Canadian

[NS'Creter]

Hi guys! You've heard how to spell Canada haven't you? It's
C-eh-n-eh-d-eh I was just wondering if you're aware that communicating with all of my American friends has me very confused. Here's why...
us - colour...you - color
us - labour...you - labor
us - analogue...you - analog
us - catalogue...you - catalog
This is just a short list, there are many examples of this.
I'm don't even know which grey or gray is ours anymore.

When they sound the same in speech, isn't it funny that we spell them differently? Also, last weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving, why do we have different dates for this one? Christmas is still December 25 isn't it?

[Lindy]

I would assume that it Canada's french heritage that results in the different spelling. At least Bill Gates' Microsoft "spell check," and a majority of old fashioned dictionaries, are programed so that either American/english or Canadian/french influenced spelling are correct when used in writing.

As for Thanksgiving, and all your other Canadian holidays ... I have a Canadian holiday calendar, along with one of ours, since I have a great many industry contacts and friends north of our USA boarders ... I don't want to being calling them when they are out of their offices, celebrating a holiday with their family and close friends. Of course, I guess having the Thanksgiving holiday on different days is a real plus if someone has family on the USA and Canadian side of the boarder ... since no one has to choose where to eat, instead they can really get stuffed twice. ;D

Lindy

[NS'Creter]

For sure it's the French influence in the spelling. But why do you have a Zee and I have a Zed for the letter Z? To be honest, I think that Zee makes more sense...to bring the d into it should change how a word is pronounced shouldn't it? And why did we go metric when ours neighbours/neighbors didn't? That makes no sense to me and it makes for major issues in regards to packaging...foolish.

Lindy mentioned some topics of geography in another thread that we have going (Advertising). It's kinda where the discussion took us and for anyone who checks in and reads this I think it would be interesting (if not informative) to discuss that further. I've driven over most of the contenental 48 and all but Newfoundland on this side. The southern weather is certainly more to my liking. I love it along the Gulf Coast, but living there would certainly be another story. I've been brought up near the ocean and love it...I can't imagine living very far from salt water. We don't get severe weather of any sort here. We get 4 distinct seasons but it's not common for very much "weather" during any of them. The 2 weeks of sun and 90 degree (F) plus was our summer this year. We won't likely get snow until after Christmas (suits me).

[NS'Creter]

I got slack and forgot to bring up our different dates for Thanksgiving. Why do we do that? Christmas is the same, Easter is the same, U.S. Veterans' Day is the same as our Rememberance Day...what's the deal with Thanksgiving? Heh,heh. That's almost like a Seinfeld bit, "What's the deal with..." ;D If anybody has an explanation for this one, fact or fiction, I'd love to read it. Most importantly, I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Thanksgiving.

I know that I brought up the Thanksgiving thing but I meant to revisit it for the U.S. date too.