It's that time of year when my town gets overrun with tourists...and a lot of them are from the States.
I saw a writeup on Canadian dialect, and it got me thinking - how many of you know all of these terms? (They're second nature for me, and I can't believe that they're only regional terms)
So that being said - are these Canadian-only terms, or are you Southies familiar with all of them?
Loonie - A common word for the Canadian one-dollar coin.
Toonie - A common word for the Canadian two-dollar coin, pronounced "too-nee."
Garberator- Electric grinding device meant for the drain of a kitchen sink, to finely grind biodegradable substances, so they can be washed down the drain. Commonly referred to in the US as a "garbage disposal."
Kerfuffle - Similar to brouhaha; a chaotic situation which is usually negative in nature; a loud or heated dispute.
Homo Milk - A commoner's slang for homogenized whole milk; 3% milk.
Beauty - An expression used to refer to something done well or someone who is exceptional. The vast majority of Canadians only know the term from the SCTV characters Bob and Doug, in a series of satirical sketch comedies entitled, "The Great White North."
Double-Double - Said when ordering a coffee; indicating two creams and two sugars.
Timmy's or Tim's or Timmy Ho's - Slang for Tim Horton's, a chain of doughnut and coffee shops named after a famous hockey player.
Brutal- Something excessively harsh or unfair. ex. "Oh man, that fall was brutal."
Serviette - A paper napkin. Not slang, simply 'napkin' in French.
Chesterfield - the couch
Eh - (pronounced "ey", as in "hey" or "hay") A suffix some Canadians add to the ends of sentences, to ask for a response of agreement or disagreement, similar in meaning to "don't you think" or "right?"(Similar to the word "Huh?" Used in the states.) (eg. "Looks like a storm comin' in, eh?"). It is a way of being polite - to ensure that the other people in the conversation are feeling included. It is also sometimes used with "I know," as in, "Wow, the Calgary Flames really kicked butt tonight!" -"I know, eh?"
Two-Four - A blue-collar term for a case of twenty-four beers.
Mickey - A flask-sized bottle of hard liquor.
Toque - (pronounced "tuke," like Luke) A knit cap usually worn in winter. Known as a Ski Cap in the USA.
Toboggan - A long, typically wooden, sled, used in winter recreation, to carry one or more people down a snow-covered hill.
Klick- A slang term for "kilometer".
Hydro- A reference to electricity, not water. Synonymous with electrical service in provinces where most of the power is supplied through hydroelectricity. "The hydro is out," means there's no power, not that there's no water. This phrase extends to things like 'hydro poles,' 'hydro wires,' and having a 'hydro bill.'
Peameal or Back bacon - Bacon obtained from the flesh of the back of a pig, rather than the more common side bacon. It is pickled in brine and then rolled in cornmeal. Originally, peameal was used, but it was found to go rancid, so cornmeal was substituted. But the name "peameal" stuck.
The States - The United States of America is often referred to as "the States," except in writing, when it becomes "the US."
Washroom - Refers to a place where one would find the toilet, sink, and bath tub.
Pop - Many Canadians use the term "pop" to describe sweet, carbonated beverages.(Soda in the states.)
Chinook - (Pronounced "shinook") A warm, dry wind blowing down the eastern slopes of the Rockies across Alberta and the prairies. Chinooks can cause the temperature to rise by 20°F to 40°F within 15 minutes.
Poutine - (pronounced poo-TEEN) French fries served with cheese curds, and covered in gravy. Originated in Quebec but now prevalent across Canada.(Awesome delicious heart attack in a bowl. You aren't Canadian until you've played some hockey and stopped for some poutine and beer.)
Beaver Tail - A pastry, most commonly sold by the chain Beaver Tail Canada Inc., indicating a flat, flaky, fried pastry in the general shape of a beaver's tail. It is often served with a variety of toppings: ice-cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fruits. Originated in Ottawa.
Pencil Crayon - a coloured pencil
A Social - A Manitoba social gathering for a large amount of people. Usually held in a community centre or hall. Tickets are sold for the event and a cash bar is available, usually as a means to raise funds for an engaged couple or local charity. Music and dancing is always a feature, and a snack is usually served around midnight consisting of coldcuts etc. (Social food) Door prizes and silent auctions are also common.
For sure - Definitely
Kraft Dinner - mac and cheese
Nanaimo Bar - a dessert consisting of a graham base, custard filling, and chocolate topping
Queue - A line of people
Zed - the letter zee
washroom - the Canadian term for Bathroom or Restroom
knapsack - a backpack
decal - pronounced Deck-al, not Dee-kal...
kitty-corner - "it's over there, diagonally" - used when giving directions
s--- kickers - cowboy boots
deke out - a hockey term, meaning 'get past creatively'
mountie - a policeman
pogie - unemployment assistance payments
Texas mickie - a three litre bottle of liquor
jam buster - a jelly filled doughnut
I saw a writeup on Canadian dialect, and it got me thinking - how many of you know all of these terms? (They're second nature for me, and I can't believe that they're only regional terms)
So that being said - are these Canadian-only terms, or are you Southies familiar with all of them?
Loonie - A common word for the Canadian one-dollar coin.
Toonie - A common word for the Canadian two-dollar coin, pronounced "too-nee."
Garberator- Electric grinding device meant for the drain of a kitchen sink, to finely grind biodegradable substances, so they can be washed down the drain. Commonly referred to in the US as a "garbage disposal."
Kerfuffle - Similar to brouhaha; a chaotic situation which is usually negative in nature; a loud or heated dispute.
Homo Milk - A commoner's slang for homogenized whole milk; 3% milk.
Beauty - An expression used to refer to something done well or someone who is exceptional. The vast majority of Canadians only know the term from the SCTV characters Bob and Doug, in a series of satirical sketch comedies entitled, "The Great White North."
Double-Double - Said when ordering a coffee; indicating two creams and two sugars.
Timmy's or Tim's or Timmy Ho's - Slang for Tim Horton's, a chain of doughnut and coffee shops named after a famous hockey player.
Brutal- Something excessively harsh or unfair. ex. "Oh man, that fall was brutal."
Serviette - A paper napkin. Not slang, simply 'napkin' in French.
Chesterfield - the couch
Eh - (pronounced "ey", as in "hey" or "hay") A suffix some Canadians add to the ends of sentences, to ask for a response of agreement or disagreement, similar in meaning to "don't you think" or "right?"(Similar to the word "Huh?" Used in the states.) (eg. "Looks like a storm comin' in, eh?"). It is a way of being polite - to ensure that the other people in the conversation are feeling included. It is also sometimes used with "I know," as in, "Wow, the Calgary Flames really kicked butt tonight!" -"I know, eh?"
Two-Four - A blue-collar term for a case of twenty-four beers.
Mickey - A flask-sized bottle of hard liquor.
Toque - (pronounced "tuke," like Luke) A knit cap usually worn in winter. Known as a Ski Cap in the USA.
Toboggan - A long, typically wooden, sled, used in winter recreation, to carry one or more people down a snow-covered hill.
Klick- A slang term for "kilometer".
Hydro- A reference to electricity, not water. Synonymous with electrical service in provinces where most of the power is supplied through hydroelectricity. "The hydro is out," means there's no power, not that there's no water. This phrase extends to things like 'hydro poles,' 'hydro wires,' and having a 'hydro bill.'
Peameal or Back bacon - Bacon obtained from the flesh of the back of a pig, rather than the more common side bacon. It is pickled in brine and then rolled in cornmeal. Originally, peameal was used, but it was found to go rancid, so cornmeal was substituted. But the name "peameal" stuck.
The States - The United States of America is often referred to as "the States," except in writing, when it becomes "the US."
Washroom - Refers to a place where one would find the toilet, sink, and bath tub.
Pop - Many Canadians use the term "pop" to describe sweet, carbonated beverages.(Soda in the states.)
Chinook - (Pronounced "shinook") A warm, dry wind blowing down the eastern slopes of the Rockies across Alberta and the prairies. Chinooks can cause the temperature to rise by 20°F to 40°F within 15 minutes.
Poutine - (pronounced poo-TEEN) French fries served with cheese curds, and covered in gravy. Originated in Quebec but now prevalent across Canada.(Awesome delicious heart attack in a bowl. You aren't Canadian until you've played some hockey and stopped for some poutine and beer.)
Beaver Tail - A pastry, most commonly sold by the chain Beaver Tail Canada Inc., indicating a flat, flaky, fried pastry in the general shape of a beaver's tail. It is often served with a variety of toppings: ice-cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fruits. Originated in Ottawa.
Pencil Crayon - a coloured pencil
A Social - A Manitoba social gathering for a large amount of people. Usually held in a community centre or hall. Tickets are sold for the event and a cash bar is available, usually as a means to raise funds for an engaged couple or local charity. Music and dancing is always a feature, and a snack is usually served around midnight consisting of coldcuts etc. (Social food) Door prizes and silent auctions are also common.
For sure - Definitely
Kraft Dinner - mac and cheese
Nanaimo Bar - a dessert consisting of a graham base, custard filling, and chocolate topping
Queue - A line of people
Zed - the letter zee
washroom - the Canadian term for Bathroom or Restroom
knapsack - a backpack
decal - pronounced Deck-al, not Dee-kal...
kitty-corner - "it's over there, diagonally" - used when giving directions
s--- kickers - cowboy boots
deke out - a hockey term, meaning 'get past creatively'
mountie - a policeman
pogie - unemployment assistance payments
Texas mickie - a three litre bottle of liquor
jam buster - a jelly filled doughnut
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