加拿大英语和美国英语有什么差别

加拿大是个双从官方语言的国家（dualofficiallanguage），英语，也就是所谓的加拿大英语是主要的语言，大约有85%的加拿大人都会说英语，其它一个官方语言是法语，绝大多数说法语的加拿大人都在魁北克省（Quebec）。所有的加拿大联邦政府发表的刊物都是有英法双语的，法律规定在加拿大市场销售的商品也都要有英法双语标志，所有的机场和一般大城市的路标指示牌也都有英法双语。加拿大英语常常被描述成是一种美国英语、英国英语和魁北克法语的结合，一个独有的「加拿大主义」（Canadianism)。总体而言加拿大英语和美国英语最接近，一般不留意去听或者对英语不熟的人都分别不了加拿大英语和美国英语。 AsimplisticwayofcharacterizingCanadianEnglishisasahybridofBritishEnglishandAmericanEnglish(plusabitofFrenchinfluencefromtheprovinceofQuebec).CanadianstendtouseamixtureofEnglishtermsandAmericanterms.Forexample,Canadiansdrivetrucks,notlorries[卡车],butaCanadianwhoispissedisintoxicated[陶醉],andnot(necessarily)angry[气愤].CanadiansuseBritishspellingslikelabour[人工],colour[颜色],andcheque[支票],butAmericanspellingslikeplow[犁],draft[草稿],andprogram[程序].TherearealsosomeuniquelyCanadianterms,suchaschesterfield[沙发],notsofaorcouchasAmericanscallit.AnotherthingthatIfinddifferentisthatCanadiansrefertoasoftdrinklikeCokeColaasapop,whilemostAmericanscallitasoda.PopisprobablyashortformforPopularDrinkbecausesoftdrinkslikeCokeand7UPwereconsideredtrendydrinkswhentheyfirstcameonthemarket.WhenitcomestothetheletterZ,Canadians,liketheirBritishcousins,pronounceitZed.AnothertermthatalwaysgetsmepersonallyconfusediswhenIaskanAmericanwhereisthewashroom[洗手间],andtheylookatmefunnybecauseitseemsmostAmericans,atleasttheonesImet,prefertosayrestroom[休息室]orbathroom[洗澡间].TheBritishofcoursesayWC(forwashingcloset)ortoilet[厕所].Americanstakevacations[休假]andBritishtakeholidays[假日],butCanadianstakebothvacationsandholidays. OneoftheinterestingfactsisthatdespitethesizeofCanada(itisthesecondlargestcountryintermsoflandmassintheworld),therearesurprisinglylittlegeographicaldifferencesintermsofhowtheyspeakEnglishbetweenCanadians(excludingtheProvinceofQuebecofcoursebecausetheyspeakFrenchthere)fromcoasttocoast.UnlikeinAmericawheretherearealotofdifferentEnglishaccents,likeNewYorkaccent,Texasaccent,Southernaccent,Bostonaccentandsoon,nativeEnglish-speakingCanadiansfromalloverthecountrymoreorlessspeakwiththesameaccent.ItisevenmoreamazingwhenyouconsiderinChinawhichissmallerthanCanadaarea-wise,therearesomanydifferentdialectsandlanguages.SomehavecomparedtheCanadianaccenttoamid-westernandwesternUSaccentwhichissupposedlythemostsimilartotheso-calledHollywoodaccent.ThisisperhapswhytherehavebeenmanyCanadianactorsandTVNewsAnnouncerswhoseemtospeakperfect“broadcasting-English”(ABCTV'sPeterJenningsandKevinNewmanforexample).IfindthatCanadianaccentisverysimilartonorthwesternaccenthereinPortland.