Weird Canadian Words: How to Speak Canadian

by Edrick Thay

Anorak, butter tart, ballicatter, kayak, stubby, toonie--these are familiar Canadian words. But where did they come from? What quirks of language and fate have made them truly Canadian? Even though we speak the same language as the Yanks and the Brits, Canadians have a unique dialect that is recognized around the world, and each province has its own eccentricities.Edrick Thay presents well-known and obscure Canadianisms in this often-humorous glossary of words from across the • all-Canadian words--Canuck, hockey, loonie, Medicare, tuque and the ubiquitous eh• Québècois words--tourtiére, cretons, shivaree and Bombardier• words from Ontario--BeaverTails, reeve, Wonderbra and zipper• West Coast terms--potlatch, hooch, Nanaimo bar and skookum• words of the sea-faring Atlantic provinces--screech, ballicatter, slob ice and blue nose• aboriginal words--skookum, potlatch, chinook and high muckamuck• western Canadianisms--canola, Bloody Caesar, bunnyhug, Métis and stubble jumper• and words of the North--inuksuk, Klondike, mukluk, pingo and toboggan.

Genres: Language, Canada, Humor, Nonfiction, Reference

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2005

Reviews

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Instead of attaching Canadian flags to our backpacks when we travel abroad to identify ourselves, Canadians only need to open our mouths to be identified. This dictionary includes words that only Canadians would recognize - fiddleheads, loonie, deke, pingo, tuque, hat trick, Metis, First Nations, depanneur, screech, Nanaimo bars. As well as the previous uniquely Canadian words, this dictionary also includes the origins of Canadian inventions - Bombardier, Arborite, Wonderbra, Canadarm, Trivial Pursuit. Interesting, eh?

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually thought it wasn't so bad. I did find some stuff that I didn't know before. Like McIntosh apples were discovered in Canada.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I need to buy a tuque and drink some swish. Being a Michigander, I feel that I can claim that I'm half Canuck already. :)

[Spanishliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Might not have read every word, but near enough!

[Nicole Yovanoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

meh.