My sister-in-law lives in Newfoundland and feels highly insulted when people refer to Newfoundlanders as Newfies. I don't think for the world that the use of "Newfie" is necessarily a put down but, instead, an endearment for a part of Canada that is distinct in it's culture, it's habitat, and it's tongue. I wish we Ontarians had a nice nickname like that.
Recently a lady from Ontario had a stroke and, strangely, developed a Newfoundland accent even though she had no family on the east coast nor had ever been there herself. Apparently this is a rare disorder caused by the stroke damage and she could just as easily have begun speaking with a German accent or a French accent. What I find funny about this is that comedians are going to have a field day with this story.
Accents are interesting things. My daughter lived in Florida for quite a few years and I had noticed she had started speaking with a slight Floridian accent (yes, there definitely is one). During my visits her accent gradually lessened until it pretty much disappeared...until one of her Florida friends phoned or came around. Then her accent broadened until she sounded like a Florida cracker.
I read a newspaper article about the lady who had the stroke and it made a weird statement. It said that she'd previously had a southern Ontario accent. I don't think we have one. In fact, I think southern Ontarians are the only people in the world who don't have an accent. We're homogeneous...and that has nothing to do with gay pride.
The reason I say this is because most T.V. announcers sound like us. They rarely exhibit any kind of accent at all so they must be copying us...because we're homogeneous.
I'm joking, of course, but there is an element of truth in it. I could never identify an Ontarian anywhere in the world but my ears would catch a Newfie or Alabamian in a second. I'm jealous. I wish we had a unique sound...preferably one as pleasing as the east coasters' and southerners'.
2 comments:
Read your first paragraph again. Your sister in law is insulted when you call her a Newfie. You seem to think that because to your mind it's "a nice nickname" and endearing that it's okay to dismiss her opinion on what she'd like to be called. Maybe you should respect her enough that she can judge for herself what insults her, and why?
Let's say I called you a dummy. I'd guess you wouldn't appreciate it. But according to you, if I explain that by "dummy", I just mean that all you fellows on the mainland who don't understand are "cute" and "charming", and don't worry about it 'cause there's tons of you like it, and I don't really mean you're dumb anyways, I mean why would you think that? Just because I called you a dummy? Geez, get a sense of humour, dummy!... etc...
Then maybe you'd understand partly why your sister-in-law is insulted when you call Newfoundlanders "Newfies". Because it WAS used as an insult. And because it still is.
Wow! It sounds like I hit a raw nerve. Why would you be so nasty to someone who doesn't even use the word "Newfie" as an insult?
In my humble opinion you are a rude individual because you said those things with an element of cruelty behind them. Get a grip and get over it.
I happen to love Newfoundland so you're taking your anger out on the wrong person.
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