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The author discusses the use of metaphor in the construction of nationalism, nationality, and a nationalist ideology in North America. The article examines the significance of immigration, particularly the "melting pot" metaphor to the political rhetoric of Canada and the United States as an important device that advances the concept of cultural pluralism.

A group of 13 participants were recorded in two conditions: 1) speaking normally and 2) altering speech to conceal their identity (i.e., disguised speech). Participants were not instructed how to disguise their speech because we were interested in which changes they would choose. A group of inexperienced listeners were largely inaccurate in matching participants' disguised speech to their normal speech. The largest changes between normal and disguised speech were in speaking rate, the first formant, fundamental frequency, and intensity. When listeners made correct matches, the pairs were similar in speaking rate and intensity, as shown by significant correlations. Incorrectly matched pairs were not significantly correlated, suggesting that listeners were not making good use of acoustic cues during those decisions. Overall, the third formant (F3) and speaking rate appeared to be useful acoustic indicators of identity when matching normal and disguised speech samples. Of those two variables, F3 was apparently underutilised by listeners. The implications for what spontaneous speakers do to disguise their speech and what naïve listeners attend to when identifying disguised voice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the depiction of racial groups in motions pictures and television in Canada and the United States. Depiction of minorities in the post-World War II period; Efforts of American mass culture to merge groups into the cultural mainstream; Effects of the arrival of minority filmmakers; Minority involvement in the dissemination of mainstream perspectives.

Focuses on society and values in English Canada from 1850 to 1914. Continuing Canadian attachment to conservative principle; Canadians' lack of enthusiasm for doctrines espousing the primacy of the individual; Individualist mode of behavior.