and see what you pick up. Or shot glasses at Spencers that have the phrase legalize eating *ss printed on them but Spencers has always been a rude, greasy-looking store, anyway. Also: ginch (ies) or gonch (ies). We would love to have you in Canada:-), PS, the former name of Toronto is Hogtown and not Motown. This is our most popular Canadian sayingthat we receive the most flack about from the rest of the world. Vomit on your moms spaghetti, or whatever that talking singer says. One win. Ah, that explains it. All through my school years I would pack my knapsack with my schoolbooks. When our one-dollar coin came out in the early nineties. This is absolutely not a stereotype or misconception, you can verify this yourself with google earths aerial photography. You may just pick a few to use whenever you hang out with your close buddies as long they are open-minded. To biff something is to mess it up. A very typical Canadian chocolate bar is a coffee crisp. This will help you sound more Canadian. Homosexual Slang Terms. While you can still find them on Canadian slang posts or the Wikipedia about Canadian language, Ive genuinely never heard them used before. We called our washrooms therecomfort room! We have Chinook winds in here in Alaska, though not so much here in Fairbanks. She explains the diphthong differences eloquently here. Almost finished We need to confirm your email address. I got all of these off another website so they may not be true (I just assumed). Seemy Disclosure Policyfor more information. Goof. Fun fact: KD is our most consumed product in Canada, even beating out maple syrup! Hold doors open for people and, even if someone stumbles into you, apologize. And of course, when the two-dollar coin came out with a picture of a Polar Bear on it we called it a Bearie or a Polie right? Canuck / knk / is a slang term for a Canadian. What is the Canadian slang for giving credit? Whereas, in the South, Coke has become the generic term for all soft drinks, regardless of brand. Ive used it for years, but cant find it in any dictionary, so it must be ours. A couple of Canadians I met in Ireland last month used eh ALL the time, Im sorry, but I couldnt help but snicker! Awesome! Then we can throw it down with the best of em with a repertoire of insults that are uniquely our own. , If you have a problem with the majestic Canadian Goose, then you have a problem with me. Learn more Canadians are proud of their cultural heritage and linguistic diversity, and there are a number of uniquely Canadian slang words that express this heritage. But you are right, either way is the proper spelling. Wheeling means to be in the early stages of dating someone. We even opened a Tim Hortons in Afghanistan for our troops overseas. Usually used for driving directions. 2023 Readers Digest Magazines Ltd. - All rights reserved, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). Heres another great Canadian phrase for you, the Molson Muscle. Excellent contributions Carolyn. I cant say Ive heard the phrase while I lived in the US west coast. Like Americans, we refer to dollars and bucks. And thats your whole world right there. 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. When we pay our utilities each month, we pay our hydro bill. A double double is a coffee order from Tim Hortons. A (bad) hockey player who spends all her time on the bench, gathering dust. So, come lah, come visit Malaysia and see for yourself. As the beaches are increasingly polluted with dogs and tourists and smartphone cameras, pools are getting to be even more popular than ever. Im going to use a few of these phrases for my school international fair! Quebec French profanities, [1] known as sacres (singular: sacre; French: sacrer, "to consecrate"), are words and expressions related to Catholicism and its liturgy that are used as strong profanities in Quebec French (the main variety of Canadian French) and in Acadian French (spoken in Maritime Provinces, east of Quebec, and a small portion of In Saskatchewan, people call hoodies bunnyhugs. Except kids falling off bikes, maybe. It's the native language of approximately 7.3 million Canadians, comprising 20.6% of the Canadian population. Oh, Im stomping the brakes, put that idea right through the f**king windshield. Hence the can. Finally they said Why do you say clicks we replied I dont know. Well, my dad wore them out on one cattle drive (my dad was a rancher) and it was so cold that his boots cracked right open and shattered. They also refer to their islands and the island (Vancouver Island) differently depending on where they live in the province. Ok, I could do an entire post on how Tim Hortons has shaped our coffee drinking as a nation. If you order your coffee this way, youll get one with two creams and two sugars. However, some other countries do (check here!). If someone is on unemployment, they are on pogey. , Youre made of spare parts, arent you, bud? . Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling. Seriously. Usually, its not used to refer to a physical fight, but that varies. The term comes from the French les habitants, but I guess we decided thats too long and shortened it. 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. 9. swordfishtrombonez. This is most often said by hockey dads from what I can tell. They are much like our lovehearts candy. The lexicography team for the Canadian Oxford Dictionary tell me the . I had to include this term with the insane heat and humidity were currently getting in Toronto. Too bad, you werent. Washroom? {xr%5y{ : The GTA stands for the Greater Toronto Area. Among the many booze-related slang terms in Canada, this phrase - particularly popular in Ontario - refers to a package of 24 bottles of beer. Because of that, many Michiganders and people from the upper Midwest say Pop. . Snowbirds are Canadian citizens, usually retirees, who flee south in the winter to avoid the cold. Farmers Tan a tan that stops just below your shoulder due to wearing t-shirts too much. %PDF-1.5 Its basically two loonies, so we came up with toonie. History of American Slang Words. 4 0 obj Your champagne birthday is when you turn the same age as your birthdate. lol. Police arrest 16 suspects for committing electoral offences during 2023 presiden Trouble for INEC staff who violated Electoral Act during presidential polls as chairman announces punishment, Police arrest 16 suspects for committing electoral offences during 2023 presidential poll in south south state, Labour Party denies political alliance with PDP ahead of 2023 governorship election in top state, Gunmen kidnap top North Central monarch's 2 wives, son as police begin search operation, 200 cool and famous dragon names, their meanings and origin. I havent included all of them for two reasons: 1) this list is already insanely long and 2) some can be derogatory. I was surprised to see the word Toilet used so much. I do love my Tim Hortons Doughnuts! Fortunately, no, it is not over. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor. Pop is a Canadian thing and everyone else says soda. Chesterfield! Here you will learn about the most important words in this part of the language. Check out these quirky Canadian town names. This messed-up spatial awareness continues when we talk about going north or south. It is so simple to use and anyone can do it. Nobody really knew what to call it. And I like the way we say about.Canadians should start embracing the way we say about. Cottagelife.com is part of the Blue Ant Media Canada network 2023 Blue Ant Media. Its usually screamed, which is why its abbreviated. Instead of saying Lets go!, we say lets go lah. ? 'xDDpEHnxX18 y5C=|SAH`kX?n#mi%SU!R2OqQgZGQSho8R& We say only 50 clicks to go. This is the state of Washington, Above California. We use the terms so simply that people barely register them. Check out my Comprehensive Guide to Canadian Cuisine, Plan a Winter Weekend in Toronto with my itinerary, Head to cottage country to Discover Muskoka, Learn what its really like to live her with my 10 Pros and Cons to Living in Canada, Stuff yourself with my guide on Where to Eat in Toronto for All Budgets, Find out my 51 Favourite Things to do in Halifax, Think you know all there is to know about Canada? Parkette (i.e., small park) is a Canadian word. Yeah! Hmmm, kinda hard to sound it outkinda like boy without the o. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. However, Tim Hortons makes a cakier style of doughnut than most, so expect it to be a bit denser and less fried than a doughnut hole. Im guessing something about the coziness of a hoodie led to the name, but I couldnt find a good explanation. Pencil crayons are what Americans call colored pencils and the British call colouring pencils. That comes from our history fur trading. In high school, people carried around a Micky of vodka or Canadian Club Rye Whiskey. It is in fact a real human toe thats been mummified or preserved. This guide to over 100 Canadian slang words initially started out as 20 words, but I kept remembering other terms from my friends and travels around the country. I didnt realize that we are the only people in the world that call their electricity Hydro. word as canadas greeting. Im in Canada (40+ years), and we dont use that here. Hoser is a classic Canadian stereotype. 2m And for the word route, Canadians would often pronounce it like root. Of course this is changing with the influx of social media just last week at the Halifax Shopping Centre, I saw a girl with a crop top that had bedazzled letters spelling out the words I have anxiety and sh!t, in full view of little kids at the food court. Northern slang for frozen whale skin and blubber. If youve ever watched an American version of Canadians then youve seen this. We have a lot of Canadian slang, so Ill be dividing these into categories to make them easier to understand. In Quebec, it has become a very popular swear word used to express anger, annoyance or surprise. In Canada keener is someone who shows up to class early . They mock us by using eh in the most ridiculous phrases and they never get it right. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,101,656 times. Unless youre actually trying to deliver a Canadian insult, theres only one thing you say when someone bumps into you, and thats Sorry. The classic apology can mean anything from sincere acknowledgement of a mistake to passive aggressive annoyance. Kraft Dinner macaroni and cheese. The Rock for Vancouver Island, as in Im getting off The Rock this weekend.. Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get: By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions If youre looking for a corner store, youre looking for the dep. Or the UK. The red Mountie uniform is a classic sign of Canada. A half-sack of beer is half a dozen. They either crack you up or make you wonder how smart the guys can be. A sourdough is a permanent resident of the Yukon who has lived there for all four seasons. I went my entire childhood and a large portion of my adult life not realizing that this was a word only used in Canada. Just wanted to wish everyone a great Christmas this year. There are so many more Canadina expressions that I couldnt fit into the post. I wonder if anyone else in the world calls it a pilon or is it just we Canadians? Ah yes, I remember the confectionary store. The Canadian Provinces, known as the Prairies, in the middle of the country have their own unique slang terms. I didnt know this was a Canadian thing for a long time. Canada has its own version of M&M. The next time you stub your toe in Quebec, you might also want to bite your tongue. 50+ memorable Grinch quotes for people who absolutely hate Christmas. So no, all Canadians dont use hoser as classic slang. In MY Boy is dead, a moving poem by tour great WW1 poet H Smalley-Sarson, I read this line : THe day he got his Blue. This foul term has the approximate weight of "holy sh*t" or "holy f*ck" in English. I didnt know that there was an American Smarties. Yee Haw. I didnt realize that Americans say, taking a shower. However, these slang terms are unique to this region. Common Canadian Slang Sorry Canadians are also known for being polite, and 'Sorry' is commonly used in Canada. For example, it may be 28C, but with the humidex it feels like 35C. A Canadian Moment, Tuque, Beer, Winter????? . The following is a list of colloquial terms and expressions used in the Canadian Armed Forces . In 1998 the municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, York, Scarborough, and the former Toronto merged to make what is now Toronto. Your mom just liked my Instagram post from 2 years ago in Puerto Vallarta. Here is what we recommend: Need more help planning your trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly. POPi dunno if this is accurate but i notice most americans and ppl from other countries call it sodaPOP! You should also study words for uniquely Canadian items, such as loonie, for a Canadian one-dollar coin that has a loon on it. We dont have a lot of free WIFI in Canada, so youll need your phone for maps. They mock us by using "eh" in the most ridiculous phrases and they never get it right. We call it pop in the Detroit area of Michigan. Basically, posts must be of insults that are apologetic, mild, formal, and/or Canadian-themed. Nina Out and About contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. 2. For finding cheap Canadian flights, I recommendSkyscanner. Bob and Doug Mackenzie made it famous in the 70s and it ended up taking of eh. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Although it is a manufactured made up word, it is Canada in a nutshell. I knew that the capital city was a smart one:-). Technically this isnt slang since its a translation, but it means thank you. This is a BC-specific term that means impressive or exceptional. 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. Ah interesting. It comes from the French word depanneur which is the actual name for a convenience store. A kerfuffle is a commotion or fuss. Lol! Thanks Candice, I am going to start using By. , I think in some ways, Alaska and Canada are very similar and quite different in others. Love it! Well, it is simple, a tuque is a knitted hat is used to keep the head warm. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Let us know which one of these surprised you the most. To be sloshed is to be drunk. Most Americans just lines, Very true, we have definitely heard the term chesterfield a lot. I really miss my knapsack days. It is very typical for a Canadian to say I need to use the can in reference to washroom. My grandma also calls her sofa a Davenport. Canadians call our Candy Bars Chocolate Bars and I like it like that. This is actually a strain of wind, like the El Nio, but people dont usually say it to refer to the weather phenomenon. Mmm, Pineapple Crush sounds great and I believe you, Turkey dressing sounds like it would be a nice addition to poutine! Interesting. How a Soft Drink Became Quebec's Homegrown Insult. During the Mongol Rally our team mates were American and they asked us why we kept saying clicks. I dont know why we broke away from the two places that we get a lot of our language, but its sort of a fun rebellion on our part. (score! Living around Canada, especially in the Maritimes, I learned even more fascinating Canadian terms that I wish were more widely known. For BC, that means that the whole country is out east. Its become so ubiquitous that you can now order your coffee this way across Canada, even outside of a Tim Hortons! We drove from England to Mongolia with two Americans and they had never heard of the term clicks. To us, the toilet sounds a bit vulgar. It's similar to the phrases "huh," "right?" and "what?" commonly used in the USA. Canadian English military slang. Ok, maybe not the kindest but were pretty polite. However we do say About different from Americans. Haha, yes you do see a lot of the Molson Muscle cutting lawns in the summer time Corbin. Only seen those in Alberta. If you are trying to learn a few adult Canadian slang words, then this would be a great show to catch every time it airs. 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. Originally refers to the losers of a hockey game, who, in pre-Zamboni times, would have to hose the rink down once the game was done. This is our phrase we use when we go to buy beer at the beer store. I mean, why on earth is it nearly 40C every single day?? Do other people say den and family room? Backpack = Soft bodied, the same or a bit larger than a knapsack. Now that you know the Canadian insults to avoid, check out the Canadian road trips everyone should take at least once. When I first started to travel the world. I think I wrote about it in an old food post. This article captures many Letterkenny sayings you may have become accustomed to. no. After travelling for the last few years and causing some VERY confused faces, I can assure you that we definitely do. Once of the worst Canadian insults? Fun article but many manyof the claims in the comments are not solely Canadian. Often its not even a true or false statement! Many affluent Canadians love their swimming pools. Much like a puck bunny, buckle bunny is a derogatory term for a woman who follows rodeos. If people have a housecoat, its often nicer than your simple plush bathrobe. Now you know. What about deep fried pickles? They also like pumpkin pie.thats 2 for Canada!). Canadians will be agreeing with you, but they say yeah, no. It has no relation to their actual appearance. EX 2: would u like some Pok for dinner? 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. They use bathrooms, and restrooms, I have seen water closet used around the world and The British love to say The Loo But I never see washroom. It's the only slur I know that is based on a beverage. If I hear one more person say Oh your Canadian, do you go oot and aboot? Im going to sock it to em in the nose. Everything is east or west of you. It softens the expression and instead of it sounding like a command, it becomes more like a persuasion. Eh. Everyone always makes fun of us. They also have ketchup chips in some markets. Chesterfield, that is a good one, I forgot about that one. The original name of Ottawa and now a common nickname. Its not the original any longer. I didnt think of that one. Hoser or hose-head is a slang term originating in Canada that is used to reference or imitate Canadians.. Write by: . It's similar to ' white trash ,' poor people in the USA. 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. Depaneur Convenience store Macdo Short name for McDonald Regie I have heard this from many English speakers, I went to the regie web site (government agency), Whats up with the saying some of these days we say one of these days here in the States. Some have a French Canadian influence. Is you do you Canadian slang or American? , If I was a Dr. Seuss book, Id be The Fat in the Hat. Some of the most relatable quotes on the show are: Memorable Beauty and the Beast quotes from the iconic Disney film. I forgot all about the word pop Americans call it soda and that just sounds strange to we Canadians. ), All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. If you want to develop a Canadian accent, try to say the lines along with the actors on the third or fourth viewing. Haha, that sounds like something I would do. See coming into force provision and notes, where applicable. Its just much more succinct and over the years its become a part of our national identity. A Molson Muscle refers to a beer belly, typically acquired by drinking too much Molson beer. If you were in a French-speaking part of Canada, like Quebec, you could say "bicyclette". Thats not to say we dont have our own unique way of speaking, its just that were a lot more Wayne Gretzky than Doug Mackenzie. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. All examples can be found pretty much anywhere in America. In Quebec, people take the Metro instead of the subway, belong to syndicates instead of unions, and attend reunions instead of meetings. However, you should never drink river or lake water anywhere in the country! The things you learn on a travel blog:). . Boy, its a newphie term for boys. Tell the bys Im cooking dinner. If you want a home-y feeling, check out VRBO (which is cheaper and safer than Airbnb). Can someone explain to me the reason for the cultural fascination that affluent Qubcois have with wanting to have back yard swimming pools? And I believe my grandparents in kansas also used to call them that. There are many online services that are dedicated to helping language learners find native speakers to talk with. Quebec Anglophones have freely adopted French words, such as autoroute for highway and dpanneur for corner store, as well as French constructions, such as take a decision and shut a light. To learn more, like how to use online resources to practice Canadian slang, read on! .-= Candices last blog ..Lend me your ears. I think Ill head over to one today to get myself some sasparilla:). That is until you see the coin. A bunnyhug is a pullover sweatshirt with no zipper. . A Mickey is a small bottle of alcohol that can fit in your pocket. , Tims, McDonalds, and the beer store are all closed on Christmas Day. This comes from the famous Blue Nose ship that used to fish and race in Nova Scotia. If your friends say something surprising, spring a OHHH YIS BY! on them. I have heard other people say packsack before and ski do is the word we use for snowmobile. We sometimes shorten it to uni. Eh This is our most popular Canadian saying that we receive the most flack about from the rest of the world. Tuque (it can also be spelled toque) I watched Canadian icons Bob and Doug Mackenzie as a kid wearing their tuques telling each other to Take Off Eh and I never thought anything of it. Its true what they say about accents: everyone has one and you cant always hear your own, but this whole business about Canadians saying a-boot instead of about is just confusing. _+t!BN]G^l.oH t&N$f +/\K6Z A]o~RfV>s o`Y{450tuUP"d=z$\:Mwr%RTGD! By the way, Tim Hortons was founded by hockey legend Tim Horton. Nade: Canadians: Shortened form of "Canadian." Nades is a 2v1 game of tennis. Thanks for sharing! I didnt know that garburator was Canadian or till, or writing exams. But Canadians use it differently. For exampleIt is very nice day out today eh? To which the other person will reply Yes it is. See how easy it is? "Eh." Everyone always makes fun of us. Long story short, Pop is not just a Canadian phenomena. Its part of their tradition (much like the sour toe shot). Ive literally never heard anyone outside of American television use this term. Privacy Policy. Deke comes from the hockey move of faking to maneuver around an opponent. It seems to relate to their Irish ancestry. When Canadians use the word Poke it means just that. You look like a 12-year-old Dutch girl. You ever hoover schneef off a sleeping cows spine?