Do Canadians end all their sentences with 'eh' ?

[theconqueror]

"Eh" Is just a funny way of of saying "You know" to make sure your on the same wave length I guess.

 

[Kreskin]

'What I do hear a lot of is "y'know". I saw a interview with a hockey player (amateur) the other day and I swear about every 5th word was "y'know".'

Recently I saw in an interview the smartest woman in the world who also happens to be the wife of the smartest man in the world, Michelle Obama.

She uttered not a single sentence without saying 'you know' at least twice.

I once went through a public speaking course and was videotaped. I couldn't believe how many times I said 'ya know'. It's a hard one to break if prone to it, and it takes concentration to not say it. Ya know? lol

 

[lone wolf]

Easiest answer to the OP question is to just read the posts.

 

[Twila]

I once heard it explained that eh was a native term picked up by white settlers.

I have no verification for this and I can't even remember how I came by hearing it.

I use eh once in awhile. Usually to make sure somebody has actually heard me. If I'm talking and the person is looking at me I don't (think) I say it. At least not as conciously as when they're not looking and I say eh at the end.

 

[EagleSmack]

I once went through a public speaking course and was videotaped. I couldn't believe how many times I said 'ya know'. It's a hard one to break if prone to it, and it takes concentration to not say it. Ya know? lol

I did the same type of course and I was surprised that I DIDN'T say "ya know" or "ummm" after viewing my presentation on video.

 

[karrie]

I use it once in a while. Definitely not on every sentence thankfully... I am capable of coherent speech.... lol... but in the occasional relaxed conversation it will sneak it's way in.

 

[karrie]

I did the same type of course and I was surprised that I DIDN'T say "ya know" or "ummm" after viewing my presentation on video.

The key is to believe that your audience has enough of an attention span to tolerate punctuation in your speech. We seem to be of the idea when public speaking that we need to say it fast and fill every second of time with talking, when in fact, slowing down and allowing pauses for breathing and thought makes for a much more pleasurable speech.

 

[EagleSmack]

The key is to believe that your audience has enough of an attention span to tolerate punctuation in your speech. We seem to be of the idea when public speaking that we need to say it fast and fill every second of time with talking, when in fact, slowing down and allowing pauses for breathing and thought makes for a much more pleasurable speech.

Is that why all the ladies were smiling at me? I thought it was just me. ;-)

 

[AnnaG]

I once heard it explained that eh was a native term picked up by white settlers.

I have no verification for this and I can't even remember how I came by hearing it.

I use eh once in awhile. Usually to make sure somebody has actually heard me. If I'm talking and the person is looking at me I don't (think) I say it. At least not as conciously as when they're not looking and I say eh at the end.

From the online etymological dictionary:

"eh": 1560s as an exclamation of sorrow; with questions, from 1773.

 

[AnnaG]

Is that why all the ladies were smiling at me? I thought it was just me. ;-)

Didja check to see if your fly was open?

 

[DurkaDurka]

Is that why all the ladies were smiling at me? I thought it was just me. ;-)

Nervous wood must have caught you some unexpected attention. :smile:

 

[EagleSmack]

Didja check to see if your fly was open?

First thing I did before going on stage!

 

[DurkaDurka]

First thing I did before going on stage!

You checked to make sure it was open? ;-)

 

[AnnaG]

You checked to make sure it was open? ;-)

roflmao You got a greenie.

 

[karrie]

Is that why all the ladies were smiling at me? I thought it was just me. ;-)

If you came off well spoken and not nervous I'm sure it's part of why they were smiling at you. I'd bet the other part is your looks though. ;-)

 

[darkbeaver]

yknow eh------that is a complete sentence in Nova Scotia

 

[darkbeaver]

eh yknow is its opposite

 

[darkbeaver]

you can order lunch depending on order and inflection of those two words

 

[Johnnny]

Hello everyone, I'm from Belgium and I'm doing a survey on a Canadian stereotype for an assignement.
The stereotype I found is that all Canadians end all their sentences with 'eh'
Is that true ?
Thanks a lot for helping me! :smile:

i say it without realizing it sometimes, and i even start sentences with eh

 

[JLM]

Nope- some of them we end with "off".