Canadian Pronunciation

Canadian Pronunciation

Generally, Standard Canadian pronunciation is very similar to Standard American pronunciation, especially in Ontario.  As time goes by, and Canadians watch more American TV and movies, Canadians everywhere are beginning to sound more like Americans

There are some variants, however:

The most famous difference is what is known as 'Canadian raising', which raises the onsets of diphthongs before voiceless consonants, as in house, about, mouth, louse, lout andout.   

You can listen to how some of these words are pronounced here: http://www.yorku.ca/twainweb/troberts/raising.html.  However, this feature which distinguishes Canadian English from American English is undergoing a change which could erase this difference.

Some Canadians pronounce cot the same as caught and collar the same as caller . 

The i often comes out differently in fife and five, knife and knives, life and lie, light and lied, in bite and in bide, in price and in prizes, rite and ride, and in rite and rye.  Most British and American speakers would use the second vowel sound only.

Many Canadians also will turn t sounds into d sounds, so Iron Maiden will seem to be a "heavy-meddle" band and the capital appears to be "Oddawa".  

There are a few words for which Canadians have varying pronunciations.  For example: ate, bade, been, drought, economics, khaki, leisure, lieutenant, missile, program, quinine, schedule and sterile.

In Quebec, the accent is an interesting combination of Jewish and French influence. 

Don´t forget to see the link:

http://www.yorku.ca/twainweb/troberts/raising.html

See you !!