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I was reading this post over at Alix's blog about the differences in American and British words she has discovered since she moved to the States and I thought "I can steal something to write about!"
Canadian English is a mixture of both British and American English. From one of my favourite books I am going to give you a sentence. British words will be in bold and American in italics.
Canadians write cheques for their colour TVs. They turn off the tap, eat porridge, put jam on their toast and gas in their trucks, and munch potato chips as they relax on their chesterfields.
Hardly anything in their that belongs to us. Except for chesterfield. And I don't know anyone who says chesterfield over sofa or couch.
In this same book there is a paragraph with 19 listed Canadian words (but not double double, which I don't think has made it overseas or south of the border but I think every Canadian knows what it means). I will send a prize (something Canadian) to whatever bloggers can tell me what words are Canadian.
Last night, I cashed my pogey and went to buy a mickey of C.C at the beer parlour, but my skidoo got stuck in the muskeg on my way back to the duplex. I was trying to deke out a deer, you see. Damn chinook, melted everything. And then a mountie snuck up behind me in a ghost car and gave me an impaired. I was S.O.L., sitting there dressed only in my Stanfields and a toque at the time. And the Mountie, he's all chippy and everything, calling me a "shit disturber" and whatnot. What could I say, except, "Chimo!"
Frankly, I think this paragraph is full of Newfie expressions but I could be wrong. As I read it I picture a guy with his two front teeth missing. Not that I'm saying Newfies have a lack of teeth, but you know, the ones I know do. Well a few of them anyway. But I do imagine a Newfie accent. And I'm not being bigoted people. I'm just too lazy to write out "Newfoundlanders."
And if you can tell me what those words mean? The prizes might actually be good.
Canadian bloggers...I think you're out on this one. Though I will admit to not knowing what a few of those words were.
07 November, 2007
Canadianisms
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13 comments:
I can pick out a few words in that paragraph that I know aren't American but wether they are Canadian or something else I don't know. I am curious how many people ask you what a muskeg is though. We have that here as well so I know but when talking to anyone if I mention it I have to explain what it is to them. The paragraph does sound a bit Newfie to me like you said though.
The only words I'm not sure about are Stanfields, toque and chimo.
Yea, no idea.
My oldest did tell me that she had jam on her toast this morning instead of jelly...
I eat jam and I love a good chinook in the winter. We use most of those words down in WA...maybe I am too close to the border. The only one I don't know is .... what is Chimo?
It is funny with all of the press about how stupid/dumb/uninformed that Americans are I find myself afraid to ask questions. I might add to the myth that all Americans are that way.
Okay - here is my go:
1 - cashed
2 - skidoo
3 - chinook
4 - mountie
5 - impaired
6 - ghost car
7 - Stanfields
8 - cashed
9 - pogey
10- muskeg
11 - S.O. L. (which we use here a lot)
12 - toque
13 - shit disturber
14 - whatnot
15 - Chimo
I can't say for sure the rest - even though we use SOL and whatnot here in Oregon.
Oh - shoot, I'm suppose to say what the words mean and NOT pick them out...Please ignore the above comment! Thanks!!!!!!
duh (dumb American)
1 - pogey (paycheck)
2 - mickey (can of beer)
3 - skidoo (snow machine)
4 - chinook (warm winter wind)
5 - mountie (police officer)
6 - ghost car (unmarked police vehicle)
7 - impaired (ticket)
8 - SOL (shit out of luck)
9 - Stanfields (either wading pants or boots)
10 - chippy (smart alec)
11 - whatnot (meaning - and everything else)
There - that's all I could come up with.
I did a bit of research:
Pogey = dole cheque/emplyment insurance
mickey=small bottle booze
CC= canadian club
skidoo= snowmobile
musteg= boggy swampland
duplex= divided building for 2 families( we would call maisonette)
deke=guile/skillful misdirection
chinook= warm wind from Rockies
mountie= police
ghost= unmarked police car
impaired=drunk driving ticket
SOL = shit out of luck
stanfields=grandpa style underwear
togue=knitted hat/national hat
shit disturber=chippy
chimo= greeting /cheers.
ummm-- I know the word "eh?", but that isn't in the post.
a mountie is like a policeman, but on a horse.
I won't even try to compete with the others...
Yeah, there are regional differences too. I don't know all of them either. Then there are the generational differences.
Haven't got a clue but I love SOl - is that what it means?
Also know Mountie as I used ti watch Due North many years ago!
There were a couople I didn't know either! Guess I've been living in Texas too long???
I think SOL is a wonderful, universal shorthand!
Lisa
Ya damn Brits!! My husband tells me that I talk American all of the time and I spell like one too. It's mOm!!!!!! ;)
Chimos are Acton Chimo boots..
Check em out. Militaries and RCMP wear them in winter.
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