French Acadian Accent
This speech stems from the influence of Acadian settlers residing in French communities throughout Cape Breton, resulting in many loanwords.
Some characteristics:
- Voiced th, as in "that", is usually replaced by a d sound, and voiceless th, as in "thin," is usually replaced by a t sound. For example, "three" can be pronounced as tree and "that" as dat. This can be seen in the stereotypical phrase "Dis, dat and de udder ting" (This, that and the other thing).
In other areas this also is the result of Gaelic influences where the sound "th" does not exist in the language and in some communities there is a notable mixture of both the Gaelic and French Acadian accents, particularly in the Richmond County area.
Read more about this topic: Cape Breton Accent
Famous quotes containing the words french and/or accent:
“I never rebel so much against France as not to regard Paris with a friendly eye; she has had my heart since my childhood.... I love her tenderly, even to her warts and her spots. I am French only by this great city: the glory of France, and one of the noblest ornaments of the world.”
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)
“I lost my ridiculous accent without acquiring another”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)