Which outfit for graduation?

**Lallans** · 16th March 10, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by CDNSushi

Hmm.. Well, all my life I've had very close ties with our neighbours to the South, including the fact that 75% of my friends are American. Here in Japan there are more U.S. ex-pats than others. I've also adapted some of my Canadianisms to make life easier, so maybe that's what you mean....

Eg.

1. I've completely eliminated "eh" from my speech. It got too distracting. People would hang on my every sentence, waiting for the inevitable "eh" and then they'd make fun of me. (Not that I mind that one SO much, but it also meant that they really weren't listening to the CONTENT of what I was saying.

2. I've stopped using uniquely Canadian words... Like "chesterfield." Because none of my friends know what the heck I'm talking about.

3. I've adapted many of my spellings... None of my auto-correct spell checkers seem to speak "Canadian" so I end up with a lot of underlined words... And the fact that I'm doing my MBA at an American college makes it more important for me to maintain a U.S. standard.

4. I'm fairly well informed about the politics, policies, and history of the U.S. My university studies have played a part in this too... So maybe I come across as more American... I scored 91% on the Intercollegiate Studies Institute's Civic Literacy quiz. Also, as part of my MBA I've had to study the U.S. Constitution, civil and criminal law, Uniform Commercial Code, etc...

But for the record, I was born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada... Also went to school at the U of A, and lived in Edmonton for about 10 years.

Take my ehs, take my chesterfields, but oh baby don't you take my spelling! It'll be done from my cold dead fingures! (that's a joke reference to the extra U often found in British/Canadian spellings, see?) To be without honour, without humour? Such behaviour would be far from favourable! (And every American knows what Chesterfields are, they just think it's a brand of cigarettes, eh? What confusion could possibly result from that? )

**Brian K** · 16th March 10, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Canuck of NI

Take my ehs, take my chesterfields, but oh baby don't you take my spelling! It'll be done from my cold dead fingures! (that's a joke reference to the extra U often found in British/Canadian spellings, see?) To be without honour, without humour? Such behaviour would be far from favourable! (And every American knows what Chesterfields are, they just think it's a brand of cigarettes, eh? What confusion could possibly result from that? )

I don't know, maybe I'm an oddball, but the first thing I think of when I hear the word Chesterfield is a particularly nice overcoat/topcoat with a velvet collar.

**Dixiecat** · 16th March 10, 09:53 PM

2. I've stopped using uniquely Canadian words... Like "chesterfield." Because none of my friends know what the heck I'm talking about.

I haven't heard that word in a long time! It's going out of fashion since the company no longer exists. I had to stop saying it ages ago after I first moved to Newfoundland and no one knew what I was talking about.

**Lallans** · 17th March 10, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Brian K

I don't know, maybe I'm an oddball, but the first thing I think of when I hear the word Chesterfield is a particularly nice overcoat/topcoat with a velvet collar.

Yes Lord Chesterfield got some sartorial props in his day, didn't he? ...After writing the cigarette thing, I got to wondering if they still do make that brand (which used to be a favourite of mine)? What with quitting and no tobacco advertising, I'm not in touch anymore- thankfully.