Canadian Words & Phrases: north/force "-orr" words (2024)

north/force "-orr" words

Words like "tomorrow, sorry, horrible" in Canadian English are almost always pronounced as part of the north/force Lexical Set. In other words, where many US speakers will pronounce "sorry" like "sari", (i.e. in the lot Lexical Set), Canadians make the first syllable like "sore." In fact, when Canadian actors learn that US speakers say "sorry/sari" in the same manner, they often remark "where's the pain in that?" For us, "sorry," the word many have commented (even in jest) is the classic Canadian expression, must include the feeling of soreness, or it's not just satisfying.

Word List:

Borrow, Horrid, Horrible

10.
Male, London/St. Thomas ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

12.
Female, St. Thomas/Toronto/Kitchener ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

14.
Male, Carlisle/St. Thomas/London ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

15.
Female, Hanover/Barrie ON, b. 1990—Complete Sample

19.
Male, Dundas ON, b. 1955—Complete Sample

25.
Female, Scarborough/Richmond Hill/Toronto ON, b. 1963—Complete Sample

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Horrify, Horror, Porridge

19.
Male, Dundas ON, b. 1955—Complete Sample

23.
Male, Parry Sound/London/Oakville ON, b. 1971—Complete Sample

27.
Female, Hamilton/Kitchener-Waterloo ON, b. 1975—Complete Sample

28.
Female, Brampton/Toronto ON, b. 1978—Complete Sample

29.
Female, Bowmanville/North Bay ON, b. 1950—Complete Sample

30.
Male, Newmarket/Bradford ON, b. 1973 —Complete Sample

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Sorrow, Tomorrow, Sorry

10.
Male, London/St. Thomas ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

11.
Female, Fergus/Guelph, ON, b. 1989—Complete Sample

12.
Female, St. Thomas/Toronto/Kitchener ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

14.
Male, Carlisle/St. Thomas/London ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

18.
Male, Hamilton ON, b. 1959—Complete Sample

31.
Female, Hamilton, Burlington, Toronto, Ottawa ON, b. 1953—Complete Sample

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Sentences

I'm sorry that you had to eat that horrid porridge.

10.
Male, London/St. Thomas ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

13.
Female, St. Thomas/Toronto/Kitchener ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

14.
Male, Carlisle/St. Thomas/London ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

18.
Male, Hamilton ON, b. 1959—Complete Sample

20.
Female, Guelph, Halton ON, b. 1953—Complete Sample

25.
Female, Scarborough/Richmond Hill/Toronto ON, b. 1963—Complete Sample

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The whor*'s sorrowful expression made him full of remorse.

19.
Male, Dundas ON, b. 1955—Complete Sample

23.
Male, Parry Sound/London/Oakville ON, b. 1971—Complete Sample

27.
Female, Hamilton/Kitchener-Waterloo ON, b. 1975—Complete Sample

28.
Female, Brampton/Toronto ON, b. 1978—Complete Sample

29.
Female, Bowmanville/North Bay ON, b. 1950—Complete Sample

30.
Male, Newmarket/Bradford ON, b. 1973 —Complete Sample

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She wanted to borrow the horror movie until tomorrow.

11.
Female, Fergus/Guelph, ON, b. 1989—Complete Sample

14.
Male, Carlisle/St. Thomas/London ON, b. 1961—Complete Sample

18.
Male, Hamilton ON, b. 1959—Complete Sample

19.
Male, Dundas ON, b. 1955—Complete Sample

22.
Female, Cobourg ON, b. 1956—Complete Sample

31.
Female, Hamilton, Burlington, Toronto, Ottawa ON, b. 1953—Complete Sample

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