Talk:Cape Breton accent

Latest comment: 5 years ago by Kbb2 in topic Merger to Atlantic Canadian English

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Should this be formally named Cape Breton Island accent? Michael Z. 2005-03-27 17:40 Z

Probably not. Google shows a few hundred hits for "Cape Breton accent", fewer for "Cape Breton English", very few for "Cape Breton dialect", and none for "Cape Breton Island accent", "Cape Breton Island English", or "Cape Breton Island dialect". --Angr 19:54, 27 Mar 2005 (UTC)

On 23 Mar 2005, this article was nominated for deletion. The result was keep. See Wikipedia:Votes for deletion/Cape Breton accent for a record of the discussion. —Korath (Talk) 01:22, Mar 29, 2005 (UTC)

"S" in Cape Breton-ese

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Another thought about the Cape Breton accent, from someone born in Inverness town: nearly every Scottish Cape Bretoner I've listened to uses an S sound rather than a Z sound in words like "his" and "business," where the average American would say "hiz" and "biz-niss."

Though I'm no etymologist, I suspect this stems from the lack of a Z sound in Scots Gaelic.


Folks, there's more than one accent on the Island- compare Isle Madame with Mabou & Sydney!!

"Cape Breton" Island?

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The term "Cape Breton Island" is very formal and realistically would not be used in conversation by a Cape Bretoner. Cape Breton Island would seem to have a more geographical sence. When you talk about the culture, people, or in this case the accent, "Island" need not be included. As a Cape Bretoner i would personally say a "Cape Breton accent". Again as a resident, i have never heard the term "industral accent", but i certainly will admit that i may just be ignorant of its use. I would hope the author of this article wouldn't mind stateing his/her connection to Cape Breton/general place of residence (province). It would also please me to hear the background of the term "industral accent". While i certainly agree with a differnet accent from the west of the island, and an Acadian based accent, i would not categorize all of the mannerisms of speech in the CBRM (Cape Breton Regional Municipality) into one group. To the ear of a Sydney boy there are distinct accents within the CBRM. A New Waterford or Glace Bay accent would be what the author correctly identifies as the stereotypical "Cape Breton" accent, as stated in the first two sentances under the heading "Industral Accent". There are slight differences between the New Waterford dialect and the Glace Bay version, but this, i cannot define, it is a thing i simply know by ear. A Sydney accent is, in some sence, a lack there of. That is not to say a a total lack of this Cape Breton accent but moreso a paucity of it. 'Tis a bit closer to the Queen's English. Although to travel to the west (small "w" to indicate direction, as in to the west of the Maritimes, as opposed to "Western Canada") is to prepare yourself to have someone pick you out as a Cape Bretoner, and you proudly confirm that, yes ideed you are from the Island.

If I am correct, I would like to see the section on "industral accent" changed, or at least the input of others before i would change it myself.

Sydney and Glace Bay have the same accent?

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As someone born and raised in Sydney, I have to agree with the above comment about a notable diversity in this 'industrial accent'. I certainly do not speak like someone from Glace Bay or New Waterford, nor do any of my Sydney-born friends. The difference in accents is striking, and to lump them all together as the same speech gives a false impression of the true level of diversity seen... well, heard... on our quaint little island.

Oh, I almost forgot to note that many people from the 'northside' (North Sydney, Sydney Mines, etc.) speak differently than people from Glace Bay, Sydney, etc., despite also being part of the industrial area.


Port Hood area

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My partner is from Port Hood (western shore). As noted above, he pronounses his final S's with a 'hiss' sound, not like my americanized 'z' pronunciation. One other curious aspect of the dialect is the intake of breath while answering yes...you can make it by trying to say yeah, while taking a quick intake of breath. Done slowly, this sound takes on the classic northeast coast 'hey-ya' that the rest of the world attributes to Mainers. As an english speaker, I can't think of any instance were the spoken word is made with an intake of breath, which makes me wonder if it was an aspect of gaelic speach. See pulmonic ingressive phone for additional detail on this.

New Waterford VS Glace Bay

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I would like to take a brief moment just to break down our beautiful accents a bit more. As a resident of New Waterford, I would have to say that there is a difference between Glace Bay's accent and our own. It's actually a bit difficult to explain unless you live here or there. I personally think that Glace Bay has one of the stronger Cape Breton accents on the island. For example, the use of the word "bi" is used alot more in their dialect then ours. The easiest way to put this is that their accent is a bit stronger than ours.

I would also like to add that I don't know a single person in the CBRM that trills their r's!

I think that basically cape bretoners sound like off brand newfies. Its a time an a half. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Iknowsomestuff (talkcontribs) 23:38, 14 September 2017 (UTC)Reply

Merger to Atlantic Canadian English

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So after over a decade, we've been able to accumulate a whopping one source? And a quick listen to the stereotyped Cape Breton speakers online reveals nothing salient except one particularly Irish-sounding older speaker I found on YouTube. Any disagreements with merging this to Atlantic Canadian English? Wolfdog (talk) 21:37, 12 July 2019 (UTC)Reply

@Wolfdog: Go ahead and merge per WP:TOOSOON, yes. Kbb2 (ex. Mr KEBAB) (talk) 19:18, 15 July 2019 (UTC)Reply