We Asked Locals How You Can Tell Someone Is From Montreal & The Replies Are Too Accurate
It's no secret that Quebec is vastly different from the rest of Canada, and Montreal is, well… vastly different from the rest of Quebec. With so many experiences, attitudes and accents being so quintessentially Montreal, those with knowledge can often spot a Montrealer from a mile away (or two miles because of the construction detour).
So, when we asked locals "what's a brutally honest sign you can tell if someone comes from Montreal?" you bet that the replies came pouring in and they are hilariously accurate.
Countless responses touched on the accents heard across the city. You know the one we're talking about. You're chatting with someone and you hear a mix of French, English and a sprinkle of Italian, you already know this person was born and raised in the 514.
"With anglophones, it's how they pronounce the name of the city. Outsiders pronounce the 'o' in Montreal like 'monster'. English Montrealers pronounce the 'o' like 'money'," one person wrote.
Another comment mentioned that they could tell if someone is from Montreal by the way they pronounce "terrace". "If they say, "ter-ass", then they're a Montrealer."
"They know how to pronounce Pie-IX," one comment read. Mmh, it's not pronounced pie nine, it's pee-neuf.
"We think that dépanneur is an English word," someone replied. "They call a convenience store a dépanneur," another wrote. Listen, when it comes to the dep, it isn't a French word or an English word, it's a Montreal word. End of story.
One giveaway when it comes to spotting a Montrealer is apparently who they follow on social media. "If they follow Hélène Boudreau on Instagram," one person wrote. Damn, let us love our Quebec influencers in peace!
A slew of comments went on to mention Montreal's love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with construction, potholes, parking and of course, our driving habits.
"Montrealers seem to accept the fact that their government mismanages the maintenance of the city roads and sidewalks. Potholes and broken sidewalks everywhere. I’ve heard the expression ‘That’s just Montreal’ almost affectionately," one person wrote, summing it up brilliantly.
Here are a few other good ones:
"They won’t turn right on a red light."
"Drivers don't give a damn about pedestrians in outdoor shopping centres. Walk at your own risk."
"When crossing the street, instead of looking for cars coming, they look for cyclists."
"If they showed up 45 minutes late after hitting all the detours and traffic."
"The sticker 'not drunk, trying to avoid potholes.'"
And for the comment that takes the cake… one person responded that you can tell if someone is from Montreal if they "love pot but hate potholes… smokes trees but hates the Leafs." Amen to that.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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