For most of us on the North American continent, we know of the sterotype that Canadians have recieved. "Eh". But how was it made and attached to the Canadian profile? Can anyone answer me this question? The fate of this forum may depend it...
Because when I went up into Canada, the first thing I was asked was "What's your business in Canada, eh?". The first time a ate at a Canadian establishment, the waitress said, "That soup's pretty good, eh?" When my Canadian substitute teacher yells, she says eh a lot.
Well it does have a basis in reality. In the summer I go to Minnesota and stay at our family cabin, and it's pretty far "oop narth". Canadians are abound and they most definitely do attach "eh" to the end of their sentences. I think it's a rural or maybe regional thing though, because there are tons of Canadians who don't do it at all.
Actually Kali has a point, when I was in Minnesota I heard everyone or at least many many people from Canada say Eh, yet when I went to Canada its self I almost never if ever heard a Canadian say Eh.
I actually had to cross the border, and here's what both the guards said to me... Going into Canada: "What's your business in Canada, eh?" Going into the US: "What's your business in America, eh?"
Generally in Canada the more east you go the more there is an accent. So naturally people from Newfoundland like cartoon characters.
I live in Western Canada and I rarely hear the "eh" at all, probably because immigrants like myself occupy the place lol. Anyways, what Eridian said is true, since if you manage to meet a few people from Newfoundland and Quebec. They sound weirder, believe me. Those newfies.
I've never said "eh", other than it sounding more like the Fonz rather than what you hear. Although, this may be due to me not being Canadian at all, sure I was born in Canada, sure I have British and Scottish heritage, but I'm just so mixed that it doesn't happen. Also, I've never heard my pure English cousins say "eh".
