chartle
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2008
I'm pretty sure they would have said "it's 200 kilometers" in UK.
I believe some/most people still use miles and MPH in the UK even if the road signs say K's.
I'm pretty sure they would have said "it's 200 kilometers" in UK.
WishingMom, reminds me of one of the last times crossing the border back into Canada and Customs Border Guard asked where we were going - hubby replied "home". Duh.....American " where are y'all from?"
Canadian " Newfoundland"
American "where"
Canadian " eastern Canada"
American " Oh"
Husband " why don't you just say Canada".
Here in BC, a rutabaga and a turnip are different vegetables, they are similar, but not the same. Same as Yams and Sweet Potatoes, similar but different.A rutabaga is a type of tunnip or squash they all kind of fall in the same vegetable family.
They don't sell ginger ale in the US? If so, what do they call it?Hubby continues to ask for ginger ale, pretty common here at home, but not in the US! One waiter “made” him some by mixing coke with sprite. Um, no.
I’ve seen it at the grocery store, but most restaurants do not carry it in their fountain drinks.They don't sell ginger ale in the US? If so, what do they call it?
They don't sell ginger ale in the US? If so, what do they call it?
The only thing I've ever really noticed was the 'you're a Northern' comment when I asked for mustard with my pretzel. Funny part is later in the trip got a pretzel from Germany in Epcot and they gave me mustard without me saying anything.
Does anybody in Canada really understand what American cheese it? Is it like a Kraft single, or is it cheap cheddar or something? I can't ever seem to get this right in my brain
I find Canadians call it by Brand name instead of ingredient/what it is.
Eg> Kleenex = Tissue, QTip = Cotton Swab. Etc.
Also asked for serviettes and got a puzzled look, napkins is the term used.
I love the fact that Americans generally know nothing about the geography or politics of Canada.
we have college and university for post-secondary options.
"College" here often means what we would refer to as University back in Canada.
AND if we say "public school" we mean up to grade 8 (usually) as opposed to the Catholic School board -- they think we mean we're not paying for our kids to go to some sort of private school.
I also get really confused when they talk about freshman, sophomore, junior??
I was in Disney talking to a guy from Portland, Oregon. He wouldn't believe me that where I am from is future south then he is.
Their population, geography and history create a very rich tapestry of literature, film, television, music etc. that means that they can get everything they want and need by looking inwards.
And I always thought washrooms was a nicer way to say bathrooms (especially since there are no baths there!) so it never occurred to me that it might be regional.
Yes! this cracks me up. I spoke to a guy on the phone today for tech support who asked where I was calling from. I asked where they were located since he was Mountain Standard Time... he replied "well, I am originally from Texas, moved to Oregon for school and now am working in Utah". mine was a one-word answer....
my son had a raging fever on our Disney holiday. I went to the little shop at the contemporary and asked for liquid Tylenol. blank stare. I was pretty sure it was not Canada-specific but when I explained medication, with a dropper for kids with a fever I was walked over to something called temporal I think...
and all the CMs looked like I was nuts when I said "hey, what is with the water here?? it smells funny". according to their name tags they are from all over but no one have noticed or heard complaints about stinky drinking water??? is it just me?
as for my "fave" American expression, when you say thank you to someone and they reply with "uh huh". like they are acknowledging your thanks. lol!
As an American living in Toronto (which we love, thank you very much), raising a basically Canadian speaking child, my two cents:
American cheese = kraft singles ("processed cheese food stuff" per the label)
Mac and cheese = Kraft dinner
Restroom/bathroom = washroom (meanwhile we don't rest, bathe or wash in them!)
Hat/cap = toque
Z = zed (no American will know what you mean if you spell something out loud for them with a zed. Say Z or be doomed to repeating yourself)
I'm all set = no thank you
"Regular" for coffee is very regional so just be specific.
I laughed at the listing every place you're from, as I probably do that. What do Canadians do? Do you answer where you live right now? Where you were born?
I don't know about you but I wash my hands in a washroom!
As for the answer to "where are you from?", I typically say Victoria, BC (where I live now) but if someone starts talking about Ontario, I will mention that I was born near TO and grew up in Ottawa.
Also my friend that lives in Florida, though is from Ohio, claims only Canadians say "backyard" but I'm sure that can't be true!
"Well what war did we ever lose?"
"You lost the war of 1812"
"I never heard of it. What happened?"
"The Americans invaded Canada"
Technically neither side actually won the war of 1812 as all sized property from both sides was returned.
I think it comes down to the don't teach that part of their history in school down there. They teach them about the Civil war and then skip to World war 1 and 2.
We have public school boards and Catholic school boards in Ontario and you designate which you want your school taxes to be paid to.
Why do Americans think they US won WW1 and WW11 single handedly?
We also say 'decks' and more and more American's say 'Lanai,' which is basically the same thing except in Hawaiian.
More of an accent thing, but I had a lot of trouble when I was working at WDW last summer with the word 'bag'. Was a lot of confusion when asking a guest to take off her backpack and put it on the floor of a ride. I guess we say it more as "b-eh-g"? Americans tend to have a longer a (B-aaaah-g).
When people are disgusted that I mix ketchup and mayo together.
They also couldn't understand why we observe November 11th -- didn't grasp the significance of honouring fallen soldiers and the end of a war.
Do you do services and wear poppies on both days?
In Los Angeles we almost always say utensils. I only say silverware when the utensils are made out of silver.
And I do occasionally say 'on accident' instead of 'by accident.' I use them both interchangeable, and never thought about it until now.
I know the US has rule about the flag pole being lit to do that.
Just wanted to add the fact that I have never ever referred to my running shoes as sneakers........ just saying....
same or tennis shoes either
But my friend from the UK living here mentioned to me that the thing he finds weird is that when he asks how far away some place is, Canadians always respond by the time that it will take to drive there, whereas he would expect to be provided the distance. In the Uk, its 200 miles, whilst in Canada its 3.5 hours away
Hubby continues to ask for ginger ale, pretty common here at home, but not in the US! One waiter “made” him some by mixing coke with sprite. Um, no.
They sell it here in the US but it isn't something they usually serve in restaurants. I have seen it in the Coke freestyle machines though
I have to imagine that whoever is doing that has no clue. I've never met anyone in my life who thinks ginger ale is something other than...you know ginger ale.Hubby continues to ask for ginger ale, pretty common here at home, but not in the US! One waiter “made” him some by mixing coke with sprite. Um, no.
But if you have the chance, try some Blenheim's Ginger Ale. You can buy it at South of the Border if you are driving down, although it is carried many places in the South East. A generations old family business from South Carolina (actually now owned by the same folks that own SOTB), they have been brewing up a Ginger Ale that will blow the top of your head off. Get the original red cap variety; the gold cap is a bit gentler on your sinuses. I understand that Fresh Market in Orlando carries it, but we generally stock up on our way through the Carolinas.Yes there are 5 or 6 brands of ginger ale in any grocery store here with the appropriately named Canada Dry probably being the best selling. I would say very few here drink it by its self. Around the holidays its sold a lot for mixers and punches.
I like the Vernors brand.
Fun Thread! My parents are from Ontario, but we kids were born in the States. We'd go back to Canada on holidays and in the summer to visit my grandparents. I always remember rutabagas and turnips are different, but similar tasting. I think rutabagas were larger. I also remember serviettes, freshie (koolaid), Girl Guides, and one pair of grandparents calling a sofa a Chesterfield. And bags of milk, which I thought was very strange. Also, mentally translating km into miles, whenever we drove somewhere. Clothes were slightly different. Much better candy bars than in America. Aero bars, and Cadbury, and Nielsens. Everything seemed much more expensive. We moved a lot when I was a kid, so Canada always felt like a home base. We had at least some of my parents' accent, so I always felt like it was home. Oh, last of all, in the summer, it would take forever to get dark. We'd play outside, at least til 9 or 930.
Yeah that is true. I know Canada Dry and Seagram's had a class action lawsuit filed against them last year due to false advertisement of saying "MADE FROM REAL GINGER" when in fact they are not.Ginger ale is common here, though it rarely has ANY ginger in it (loaded with HFCS though)
I have never ever ever heard anyone describe a deck as a lanais unless you are in Hawaii or you are going for a tropical theme. So whoever that other poster is talking to def. doesn't represent 'more and more Americans' unless they are speaking about the decor choices people are making lol and a geographical specific location.I have lived in many regions here, and I have friends from ALL over, and I have only heard of lanais in Florida and Hawaii. Promise.
Unless someone is doing a THING with their house and making tiki bars or some such thing...
I have to imagine that whoever is doing that has no clue. I've never met anyone in my life who thinks ginger ale is something other than...you know ginger ale.
If that waiter made him coke with sprite he's an exception and has never been to the Soda/Pop aisle at the grocery store.
I have however seen it in restaurants. Usually it's Schweppes or Seagram's brand though. It's not too too common though.
Airlines def. have it. My husband and I always get that when we fly.
I have never ever ever heard anyone describe a deck as a lanais unless you are in Hawaii or you are going for a tropical theme.
Yes....and their show was set in Miami, FL....Didn't the Golden Girls have a lanai.
At the Publix, said to the cashier "boy it's hot!" (was around 85F)
She, "No it's not" (with a Floridian drawl)
Me, grabbing phone, "here's a picture of my front yard 2 days ago" (with 6-7 feet of snow obscuring the house)
She, "okay, it's hot"
ETA: The picture I flashed (or "how to scare a Floridian"):
Trivia: "Ginger ale was purported to be first invented in 1851 in Ireland, but modern-style ginger ale came about many years later in 1907 when Canadian John McLaughlin invented it and it eventually became Canada Dry. The ginger ale was available in two versions, golden and dry (golden is rare today)." One of the ingredients is artificial or natural ginger-flavour.But if you have the chance, try some Blenheim's Ginger Ale. You can buy it at South of the Border if you are driving down, although it is carried many places in the South East. A generations old family business from South Carolina (actually now owned by the same folks that own SOTB), they have been brewing up a Ginger Ale that will blow the top of your head off. Get the original red cap variety; the gold cap is a bit gentler on your sinuses. I understand that Fresh Market in Orlando carries it, but we generally stock up on our way through the Carolinas.