did the real Canadian accent develop? Upon studying Canadians speaking, you will notice that many of them speak with their tongue close to the bottom of their mouth and behind their bottom teeth. They also tend to emphasize the letter R in many of their words but with a much different emphasis that the Scottish pronunciation of R. A good example of this is when they say the word sure. They tend to say showrr.

On the other hand, the Scots who speak with the broad guttural slang that we always assume makes them natives of Glasgow for some reason, tend to speak to each other by joining many of their words together. Not only in a slang dialect but also in a very broad accent. Such as Whitirye daeinramorra? which in English means; what are you doing tomorrow? Or worse still; Yacrabbitlump yer bustinmaheid. which translated to a language we can understand means; You bad tempered person, you are bursting me head. What chance do we have of ever converting anyone who speaks in these dulcet tones to speak our own Canadian English? For that matter, what chance would we ever have of actually understanding what they were talking about?

All this being said, both the Canadians and the Scottish have always had a great admiration and respect for each other. They are genuinely bonded in true friendliness, even across an ocean and the warmth that each nation shows for the other has always been the envy of the rest of our World. So, whether we speak Canadian or alternatively speak Scottish Canadian, it really doesnt matter too much. For there deep inside each and every one of us, we have developed a warm and clear understanding of each other and that has been, just like respect, earned over the many years we have shared together. When Canadians say they are Scottish, then question them to find out where they were actually born. Please let them know that they may well have Scottish or Irish origins, but if they were born in Canada then they should say I am Canadian and be very proud of the fact, even if they then add that their ancestors were from overseas.

Bob Littlejohn MBA BSc