Sewing a Canadian Flag on a Backpack is their idea of Blatant Patriotism
Canadians are not flag wavers. While their neighbours to the south hang Old Glory from anything they possibly can, Canadians are much less flashy with the Maple Leaf.
There isn't a flag pole in front of every house in Canada. Canadians don't have ticker-tape parades where flags hang from buildings in celebration. That's just not their style. No, Canadians prefer a more subtle type of patriotism, one that can only be seen in beer commercials.
The most patriotic a Canadian will ever get is when they are traveling abroad.
As we've previously discussed, Canadians do not want to be considered Americans. They will do anything within their power to avoid being lumped into the same group as those from the United States. This is never more true than when outside of Canada.
Due to the many similarities between the two cultures, Canadians are frequently mistaken for Americans when they are in Europe or Asia or anywhere else abroad. This is something Canadians definitely do not want. They have spent their entire lives defining themselves as "Not American" and some guy in France is not going to screw this up for them!
So, to stop this from happening, Canadians make a bold statement. They go against all of their values. They sew Canadian flags on their backpacks.
But don't worry, they aren't going crazy here. It's not like they sew large flags. No, Canadians would not want to upset anyone. They find the smallest flags they possibly can and they use those. It's a very Canadian way of saying "I'm Canadian, but I'm not going to rub your face in it, and it's cool that you're not Canadian."
Unfortunately, as always, spotting Canadians is not so simple. It's not a cut-and-dry issue
Canadians enjoy such good reputations overseas that now many Americans have started sewing Canadian flags on their backpacks as well! This makes it quite difficult to distinguish between real Canadians and fake Canadians. In these cases you will need to use some of the other tips you have learned to separate the Canucks from the "Faux-nucks."
Important Note: This "quiet patriotism" with its lack of flags completely disappears when it comes to hockey. Only during hockey games will you see giant Canadian flags flowing through the crowd and seas of maple leaves in the streets. In these situations it is best to allow Canadians to watch their hockey undisturbed. You can come back and question them later when something else is on, like baseball. Interrupting a Canadian during a hockey game is never encouraged and could prove dangerous.
There isn't a flag pole in front of every house in Canada. Canadians don't have ticker-tape parades where flags hang from buildings in celebration. That's just not their style. No, Canadians prefer a more subtle type of patriotism, one that can only be seen in beer commercials.
The most patriotic a Canadian will ever get is when they are traveling abroad.
As we've previously discussed, Canadians do not want to be considered Americans. They will do anything within their power to avoid being lumped into the same group as those from the United States. This is never more true than when outside of Canada.
Due to the many similarities between the two cultures, Canadians are frequently mistaken for Americans when they are in Europe or Asia or anywhere else abroad. This is something Canadians definitely do not want. They have spent their entire lives defining themselves as "Not American" and some guy in France is not going to screw this up for them!
So, to stop this from happening, Canadians make a bold statement. They go against all of their values. They sew Canadian flags on their backpacks.
But don't worry, they aren't going crazy here. It's not like they sew large flags. No, Canadians would not want to upset anyone. They find the smallest flags they possibly can and they use those. It's a very Canadian way of saying "I'm Canadian, but I'm not going to rub your face in it, and it's cool that you're not Canadian."
Unfortunately, as always, spotting Canadians is not so simple. It's not a cut-and-dry issue
Canadians enjoy such good reputations overseas that now many Americans have started sewing Canadian flags on their backpacks as well! This makes it quite difficult to distinguish between real Canadians and fake Canadians. In these cases you will need to use some of the other tips you have learned to separate the Canucks from the "Faux-nucks."
Important Note: This "quiet patriotism" with its lack of flags completely disappears when it comes to hockey. Only during hockey games will you see giant Canadian flags flowing through the crowd and seas of maple leaves in the streets. In these situations it is best to allow Canadians to watch their hockey undisturbed. You can come back and question them later when something else is on, like baseball. Interrupting a Canadian during a hockey game is never encouraged and could prove dangerous.
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What continent is Canada located within? America Online Canada makes perfect sense to me.
The larger problem is that US Citizens are so self absorbed they don't even realize that everyone from Chile to Canada is actually an American.
Uhm, most of the backpackers with Canadian flags are in fact Americans trying to be less of a target for evil doers. Of course you can spot them immediately because they are way too loud and don't say sorry very often
Also Americans with Canadian flags can be spotted as soon as they say 'about' instead of 'aboot'.
LOL Like Lisa Simpson
I'm Canadian and I've never actually heard anyone say "aboot" outside of television.
Do people actually pronounce it like that anywhere in the country?
Well, perhaps being Canadian you aren't totally aware of your accent. Certainly all Canadians I have met say "aboot".
I think a lot of Canadians (myself included) do say it with more emphasis on the 'u' than Americans do. However, "aboot" is an exaggeration and I think that's why Canadians always object to saying it that way while others insist that we do.
i find the part that when you invite a canadian to your house and they will fill your fridge with canadian beer.. etc. is not true. i dont know anyone who does that. seems a little bit rude too. i am a canadian and i am quite proud. most of what has been said is true and i notice that, but not the fridge, i dont believe that is a fact.
Thanks for the comments.
Yes, it is possible that I pronounce "about" differently and aren't able to recognize it.
As for the comment about Canadian beer and hockey, it was meant as an over-exaggeration. Just like a lot of the content on this site the statements are somewhat based on reality but then they are exaggerated for comedic effect.
This is something I have read (I wish I could remember where):
Canadians do not say "aboot" but Americans can only hear "aboot" because their ears literally cannot distinguish what we are actually saying (in which the OU in "about" is pronounced something like the AOU in the name "Raoul").
So it's the other way around from what has been said before. The deficiency in awareness is on the hearing side, not the speaking side.
I'm not an American. I come from New Zealand - miles away in distance, accents and, probably, hearing
First of all, this site is making me laugh. A lot. But I have one correction to this - Canadians drape themselves with flags not only at hockey games, but also at Tragically Hip concerts.
But that's only so they match the Hip, who also drape themselves in the flag.
Thanks for reading! I'm glad you enjoy the site.
I have to fully agree with the poster that said as a people Canadian's don't drape themselves in the flag. I know I run a business selling Canadian flags and it's a seasonal venture both due to our climate but for other reasons.
I'm sure I'll be flamed for this, but I also run a website selling said Canada flag patches I can tell you that those little embroidered flags are popular all over the world. Lately since the introduction of a "subdued" style of flag patches was introduced last year these are gaining in popularity too which might also say something. Perhaps "real" Canadians want to show patriotism but in a more "subdued" way.
Isn't that the quintessential Canadian way/experience for the majority of the population, subdued patriotism?
A little addition to the "aboot" debate. Americans get touchy when Canadians dispute this pronounciation. We actually pronounce it "aboat". The thing is Americans don't say "out" the same way we do, they flatten the "o" to an "ah" sound, in Canadian ears. However, being Canadian, we wouldn't want to offend by letting them know how odd that sounds...........
Well, and then there's that 'schedule' word that just pops out when I'm relaxed in the US - still can't get the 'sh' out of it unless I concentrate and am aware that I'm about (ooops!) to say it. I think we Canadians also don't say 'Eh?' anywhere as often as Americans think we do - I just think its an odd sound to most American ears. Similar to the American 'Huh?' that still sounds a bit rude to me.
yes, yes yes to "aboat" and "shedule."
I've been gone since childhood but retained a few oddities (adopted by Americans.)
I work with people who catch the differences, but only one, whose dad came to the US from Canada at 3, catches "aboat" rather than "a boot."
and he throws eh at me enough that I started doing it again, to the amusement of all.
Now, how did I keep these after a long span in Texas I wonder? Is it lingual superiority? Sorry.
So not "lingual Superiority"...thats crap..lol, IT ALL sounds ridiculous! Canadians say Aboat, aboot, or oot, because they have "issues", those are in correct, just as plain as the noses on your frozen faces. We don't say out with and "ah" sound, that would be what? ah-out??? lol..makes no sense what so ever. And yes you guys do talk like that, I never really thought so, except Caroline Ray[ Whos'Canandian} does it all the time, so do the cast of Degrassi, which just started showing on MTV.I didn't even know it was a Canandian originated program. You guys are special, don't hate because you wanna be american, have funny looking money, and no real SUMMER!! HAHA.
"The larger problem is that US Citizens are so self absorbed they don't even realize that everyone from Chile to Canada is actually an American." Wow, nice 3rd grade statement. The U.S. is the only country to use the word "American" in it's proper name, so while those in Chile might be from the South American continent they're clearly not 'Americans." As for being self-absorbed, that's just naked anti-Americanism, which while understandable on a Candian-flag-on-the-backpack-forum, is ugly and ignorant.
Im a canadian and I do not say aboot nor have I ever heard anyone say abbot where I come from. I say about like anyone else and I don't say eh un less I want to be a sarcastic canadian ;)
While 'about' vs 'aboot' is a debate on subtleties, I would like to draw the attention to the more pronounced pronunciation differences between Americans and Canadians.
"Gala"
Canada: Gah-la
US: Gay-la
"Roof"
Canada: Roof
US: Ruf
BUT, as we know not every Canadian and American pronounces them in these ways. Can we all just agree that this stuff is regional?