# Canadianisms! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 30, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368 "2017-03-30T19:26:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/61 "2017-04-02T18:15:05Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > Cop shop = police station This has long been part of U.S. newspaper jargon. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/62 "2017-04-02T23:06:50Z")
In TBay we gots Persians. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/63 "2017-04-03T00:02:15Z")
“Buck & Doe” - an engagement party. A real piss-up. Usually ends up with at least one fight in the parking lot. Often involving a former girlfriend or boyfriend of the happy couple. Not sure if that’s exclusively Canadian (Ontario). ---
**Author:** ![Drummond\_Bays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@Drummond\_Bays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drummond_Bays)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/64 "2017-04-03T00:17:27Z")
> [@rjk](#): > > Saskatchewan, as well. > > I don’t think anyone has mentioned it, but **robert\_columbia** ’s mention of T-dropping applies to “TO” (the city mentioned above) as well: more formally, it’s pronounced “Tronna”. Taranna 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/65 "2017-04-03T01:22:53Z")
“Scribblers” was used in BC (well, in my schools, anyway) in the 1960s. Newfoundlanders call a dinner and dance a “scoff and scuff.” Homo milk was and is used BC. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/66 "2017-04-03T02:10:53Z")
> [@rjk](#): > > more formally, it’s pronounced “Tronna”. > [@Drummond\_Bays](#): > > Taranna 😛 I hear it as “Chrahnnuh,” with “ch” as in “church” ['tʃrɑ nə] ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/67 "2017-04-03T07:58:54Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I suspect that Americans who have not been to Canada who be clueless as to what “toonie” means. When they find out, their reaction would almost certainly be _what the fuck is wrong with you people‽‽‽_ I’m from near Buffalo and am familiar with toonies and loonies, it was quite an adjustment when the paper 1’s were discontinued. Changed the dynamics of tipping at the “ballet” . ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/68 "2017-04-03T11:06:04Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I suspect that Americans who have not been to Canada who be clueless as to what “toonie” means. When they find out, their reaction would almost certainly be _what the fuck is wrong with you people‽‽‽_ When I, a US-ian, last visited Canada I knew about the one and two dollar coins. I love them! I could make small-to-moderate purchases with just my coin purse, and not have to pull out my wallet all the freaking time. I look forward to the day when we dump the dollar bill for a dollar coin. I can still find 1965 quarters in my change. I doubt I can find a bill in circulation older than this century. Dollar coins make sense, but we are _such_ _fraking_ traditionalists about currency in the US. :rolleyes: IOW, my reaction was “_What the fuck is wrong with us people‽‽‽_” (And thank you for the interrobang!) ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/69 "2017-04-03T14:29:00Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > When I, a US-ian, last visited Canada I knew about the one and two dollar coins. I love them! I could make small-to-moderate purchases with just my coin purse, and not have to pull out my wallet all the freaking time. I look forward to the day when we dump the dollar bill for a dollar coin. I can still find 1965 quarters in my change. I doubt I can find a bill in circulation older than this century. Dollar coins make sense, but we are _such_ _fraking_ traditionalists about currency in the US. :rolleyes: > > IOW, my reaction was “_What the fuck is wrong with us people‽‽‽_” > > (And thank you for the interrobang!) Come on back to visit us, we discontinued the penny and life is wonderful! All of the change you’ll receive now has real value. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/70 "2017-04-03T19:04:17Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > Bite yer tongue Calgarian. I am Winnipeg born and bred and currently residing in Edmonton. Then as a fellow Winnipegger you should know a jambuster when you hear one…😉 Calgary, Pfft! I was born in Saskatoon but I called Winnipeg home after my Dad left the CAF in 1980. I’ve been in Cold Lake forever, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/71 "2017-04-04T02:04:48Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > Come on back to visit us, we discontinued the penny and life is wonderful! All of the change you’ll receive now has real value. Going there this summer! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/72 "2017-04-04T03:42:41Z")
A fun thread, but as noted, a lot of regionisms: some I knew of, and others I didn’t. I’ve liven I’m southwestern, and in eastern Ontario. Sent from my adequate mobile device using Tapatalk. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/73 "2017-04-04T04:06:12Z")
Tronna, Taranna, Chrahnnuh - no matter, maybe just regional variations. The important thing is that the last ‘T’ has disappeared. I grew up with scribblers in the 50s and 60s in Saskatchewan as well. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/74 "2017-04-04T04:06:50Z")
“I’ve liven …” ? Is that how Canadians talk? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/75 "2017-04-04T04:08:40Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’ve liven I’m southwestern, and in eastern Ontario. Phones and Tapatalk appear to be creating new regionalisms before our very eyes! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/76 "2017-04-04T06:07:14Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > “Scribblers” was used in BC (well, in my schools, anyway) in the 1960s. > > Newfoundlanders call a dinner and dance a “scoff and scuff.” Newfies also eat the weirdest food: Newfie steak, Scrunchions, Salt Beef, Jiggs dinner, it just goes on. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/77 "2017-04-04T06:19:59Z")
Skookum - a BCism meaning big, healthy. "“Ten pounds?! That’s a skookum kid!” It’s a Native word. There’s also Skookumchuck, big water, meaning the ocean and ocean water is the saltchuck. I grew up around Vancouver and used hydro to power the fridge where we kept the homo, which I drank on the chesterfield while watching The Friendly Giant! Then I’d play street hockey with a lacrosse ball. The same one I used to play Sevens and Foursquare. Then I’d go home and watch The Beachcombers and bitch about going to bed while the sun was up because it was Daylight Savings Time! Whew! I feel like standing to attention and singing “Oh Canada!” ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/78 "2017-04-04T06:28:26Z")
Four square was in the US. Two words I think (Foursquare is an ultra conservative Pentecostal church). By middle school\* it no longer existed, of course. \*Sixth grade, Canadians call it Grade Six. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/79 "2017-04-04T06:43:45Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Four square was in the US. Two words I think (Foursquare is an ultra conservative Pentecostal church). By middle school\* it no longer existed, of course. > > \*Sixth grade, Canadians call it Grade Six. I think we might be talking about the same thing - four square is a game consisting of a large square divided into four smaller squares painted right onto the asphalt in front of the school or under the shelter. You basically stood four kids in the corners of the squares and bounced a ball back and forth. Oh, btw, we have Middle School here now but when I was a kid it went Elementry, Gr K- 7, Junior High, Gr 8 -10 and Senior High, Gr 11-12. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368/80 "2017-04-04T08:51:16Z")
Yep. Wasn’t sure if you were saying it was a Canada only, thing, my mistake if not. Also two square, if people don’t want to play. Cousin of kick ball and dodgeball (bombardment in some areas) in that it pretty much disappears when you get older. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadianisms/783368.md?page=5)