Minnesota/Massachusetts

[August1991]

I heard this recently, but I think that I heard it before.

Why are people in Minnesota and Massachusetts considered "honourary Canadians"? Is this an insult to Americans? Canadians?

Do I have this all wrong?

[Guest American Woman]

What's an honorary Canadian? Do perks come with the title?

Edited September 17, 2011 by Charles Anthony
deleted re-copied Opening Post

[guyser]

What's an honorary Canadian? Do perks come with the title?

Yes....I will show you.....

What's an honorary Canadian..Eh? Do perks come with the title...Eh?

You're welcome.

[August1991]

What's an honorary Canadian? Do perks come with the title?

Perks? Dunno.

But to be an honourary Canadian, it seems to depend on an Indian (aboriginal) name based on an English pronunciation. Michigan and Illinois are too French. New York and New Hampshire are too English. And Vermont is just too obvious.

[Guest American Woman]

Yes....I will show you.....

Then I must be an honorary Canadian, because we say "eh" where I come from too.

Perks? Dunno.

But to be an honourary Canadian, it seems to depend on an Indian (aboriginal) name based on an English pronunciation. Michigan and Illinois are too French. New York and New Hampshire are too English. And Vermont is just too obvious.

I live in Michigan, and we have a lot of French Canadians in my neck of the woods. Wouldn't that count?

[guyser]

Then I must be an honorary Canadian, because we say "eh" where I come from too.

Sorry to hear.

I live in Michigan, and we have a lot of French Canadians in my neck of the woods. Wouldn't that count?

Only if poutine is served

[August1991]

I live in Michigan, and we have a lot of French Canadians in my neck of the woods. Wouldn't that count?

To be serious, people from Massachusetts and Minnesota seem to be like (English) Canadians. I reckon that Massachusetts has many Catholics, and Canada is largely a Roman Catholic country.

Minnesota has many Lutherans (?), like people in Canada's west. But what do I know.

Edited September 16, 2011 by August1991

[Guest American Woman]

To be serious, people from Massachusetts and Minnesota seem to be like (English) Canadians. I reckon that Massachusetts has many Catholics, and Canada is largely a Roman Catholic country.

Minnesota has many Lutherans (?), like people in Canada's west. But what do I know.

I was being serious. We do have a lot of French Canadians in the area of Michigan I live in and the dialect is said to be influenced by Scandinavian and French-Canadian speech. I can't help but wonder why one must one be like English Canadians to be an honorary Canadian.

But don't know if we have restaurants that serve poutine, Guyser.

[Smallc]

But what do I know.

I assume you don't actually want us to answer that....

[August1991]

I was being serious. We do have a lot of French Canadians in the area of Michigan I live in and the dialect is said to be influenced by Scandinavian and French-Canadian speech.

There you go. Scandinavian/Dutch/German Lutheran and Irish Catholic: the roots of English Canada, combined with French Canada Roman Catholic.

I assume you don't actually want us to answer that....

Huh? I read Robertson Davies' Fifth Business (first in translation, then in the original; very, very good) and his description of the churches in Deptford intrigued me. Presbyterian? Anglican? What's the difference?

----

Returning to the OP, I've heard that people from Massachusetts and Minnesota are like Canadians: Mondale, Dukakis... Romney.

Edited September 18, 2011 by August1991

[Guest American Woman]

Returning to the OP, I've heard that people from Massachusetts and Minnesota are like Canadians: Mondale, Dukakis... Romney.

FYI, Romney's dad was governor of Michigan for three terms; Mitt was born and raised in Michigan.