Why do Canadians have such a think accent?

[Herman]

+1 Yes, it's true, the poster above seems to be exactly right from my experience. I'm originally from Nova Scotia but I have lived in Australia for many years and still have a remnant of a Canadian accent.

I worked for years in the Australian fishing industry back in its heyday. Working down in a -30 degree freezer hold in a trawler or a mothership used to bring my Canadian accent back completely every time I stayed down there long enough for my cheeks and lips to start getting a little frozen.

[GrouchyGaijin]

I live in Sweden, but am from the US, so my first language is English. My wife is from Japan, so her first language is Japanese. Our kids have been in Sweden most of their lives so Swedish has become their dominant language. They are both five and can speak English pretty well, except aside from talking with me, they don't really use English much. I got a bunch of DVDs for them to watch in English; one is from Canada. It's about a little turtle family - anyway my kids have now started saying sOrry (pronounced with a strong O) as opposed to the way I say the word which is more like ah.

Interesting how we all have variations isn't it?

[GrouchyGaijin]

If ya ain't from Montana ya ain't able to talk proper anyhow, so who cares?

Now where'd I put my can o' Copenhagen?

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAA
I'd say that pretty much ends the whole discussion.

[uc50_ic4more]

Who has an accent, eh? Is there a "base" English or any other language against which other dialects or "accents" are juxtaposed?

[Irihapeti]

Who has an accent, eh? Is there a "base" English or any other language against which other dialects or "accents" are juxtaposed?

Yes -- it's the one that the person doing the assessment happens to speak.

So I think that e.g. North Americans have an accent, and North Americans think that I have one. Fortunately, my keyboard is accent-neutral.

[deadflowr]

Accents are like food. If you eat the same exact thing everyday, it just becomes a bland mush.
If you listen to the same people around all day, that too becomes a bland mush.

[Zukaro]

I didn't notice any accent. ;^;
But I'm Canadian.
But some people think I have a British accent (actually a lot of people apparently).

*doesn't know*

[Ace.....]

Who has an accent, eh? Is there a "base" English or any other language against which other dialects or "accents" are juxtaposed?

I would suggest that the typical standard of old, has been RP (received pronunciation).
Search on RP and top result is the wiki article.

It doesn't have anything to do with RP being better (though if you speak using RP then you may well think so), but is a specific form of pronunciation that is, or can be taught.

Typically described as "speaking posh", and learned in private schools.

Whereas most accents are simply acquired from those around you.
My missus is French, yet she lived in Hull for 15 years, so most Brits think that she's a Hull lass.

Interesting though, how the accents have changed, say in Oz, where the population arrived from the UK (prior to opening the borders).

[layers]

no no no. I always hear about aboot, but i've lived like a decade in Canada, and I've never heard it from a person in a conversation.
But we do "sorry" more than others.

and my British friend says that she speaks the "proper" English - I have to agree, isn't it there that it originates, as "English"?

Also, to OP, I don't know how you "found" the video, be careful, that's not legal in Canada.