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Culture
Portia Crowe
Updated
2016-09-26T21:21:00Z
Now it's not always easy to spot a Canadian in the US. For the most part, we sound pretty similar. We share a lot of values with Americans and can identify with the same cultural references.
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But we do have our own vernacular, and there's a lot more to it than "eh" and"aboot."
Here's a list of Canadian slang words and expressions that many Americans would not recognize.
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Keener: A person who is extremely eager or keen. Used interchangeably with terms like "brownnoser" and "overachiever" among Canadian schoolchildren.
Chirping or beaking: Making fun of someone. (Chirping is used in eastern Canada; beaking is used in parts of western Canada.)
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Gotch/gitch/gonch: Tight men's underpants known elsewhere as tighty-whities — e.g., "Do you separate your gitch from your socks when you do laundry?"
Mickey: A 375 ml bottle of alcohol. Usually shaped like a flask but slightly larger, they fit perfectly in a purse.
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Stag and stagette parties: Bachelor and bachelorette parties.
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Give'r: To exert as much effort as possible. Often used in the context of extreme sports.
Gong show or gonger: A situation that gets way out of control, often in a funny way. A total disaster. Sometimes used to refer to a party that gets out of hand.
Decked out: An adjective used to refer to someone who is dressed up or something that has been decorated.
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hom*o milk: hom*ogenized milk, also known as whole milk. In Canada, it is very normal for a parent or spouse to ask you to pick up some hom*o milk on your way home.
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KD or Kraft Dinner: Kraft mac and cheese.
Two-four: A case of 24 beers.
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Toque: Pronounced "toohk," a toque is a winter hat or knit cap, like a beanie. It often refers to the type of beanie that rolls up at the bottom.
"Out for a rip": Going out for a drive. Or a snowmobile ride. Or any other kind of excursion, really.
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Pre-drinking: What Americans refer to as "pregaming" — having a drink with friends at someone's home before going out to a bar or club.
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Double-double: a type of coffee from Tim Hortons, Canada's most popular coffee and donut shop. Double-doubles are made with two creams and two sugars.
Timbit: A donut hole from Tim Hortons or from any other restaurant in Canada.
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Gravol: The Canadian equivalent of Dramamine, the over-the-counter drug for motion sickness.
Nanaimo bar: A popular rich dessert that requires no baking. Named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia.
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Champagne Birthday: The birthday when you turn the age of the date of your birth. So if you were born on the 26th of the month, your 26th birthday would be your Champagne Birthday. Known in the US as Golden Birthday.
Rockets: The candy that Americans call "Smarties." In Canada, "Smarties" are candy-coated chocolates made by Nestlé that are closer to M&Ms.
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Freezies: A favorite summertime treat that consists mostly of sugar and water frozen in a clear plastic tube.
Runners: Running shoes. Or, really, any kind of athletic shoe, like a tennis shoe.
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Holiday: Canadians use the term "holiday" interchangeably with "vacation." E.g., "When are you taking your holiday this year?" "I think I might go on holiday in July."
A photo posted by Adam Mills (@adam_mills) on Feb 27, 2016 at 1:51pm PST
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Garburator: An electric device underneath of a kitchen sink that breaks up food so it can be washed away. Americans call it a trash disposal.
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College: This refers specifically to community colleges in Canada. Any institution that awards degrees is referred to as a "university."
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A "pull" or a "boot": Both terms used to describe someone who is of drinking age who buys alcohol for those who are underage. In British Columbia and Alberta, the term "boot" is used. In Saskatchewan, the term is "pull." Neither is prominent in eastern Canada.
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Bunnyhug: Used exclusively in Saskatchewan to refer to a hooded sweatshirt, or hoodie. But only in Saskatchewan. The rest of the country finds it as funny as you do.
Dep: A convenience store in Montreal and other parts of Quebec. It's short for the French word dépanneur.
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"Hey" vs. "eh": In some parts of western Canada, the term "hey" is used more commonly than "eh." Importantly, Canadians do not intersperse either word at random throughout sentences. Both are used like the word "right" at the end of a sentence.
Good to know, hey?
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Greetings, fellow language aficionados! I'm here to delve into the intricate tapestry of Canadian slang, providing you with a linguistic tour de force that goes beyond the stereotypical "eh" and "aboot." As someone deeply immersed in the linguistic nuances of various cultures, I bring forth a wealth of firsthand expertise to decipher the Canadian vernacular featured in the article.
Let's embark on this linguistic journey together:
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Keener:
- Definition: A person who is extremely eager or keen, often used interchangeably with terms like "brownnoser" and "overachiever" among Canadian schoolchildren.
-
Chirping or Beaking:
- Definition: Making fun of someone. "Chirping" is used in eastern Canada, while "beaking" is used in parts of western Canada.
-
Gotch/Gitch/Gonch:
- Definition: Tight men's underpants, known elsewhere as tighty-whities.
-
Mickey:
- Definition: A 375 ml bottle of alcohol, usually shaped like a flask but slightly larger.
-
Texas Mickey:
- Definition: A 3-liter (101 ounces) bottle of alcohol.
-
Stag and Stagette Parties:
- Definition: Equivalent to bachelor and bachelorette parties.
-
Give'r:
- Definition: To exert as much effort as possible, often used in the context of extreme sports.
-
Gong Show or Gonger:
- Definition: A situation that gets way out of control, often in a funny way. A total disaster. Sometimes used to refer to a party that gets out of hand.
-
Decked Out:
- Definition: An adjective used to refer to someone who is dressed up or something that has been decorated.
-
Hang a Larry:
- Definition: Turn left.
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Hang a Roger:
- Definition: Turn right.
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hom*o Milk:
- Definition: hom*ogenized milk, also known as whole milk.
-
KD or Kraft Dinner:
- Definition: Kraft mac and cheese.
-
Two-Four:
- Definition: A case of 24 beers.
-
Toque:
- Definition: A winter hat or knit cap, like a beanie.
-
"Out for a Rip":
- Definition: Going out for a drive, snowmobile ride, or any other kind of excursion.
-
Pre-Drinking:
- Definition: What Americans refer to as "pregaming" – having a drink with friends at someone's home before going out to a bar or club.
-
Deking:
- Definition: A hockey term that describes faking or deceiving your opponent.
-
Double-Double:
- Definition: A type of coffee from Tim Hortons made with two creams and two sugars.
-
Timbit:
- Definition: A donut hole from Tim Hortons or any other restaurant in Canada.
-
Gravol:
- Definition: The Canadian equivalent of Dramamine, an over-the-counter drug for motion sickness.
-
Nanaimo Bar:
- Definition: A popular no-bake dessert named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia.
-
Champagne Birthday:
- Definition: The birthday when you turn the age of the date of your birth, known in the US as Golden Birthday.
-
Rockets:
- Definition: The candy that Americans call "Smarties." In Canada, "Smarties" are candy-coated chocolates made by Nestlé, closer to M&Ms.
-
Freezies:
- Definition: A summertime treat consisting mostly of sugar and water frozen in a clear plastic tube.
-
Runners:
- Definition: Running shoes or any kind of athletic shoe.
-
Holiday:
- Definition: Canadians use the term "holiday" interchangeably with "vacation."
-
Chesterfield:
- Definition: A couch or sofa.
-
Garburator:
- Definition: An electric device under a kitchen sink that breaks up food, called a trash disposal in the US.
-
Washroom:
- Definition: A polite term for a bathroom, the Canadian version of "restroom."
-
Housecoat:
- Definition: A bathrobe.
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Pencil Crayons:
- Definition: Colored pencils.
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College:
- Definition: Refers specifically to community colleges in Canada, while any institution awarding degrees is called a "university."
-
Haligonian:
- Definition: Anyone from the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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Parkade:
- Definition: A multistory parking lot, also known as a parking garage.
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"Pull" or "Boot":
- Definition: Terms used to describe someone of drinking age buying alcohol for those underage, with regional variations.
-
Bunnyhug:
- Definition: Exclusive to Saskatchewan, refers to a hooded sweatshirt or hoodie.
-
Dep:
- Definition: A convenience store in Montreal and other parts of Quebec, short for the French word dépanneur.
-
"Hey" vs. "Eh":
- Definition: In some parts of western Canada, "hey" is used more commonly than "eh," both used like the word "right" at the end of a sentence.
There you have it—an extensive exploration of Canadian slang, capturing the essence of the Great White North's linguistic richness. Feel free to use these expressions "with the greatest of give'rs" in your future conversations, eh!
