So, I was reading my beloved Uncle John's Supremely Satisfying Bathroom Reader (it's the 14th installment from our friends at the BRI, for those of you who share my love for Uncle John's books) and came across this slightly interesting piece on peculiar Canadian expressions (pg 97). I am not sure where the information came from, really, but I found it funny because much of this stuff seems just plain made up, and not by us Canucks. I have posted the article in full, and included my comments afterwards. Any other Canadians, or anyone else who might have indeed heard one of 'us' use one or more of the following expressions, feel free to comment! And while I disagree with the authenticity of much of these words, it is still an entertaining read.
Enjoy!
"DO YOU SPEAK CANADIAN?
We thought you Molson-muscled hosers might be interested in an article that talks a-boot some of the more colorful expressions used by our friends in the Great White North. Eh?
SPEAKING CANADIAN
So you think there's no such thing as Canadian English, eh? Then tell me what this means:
The beerslinger posted a sign warning that hosers with molson muscles, rubbies, and
sh*t-disturbers would not be welcome. No sirree. Folks were drinking bloody Caesars
and brown cows at the booze can. Heck, even the Gravol was free.
Translation for the non-Canadian reader: A 'beerslinger' is an informal term for a bartender; a 'hoser' means a lout; a 'rubby' refers to a derelict alcoholic known to mix rubbing alcohol with what he is imbibing; 'Molson muscles' is a term for a beer-belly; 'brown cow' and 'bloody Caesar' are names for two cocktails in Canada; a 'booze can' is a term for an illegal bar usually in someone's home; a 'sh*t-disturber' refers to one who likes to create trouble; and 'Gravol' is the Canadian proprietary name of an anti-nausea medication.
Here are some more Canadianisms:
All-dressed: Food served with all the optional garnishes
Cuffy: Cigarette butt
Browned off: Fed up or disheartened
Two-four: A case of beer
First Peoples: The politically correct term for Canadian Indians
Bazoo: Old rusted car
Fuddle duddle: A euphemism for 'go to hell'
Keener: Eager beaver
Steamie: A steamed hot dog
Gitch: Underwear
The Can: Canada
Schumck: Verb meaning 'to flatten', as in, 'He got schmucked on the road'
Bite moose: Go away
Garburator: A garbage disposal unit
Anglophone: An English-language speaker
Francophone: A French-language speaker
Allophone: Immigrant who speaks neither English nor French
Wobbly pop: Alcohol
Keep yer stick on the ice: Pay attention
Skookum: Big and powerful (a west coast term derived from Chinook jargon)
And lets not forget unique French-Canadian English phraseology, such as 'Throw me down the stairs my shoes,' or 'Throw the horse over the fense some hay.' So, you all you hosers from beantown, the Big Easy, and La La Land, before you visit your neighbors to the north in T.O. (Toronto, Ontario) or up island in B.C. (British Columbia), remember that Canadians have their own way of speaking English. And although the Canadian national personal is extremely polite, don't forget that ice hockey is the national pastime and 'drop the gloves,' a hockey term for 'prepare to fight,' is also part of Canadian English."
My 2 cents:
I've never heard 'beerslinger' before, although it's an easy one to figure out - I've, and I assume most others have as well, heard of bootleggers before but they define it differently. 'Rubby' is a new one, as is 'Molson muscles' (although that one is easy to figure out as well ); I have always assumed that 'brown cows' and 'bloody Caesars' were common drinks not unique to Canada; 'booze can' meaning a bar in someone's home sounds untrue as well; 'Gravol' is the brand name (Dramamine for others) for Dimenhydrinate, used to help upset stomachs.
'Cuffy', 'Browned off', 'Bazoo', 'Steamie', 'Gitch', 'Bite moose' and 'Garburator' don't seem very Canadian to me. 'Wobbly pop' I've heard, but if I've heard it more than once I'll be surprised. 'Skookum' is possible but I'd need a west coaster to explain that one.
And of course, the phrases in the last part (throw me down the stairs my shoes, etc) don't seem very plausible. My gf is french and she doesn't say anything that silly.
I donn't think 'All-Dressed' or 'Schmuck' are specific to Canada, and 'two-four' (24 beer in a flat), 'First Peoples', and 'Keep yer stick on the ice' are all true, although that last one is a Red Green used phrase more than anyone else (probably combined) in the country.
Thanks for reading!
edit: a-boot is used mostly by South Park, and probably people from Onterrible
Enjoy!
"DO YOU SPEAK CANADIAN?
We thought you Molson-muscled hosers might be interested in an article that talks a-boot some of the more colorful expressions used by our friends in the Great White North. Eh?
SPEAKING CANADIAN
So you think there's no such thing as Canadian English, eh? Then tell me what this means:
The beerslinger posted a sign warning that hosers with molson muscles, rubbies, and
sh*t-disturbers would not be welcome. No sirree. Folks were drinking bloody Caesars
and brown cows at the booze can. Heck, even the Gravol was free.
Translation for the non-Canadian reader: A 'beerslinger' is an informal term for a bartender; a 'hoser' means a lout; a 'rubby' refers to a derelict alcoholic known to mix rubbing alcohol with what he is imbibing; 'Molson muscles' is a term for a beer-belly; 'brown cow' and 'bloody Caesar' are names for two cocktails in Canada; a 'booze can' is a term for an illegal bar usually in someone's home; a 'sh*t-disturber' refers to one who likes to create trouble; and 'Gravol' is the Canadian proprietary name of an anti-nausea medication.
Here are some more Canadianisms:
All-dressed: Food served with all the optional garnishes
Cuffy: Cigarette butt
Browned off: Fed up or disheartened
Two-four: A case of beer
First Peoples: The politically correct term for Canadian Indians
Bazoo: Old rusted car
Fuddle duddle: A euphemism for 'go to hell'
Keener: Eager beaver
Steamie: A steamed hot dog
Gitch: Underwear
The Can: Canada
Schumck: Verb meaning 'to flatten', as in, 'He got schmucked on the road'
Bite moose: Go away
Garburator: A garbage disposal unit
Anglophone: An English-language speaker
Francophone: A French-language speaker
Allophone: Immigrant who speaks neither English nor French
Wobbly pop: Alcohol
Keep yer stick on the ice: Pay attention
Skookum: Big and powerful (a west coast term derived from Chinook jargon)
And lets not forget unique French-Canadian English phraseology, such as 'Throw me down the stairs my shoes,' or 'Throw the horse over the fense some hay.' So, you all you hosers from beantown, the Big Easy, and La La Land, before you visit your neighbors to the north in T.O. (Toronto, Ontario) or up island in B.C. (British Columbia), remember that Canadians have their own way of speaking English. And although the Canadian national personal is extremely polite, don't forget that ice hockey is the national pastime and 'drop the gloves,' a hockey term for 'prepare to fight,' is also part of Canadian English."
My 2 cents:
I've never heard 'beerslinger' before, although it's an easy one to figure out - I've, and I assume most others have as well, heard of bootleggers before but they define it differently. 'Rubby' is a new one, as is 'Molson muscles' (although that one is easy to figure out as well ); I have always assumed that 'brown cows' and 'bloody Caesars' were common drinks not unique to Canada; 'booze can' meaning a bar in someone's home sounds untrue as well; 'Gravol' is the brand name (Dramamine for others) for Dimenhydrinate, used to help upset stomachs.
'Cuffy', 'Browned off', 'Bazoo', 'Steamie', 'Gitch', 'Bite moose' and 'Garburator' don't seem very Canadian to me. 'Wobbly pop' I've heard, but if I've heard it more than once I'll be surprised. 'Skookum' is possible but I'd need a west coaster to explain that one.
And of course, the phrases in the last part (throw me down the stairs my shoes, etc) don't seem very plausible. My gf is french and she doesn't say anything that silly.
I donn't think 'All-Dressed' or 'Schmuck' are specific to Canada, and 'two-four' (24 beer in a flat), 'First Peoples', and 'Keep yer stick on the ice' are all true, although that last one is a Red Green used phrase more than anyone else (probably combined) in the country.
Thanks for reading!
edit: a-boot is used mostly by South Park, and probably people from Onterrible
Last edited by Rygar (2006-10-13 13:45:40)