# Tuques **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 1999, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612 "1999-11-09T02:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/1 "1999-11-09T02:21:00Z")
Are tuques really endemic to Canada? Don’t the States have woolen winter hats too? What do you call them if not tuques? (Historical note: This is the 3,501st topic posted to GQ!) ---
**Author:** ![BigRoryG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BigRoryG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigRoryG)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/2 "1999-11-09T03:17:00Z")
First,t hey’re called Toques, and yes they havethem in the states, but they call them (of all things) wool hats. What a bunch of weirdos eh? * * * “C’mon, it’s not even tomorrow yet…” - Rupert If you need a graphic solution, [http:\ alk.to\Piglet](http://talk.to%5CPiglet) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/3 "1999-11-09T13:52:00Z")
Trust me, dear, they’re called tuques, with two U’s, according to the _Canadian Oxford Dictionary_. A toque is one of those big puffy white chef’s hats. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/4 "1999-11-09T13:54:00Z")
On checking my dictionary, I find that tuque is indeed the correct spelling for wool hat, but it is derived from toque. Tuke is an alternative spelling. ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/5 "1999-11-09T15:34:00Z")
Five gol-den tukes… Four pounds of back bacon Three French toasts Two turtlenecks And a Beer in a tree. Courtesy of the MacKenzies. * * * –Da Cap’n “Playin’ solitaire 'til dawn With a deck of fifty-one.” ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/6 "1999-11-09T17:38:00Z")
What, are turtlenecks endemic to Canada also??? Geez, no turtlenecks, no tuques… you yanks are even more deprived than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/7 "1999-11-09T17:54:00Z")
Definitely _tuque_. It was borrowed directly from the French. As Matt said, seems that the French _tuque_, of unknown origin, is derived from _toque_, also of unknown origin. ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/8 "1999-11-09T21:02:00Z")
Yaeh, but Cap’n what are the six packs of ?? Two-four? * * * I’ll be there Where I’ll teach what I’ve been taught And I’ve been taught… ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/9 "1999-11-09T23:07:00Z")
We had 'em in the UP. I never knew how to spell it, though, until I read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 1999, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuques/4612/10 "1999-11-10T03:29:00Z")
Matt: I’m in the states, and the last time i wore a turtleneck was when i was in elementry school.