Happy 150th Birthday Canada - Canadianisms

Canadian Please - Julia Bentley and Gunnarolla

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWQf13B8epw

There is a strong British influence over the language in Canada, but there is also some terms that have meshed with the language due to the proximity to the United States. Then there are some words and phrases that are unique to Canada, if not a specific region of Canada. Your list may differ, this is mine.


1. Eh: Often tacked onto the end of a sentence, depending on the intonation it can be an affirmation or a question. We often don't want to admit how often we use it, but it sounds much more polite than "Huh". I'm right eh?

2. Sorry: We apologize even when it is not our fault. But that doesn't mean we are pushovers. Just nice :)

3. Zed: Instead of the American zee, it is the last letter of the alphabet.

Touque

4. Touque: It is a hat worn primarily in the winter, usually made of wool or other warm material. With or without a pompom on the end.

5. Chesterfield: Not an american brand of cigarettes but a place to sit down in the living room or rec room. 

6. Runners: Casual footwear that is often used for athletic activities, also called running shoes. 

Tim Hortons/Timmies

7. Timmies: A slang for the coffee shop Tim Hortons, this word has become a verb and part of everyday language. You can go for a timmies, you can go to timmies, you can have a timmies. Interchangeable with the word coffee.

8. Double double: Speaking of Timmies, when you get there you can get a double double. A coffee with 2 sugar and 2 cream. 

9. Housecoat: This is a robe that you might don after a shower or upon waking up.

10. Homo: At one time this word had two meanings, it could refer to homoginized milk or a homosexual. Fortunately the second has been dropped as it was often used in a derogatory fashion. Homo milk (or just homo) is regular full fat milk. 

11. Garburator: This is a device installed under a sink that removes food waste. Not so common anymore it seems, as people have turned to composting instead.

Toboggan

12. Toboggan: Is a narrow sled on which you can sit and slid down a snowy hill, it is curved at the front to push loose snow away and usually into your face. Looks like a sideways J.

13. Knapsack: A bag which is carried via straps on the back. Common for campers and hikers but also used by students to carry supplies to and from school.

Muskoka Chair

14. Muskoka Chair: Also used for sitting on, but in this case usually at the cabin/cottage. Previously made exclusively of wood durable to withstand the out-of-doors, now can be found made of recycled plastics. Originated in the US as Adirondack chairs. 

15. Serviette: A paper napkin used clean the mouth or cover the lap during a meal.

16. Pogey/Pogie: Government financial assistance when unemployed. Can be used as a noun or a verb.

17. Loonie: In 1987 the paper dollar bill in Canada was phased out in favour of a gold coloured coin that features the picture of a loon. The loon is a common bird found in Canada and the coin was dubbed the Loonie. 

Loonie and Twonie

18. Twonie/Toonie: With the success of the Loonie, a $2 coin was released in 1996. It is bimetallic (gold coloured interior circle banded by silver) and features a polar bear. If a five dollar coin is to follow - what will it be called? 

19. Parkade: A multi-story concrete building found in many urban centres and shopping malls, it is a place to park a car.

20. Two-four: A case of 24 beer. Can be bottles or cans. In the case of bottles it can be carried around by the Canadian invented handles in the box which are large enough to accommodate mittens.

Canadian Club Whiskey

21. Mickey: A small bottle of liquor (375 ml) that is often brought to a social gathering to consume in one evening. Small enough as to be inconspicuous when carrying it around.

22. 26'er: This is a 26 ounce (now 750 ml) bottle of hard liquor or spirits. The kind doesn't matter, it's the size that counts.

23. Forty-pounder: Still alcoholic and spirits, this is a 40 ounce (now 1.14 litre) bottle.  

24. Texas Mickey: Made to share (hopefully), contains 101 ounces of vodka, gin, rum or rye whiskey. 

25. SOCIABLE: Leaving the best for last, this is a term most commonly associated with the East Coast. Meaning to wish someone good cheer and happiness while raising glasses high in the air and clinking glasses with our friends, we say Sociable!

SOCIABLE! 

"He was too cold in his bachelor pad with just his gotch on after the hydro was cut off so he put on his bunny hug and sneakers before settling down with his pencil crayons to complete the invitation to the shag."



Images
Eh - https://d3b7tn9u8qgai7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Canada.EH_.png
Touque - https://www.in2sports.ca/1541-large_default/umbro-canada-toque.jpg
Timmies - http://cdn.insidetimmies.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/BfvtL5YIgAAyWHb.jpg
Toboggan - https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1274/1911/products/Toboggan_21212_2048x1535_grande.jpg?v=1479326710 
Muskoka Chair - https://www.cottagespot.com/images/products/BC150C.jpg
Loonie and Twonie - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUtwXRp388eeq40HpvmBC53L1ohZfgTUwPq1Yoa1GwKq78YxmNGqBROLYmCmfhZ0C5-veJJCMCAzN131s0WvPJ0mj48jzYh-dtHCYVb8npcfvZHZClqYqc9uf8B1Aiu6f2FwXlyvFgPk/s640/loonie-toonie.jpg
Canadian Club Whiskey: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/61/ef/ac/61efac06ccf7fcca4fcc9c3fb62719e2--packaging-world-pets.jpg
Sociable - http://www.rd.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/04/06-Cheers-How-to-Toast-Around-the-World-1024x683.jpg

http://www.rd.com/culture/how-to-say-cheers/