And I like the way we say about.Canadians should start embracing the way we say about. Finally they said Why do you say clicks we replied I dont know. As a general rule, though, Toronto Maple Leafs insults can fly pretty much anywhere across the country, even in Toronto where fans mostly have a sense of humour. Most people not from Canada can figure out what most of the slang means. In fact, drop any of these common Canadian slang terms while visiting our neighbours to the south, and you may just be greeted with a blank stare or two. See you next time and happy Canada day, eh? yes, I think that Dante may have thought this was about words in general, which is ok with us. Actually, many parts of Canada can get extremely warm summers that mimic tropical heat. This is our most popular Canadian sayingthat we receive the most flack about from the rest of the world. I remember chesterfield from my early childhood in the 70s. They usually sell alcohol so it can also be used to refer to a liquor store. Im not saying Canadians cant be vulgar or crude, but Canada doesnt quite have that raunch culture element that America does (and Im glad of that). I use the words hassock instead of ottoman, and quiggley hole when the kids dig huge holes in the yard and Im not sure about these ones but i use them too whipper snipper or rumpus room for the basement? Someone who tries just a little too hard, sucking up to an authority figure and showing off how much they know. The American pronunciation ismore like a-bow-t. (as in take a bow). Watch the same movie several times. When we were in Virginia a few years ago I asked our host as we were reading the daily newspaper if I could see the funnies. I dont know two-six, what is it used for. There are many online services that are dedicated to helping language learners find native speakers to talk with. Usually, the entertaining statement is funny in some way, but Ive seen it used kind of like lol where you just dont really have another response. People must be pretty confused when we tell them: A Coffee Crisp costs about a Loonie, pretty good deal eh? Or, Id like a dozen Timbits with a large double double please. What on earth does that mean? Despite all their teasing, it is actually a term we use. Honestly, I dont think Ive heard too many people use that one except when mimicking Bob & Doug (which, admittedly, people do a lot). Its most used in Calgary, where we have our largest rodeo. Americans say About like it is A-Baow-T with a more open ah sound. And thats your whole world right there. Have a good night. HuffPost Canada. . That expression is used but not so common with the younger generation. Just a tad, you you like some dessert? Thats cool Mel, I didnt realize that it was called pop in Kansas. That package is going to be smaller than the one youre sportin now. I am going to get a 2-4 of Canadian at the Beer Store, do you want anything?, Yes, we buy our beer at the Beer Store in Canada and a box of 24 beers is simply shortened to the words two four.. I regret nothing! It's a term of affection like "bro" or "my dude.". vs den or family room, Oh yes, its a living room. You may have noticed I just snuck in an apology above. Washroom? I had to include this term with the insane heat and humidity were currently getting in Toronto. A bunnyhug is a pullover sweatshirt with no zipper. Not a common term in Southern Ontario. Canadian slang isn't as obvious as other country's. We use the terms so simply that people barely register them. Thanks John, I am always learning so much on this blog. Farmers Tan a tan that stops just below your shoulder due to wearing t-shirts too much. But if you ever want to deliver one of the worst Canadian insults, ask them if they voted for Trump or Biden, or why we drink milk out of bags. I have heard other people say packsack before and ski do is the word we use for snowmobile. not, sure if I read everything above, all good. When you become a Newfoundlander, you have to drink Screech and kiss a cod (a dead fish theyve got sitting around at the bar). This is both a slang and a trend among Canadian men. Hopefully that all made sense. It's the native language of approximately 7.3 million Canadians, comprising 20.6% of the Canadian population. The original Mounties were all on horseback, but nowadays they take other forms of transit as well. It refers to the 6 neighbourhoods that merged to make up Toronto. Usually, its not used to refer to a physical fight, but that varies. Many Canadian food chains have also used the term to describe a "double" menu. Calgary, due to the stampede and its cattle history. Nobody can do without their Timmies. The following is a list of colloquial terms and expressions used in the Canadian Armed Forces . Love it! (My Mom pronounced it VAN Klee-kill) Are these phrases familiar to anyone? Its super simple and oddly delicious for something made with powdered cheese. It used to refer more to the French-Canadians but nowadays its a general term. When in the states, I was needing some elastics and we had quite a time trying to explain what an elastic is. Yes, but only if you live north of Hwy. Similarly, you can order a single single or a triple triple (although that sounds like a lot of dairy and sugar). He became visibly jagged when he missed his flight. Quebec is the only place in North America where Pepsi has traditionally outsold Coke. Some have a French Canadian influence. I served in the US military and we use clicks for two things: kilometers and rifle scopes (like, increase your MOA a half click). To listen to how we Canadians talk, watch our video of these two crazy Canucks explaining all the Canadian phrases we use. In the US, college and university can mean the same thing since a university is a universe of colleges. endobj Many of the above I had forgotten, but they come flooding back. No Canadian party is complete without it. Check out the insults below. Anyways . Her name was Pearl Victoria,and sha and my Grandpa Victor Blackwell, spoke a lot of unique phrases as I was growing up in central NY in the 50s. There are some that I genuinely didnt know were Canadian phrases and judged friends Ive met around the world for not knowing them. Turn left (Larry) or right (Roger). Again, its mostly seen on American television. When the fields are plowed, especially the cornfields, it looks like stubble. I dont know what I was thinking of hahah. This article has been viewed 1,101,656 times. , You stopped toe curlin in the hot tub cause you heard sperms stay alive in there, and youve seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles enough times to know how that story ends. I know our American friends rhyme the alphabet and sing x, y, zee, but we say Zed. Hence the can. The red Mountie uniform is a classic sign of Canada. I didnt think of that one. When I first started to travel the world. It can also be a derogatory term for supporters of the Bloc Quebecois. Fortunately, no, it is not over. Even from Toronto, we refer to out west as everything west of us. toronto slang insults. This is another holdover from our British colonizers but weve seemed to up the ante over the years and now have them beat for politeness (maybe because we didnt invade most of the world just saying). Most native French speakers in Canada live in Quebec, which is the only province where French is the sole official language. You may just pick a few to use whenever you hang out with your close buddies as long they are open-minded. Twofer - Also called two-four, this term refers to a case of 24 beers. Hoser is a classic Canadian stereotype. It quickly got out of hand, so here we are with 100+ Canadian phrases for you to learn and share! (Its equivalent to the phrase shoot the breeze here.) Americans often make fun of Canadians for saying aboot rather than about. Close, but we actually pronounce it aboat., yep, my dad says clicks all the time living room anyone? Last Updated: February 25, 2023 Even our swearing is tamer we typically only swear if were angry (or drunk), and the only people in my eastern Canadian home who ever swear around minors are bitter old curmudgeons and weird jerks on the public transit. While you can still find them on Canadian slang posts or the Wikipedia about Canadian language, Ive genuinely never heard them used before. Mickie-I think we are the only ones that call the small bottle of booze a mickie..good one. I have lived in Ontario, BC and presently Alberta and I never hear people say where is the toilet, its usually washroom or bathroom. When I moved to Canada from the U.S., I also had to learn words like garburator (what I knew as a garbage disposal), till (cash register), and writing exams (rather than taking exams). They come in a variety of flavours and are sold individually or by the box. One fellow was described as a Canadian Baby, maybe a typical personal crack, not the photography company which apparently started in 1965. , We only got one shot at this. Oh, I hope he got a tracking number. Canadians (or at least southern Ontarians) say it like soe-ry and I know that some other places say it like sah-ry. If someone says something entertaining, youd respond with jokes. Im American but my parents are from Canada and I went to grade school in that country. The $1 Canadian coin. Wonder if she put that shes bilingual on her resume. Ontario has the Beer Store. Pshhh. For hostels, I use Hostel World. A puck bunny is a derogatory term for a female fan of hockey. Theyll love it. Americans looking to take a trip across their country's northern border might find themselves bewildered by some Canadian turns of phrase. I learned a only a few years ago that 'goof' is Canadian prison . They are changing to convenience stores, but in small town Alberta you will still see a Confectionary store. If youre concerned about that expanding gut of yours, many restaurants offer a healthier, vegetarian gravy substitute. I heard Americans dont have a word for slush and dont use the word toboggan. . , Seeing as this is most certainly a one-off event and not a tradition that also falls on some made-up holiday that I couldnt give a cats qu**f about, Im out. You are so right. Of course, every country has the term beauty or some form of it. LOL , How about some French words that are spoken by English speakers. The classic Canadian insult. Across Canada, we tend to think of our home as being the centre of the country. Seemy Disclosure Policyfor more information. Much like a puck bunny, buckle bunny is a derogatory term for a woman who follows rodeos. For pronunciation, more Canadians would say AN-TEE instead of AN-TIE in words like anti-biotics. "Canuck, that very same term of endearment Canadians use now," was used by racist southern Americans to insult French Canadians with dark skins, said Stefan Dollinger, editor in chief of Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. 100%YES! Perhaps one of the most colloquial of Canadian slang words, it means trying very hard in a noble or impressive feat. It can now be confused with the term joggers for baggy womens pants. My favourite Canadian slang term that I use all the time even though I dont often wear them! Our Mini Trips are small and mighty - they squeeze all the excitement and authenticity of our longer Epic Trips into a manageable 3-5 day window. Common UK Expressions. The original name of Ottawa and now a common nickname. All these phrases start somewhere (sometimes, like good ideas, they might pop up simultaneously in a population pressed by the same daily stresses), one of my own concoctions was slender vittles for tall lanky women. From the Ukranian word for underwear "gatky". Thanks. Thats when I realized that Canadians are strange. To be sloshed is to be drunk. We say only 50 clicks to go. Some expressions dont carry over from province to province. We would pronounce leisure to rhyme with seizure (Americans would rhyme it with measure). Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Although it is a manufactured made up word, it is Canada in a nutshell. Hi, I came across the word elastic. : *Iuu!$\TV. The little things youd never know if you didnt travel! Check out these quirky Canadian town names. If someone is on unemployment, they are on pogey. The Canadian insult tabarnak is a phonetic rendition of the term "tabernacle", which refers to the ornamented box in which Communion hosts and wine are kept. Does that mean brother, buddy, or what?? ), and will also say that Ive brought Poutine to Australia, and they dig it here. This is what we Canadians call our Backpack or Rucksack. The thing about zed and zee is it makes more sense to pronounce it zee when singing the alphabet song, otherwise it sounds ridiculous. "Eh." Everyone always makes fun of us. And yeah, pop! Some women enjoy the term and self-identify as puck bunnies (especially wives of famous hockey players). like i cant explain explain exactly how to understand it its just something you have to have grown up using to understand exactly which product someone is talking about. Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO. Rucksack = Rugged pack for hiking and carrying equipment. A Mickey is about a flask-sized measure of alcohol that you can buy from the grocery store. Its delicious. In the US, youd never use the word this way. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). The word is thought to be a variation of hang-ashore, hence its pejorative use, although some dictionaries define it as meaning someone whos simply weak and sickly. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine, the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field. 2 0 obj We call them Smarties and we like to eat the red ones last. endobj This is our phrase we use when we go to buy beer at the beer store. One chance. You are more observant than us! So out east is the Maritimes from Ontario. Shoresy is one of the most popular characters in the show known for saying hilarious things. Works best with an Alexander Keiths India Pale Ale in hand. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. [6] which Canadians and Americans themselves can their own two accents,[7] mostly sometime Western American English and California English, for example) is under going the Canadian Vowel Shift that was first reported in mainland Canadian English in the early 1990s? Anyone from Nova Scotia. See on Instagram. Glossary of Railroad Terminology or Slang. By submitting your information via this form, you agree to receive electronic communications from Cottage Life Media, a division of Blue Ant Media Solutions Inc., containing news, updates and promotions regarding cottage living and Cottage Life's products. Initially, this referred to Vancouver. A shortening of sasquatch that, in western Canada, refers to someone big and unkempt. There are so many more Canadina expressions that I couldnt fit into the post. Its what Canadians call a beer belly. KD is a childhood classic thats become a university classicand now a Canadian classic. Some people in Canada call it Dinner, but not as often. Ah, that explains it. I know in the States, universities are often called colleges. It sounds loonie-toonie but its true! I havent included all of them for two reasons: 1) this list is already insanely long and 2) some can be derogatory. Ive found them most common in the Prairies although the Maritimes was full of them in Fall. A very typical Canadian chocolate bar is a coffee crisp. Related to "Pepper". In high school, people carried around a Micky of vodka or Canadian Club Rye Whiskey. But seriously, is there a slang insult for really bad situations, beyond calling some a "hoser?" I'm writing a story and one of my characters is Canadian and has a thick accent, and for one part, I want him to use an insult that would be reserved for only truly bad guys. , If I was a Dr. Seuss book, Id be The Fat in the Hat. Its just what we call km. Its like the American Big Foot or the northern Yeti. "1) Where 14-year-old girls can walk home alone at 11:00pm. Canadians have a reputation for being the politest people on the planet that is until someone butts in line at Tims. ke:/RE!yABZ AlahmE;Gc$TE"j rj!\Uf_V+neeEfK,#nOtb\B2C4%i'.rz +O"? When I was in the southern US and said pilon, no one knew what I meant. Now, people actually donate their toes for it. BC has only the provincial-regulated and privately owned liquor stores, both of which have beer; there are no separate beer-only stores. If you're thirsty for more, a mickey is a small (usually 375ml) flask-shaped bottle of liquor, while the lesser-used twenty sixer is a larger (750ml) bottle. We call them snowbirds since they seem to migrate like birds. Im going out in the yard to talk to Ellen but well only bat the fat for a few minutes. Using an American product is very Canadian. It is commonly heard at Canada's favorite coffee chain- Tim Horton's. Recent years have also seen the term be (somewhat) used in America. Typically, they go to Florida where there are large pockets of elderly residents and the weather is more temperate through the winter. Hillbilly Slang. Oh, I have oneserviette!! Refers to the island itself and not Labrador. If people have a housecoat, its often nicer than your simple plush bathrobe. Usually on a rigid frame. In Quebec, people take the Metro instead of the subway, belong to syndicates instead of unions, and attend reunions instead of meetings. If only Id known I was mimicking Canadians, I could have had a much happier childhood.