Can it be the Gold Rush is why the "valley" accent sounds a bit Canadian?

Recently it was revealed that the Confederacy was largely peopled by undocumented immigrants from Canada in the 1840s and '50s. They were Irish fleeing the famine or Scotch who had been driven out in the Scotch Clearances. Can it be the discovery of gold in California right around that time is why the Southern California accent sounds a bit like Canadian?

a reply to: Solvedit

Californian here.

Southern California was far more influenced by its colonial Mexican (Spanish) past.

Northern California was, if anything somewhat more influenced by Russian hunters and trappers until the Gold Rush brought seekers from around the world, not to mention Asian influences in the form of farmers and laborers.

The gold rush is historically associated with Sutter's Mill in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of the State's current capital, Sacramento.

Also possibly relevant is that the western terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad was also located in Sacramento.

As to the sound of the Southern California accent, it has had many influences, not really any of them Canadian, Irish, or Scotch.

Largely it derives from a youth-facing affected presentation of "world-weary ennui", and the "laid back" influences reflective if the "surf culture".

Ya feel me, Brah.

a reply to: Solvedit

Hmmmm, “ Totally, Eh ? “ lol…I’ll show myself out…..

originally posted by: MountainLaurel
a reply to: Solvedit

Hmmmm, “ Totally, Eh ? “ lol…I’ll show myself out…..

Ah, yes, there's that canadian "eh?" that's added to our conversations whether asking a question or not. I see the similarity now.

a reply to: Mantiss2021

I grew up in central NY (Think Utica-Syracuse- Albany) We have a particular regional accent - "FLAT A"

It supposedly hails from the 18th century where area was populated by Dutch and Palatine Germans

I Remember talking to a girl once and she immediately said "I know where you are from " " My college roommate talked exactly the same" Her roommate lived about 1/2 mile from me ..........

a reply to: Solvedit
I certainly have to question "largely". For one thing, the later Confederate states already had substantial populations long before that time. For another, it's not obvious how (or even why) people settled in Canada, on the northern border, would get to the southern states.
I think you may have vaguely confused memories of something you've seen on the internet.
I do know that after 1783 "Empire Loyalists" were migrating north INTO Canada, i.e. in the opposite direction. Perhaps this is what you are remembering.

originally posted by: DISRAELII think you may have vaguely confused memories of something you've seen on the internet.
I do know that after 1783 "Empire Loyalists" were migrating north INTO Canada, i.e. in the opposite direction. Perhaps this is what you are remembering.

Not.

So, Millions of people are displaced or "cleared" off their land, millions of other people are displaced by a famine, and they wind up in icy, already settled Canada, and they..... don't want to move here? You find the notion unlikely?

One big difference between Canada and the American South was the US government had just concluded major campaigns to displace potentially hostile indigenous tribes from the South, ending in 1846.

originally posted by: Solvedit
So, Millions of people are displaced or "cleared" off their land, millions of other people are displaced by a famine, and they wind up in icy, already settled Canada, and they..... don't want to move here? You find the notion unlikely?

I have read a lot of history, including American history, and I'm not aware of any evidence that the migration south actually happened.
You said that it was "recently revealed". OK, so WHERE was it revealed? What does your source actually say?
And yes, it is unlikely that they would bother to jump over the intervening northern states instead of just slipping over the border and settling in Michigan or New York state. Where would they get the money for this extra unnecessary journey?

originally posted by: DISRAELIAnd yes, it is unlikely that they would bother to jump over the intervening northern states instead of just slipping over the border and settling in Michigan or New York state. Where would they get the money for this extra unnecessary journey?

Perhaps their families had been envying the English, Germans, French, Spanish, and Portuguese for generations? Perhaps they wanted to join their kinfolk down South and form a Confederacy?

a reply to: Solvedit
But where is the evidence that it happened? If it did not happen, this belongs to the Fiction forum rather than the History forum.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: Solvedit
But where is the evidence that it happened? If it did not happen, this belongs to the Fiction forum rather than the History forum.

Why wouldn't it happen, though? People were less documented then and there was less communication between local governments, so it was easier to conceal.

a reply to: Solvedit
That's not how History works. That's just science fiction. Now that I know you're just trolling, I will leave this thread and know to steer clear in future.

a reply to: Solvedit

Considering I live in a border state where plenty of Michiganders sound more Canadian than Midwestern.

I'm trying to figure out how in the ever-loving hell you think the ditzy Valley Girl/Boy accent sounds remotely Canuckian at all...

originally posted by: Nyiah
a reply to: Solvedit

Considering I live in a border state where plenty of Michiganders sound more Canadian than Midwestern.

I'm trying to figure out how in the ever-loving hell you think the ditzy Valley Girl/Boy accent sounds remotely Canuckian at all...

If you spoke Canadian with a slight drawl added it would sound a lot like Southern California. I don't know how you changed what I said to "Valley Girl."

originally posted by: Solvedit

originally posted by: Nyiah
a reply to: Solvedit

Considering I live in a border state where plenty of Michiganders sound more Canadian than Midwestern.

I'm trying to figure out how in the ever-loving hell you think the ditzy Valley Girl/Boy accent sounds remotely Canuckian at all...

If you spoke Canadian with a slight drawl added it would sound a lot like Southern California. I don't know how you changed what I said to "Valley Girl."

I'm a transplant from Florida. I think I know a thing or two about mixing general regional accents personally here.

You might want to schedule a hearing test. You are not hearing the same pitches, tones, inflections, etc the rest of us do.

Hey now, ditzy valley girl here ! .

The only thing I could think of was using words/phrases that aren’t really necessary, such as, eh, like, totally, you know, in sentences. I “like” left years ago, but still “totally” find myself using those words/phrases “ you know” ? I also think using slow, casual language might be similar in some ways.

originally posted by: NyiahYou might want to schedule a hearing test. You are not hearing the same pitches, tones, inflections, etc the rest of us do.

You're clearly lying in order to suppress the truth.

You're conflating "similarities" with "identical." Obviously, West coast surfer talk is not identical to Southern speech, which is itself composed of distinct regional sounds and dialects.

If most of the people who brought English to Florida or Southern California brought their language from the same place, i.e. England, Ireland and Scotland, and they mixed together in Canada and the South for a while, is it really so outlandish that they be similar in a related but not an identical way?