Here are fourteen slang terms that make sense over here, but my American friends are completely confused by.
Hoser
Hoser doesn’t sound that bad at first. That’s where Americans get it wrong. It’s actually an insult. Yes, we Canadians know how to be rude, too. A ‘hoser’ is someone who’s a loser or not exactly smart. It’s one of the phrases that became popular thanks to hockey culture.
Usually, we’ll say it jokingly. But with the wrong tone, it comes across pretty differently. Most of my American friends have no clue what I’m talking about when I use it.
Canuck
Basically every Canadian knows what a ‘canuck’ is. That’s because we’re all one. Yes, it’s a term that just means a Canadian, plain and simple. Some of us even wear the canuck label with pride.
But it hasn’t always been a positive term. It’s also not one many Americans are familiar with. ‘Canuck’ is a term that’s a little loaded for those who aren’t used to it.
Stagette
Here’s a message to all the Americans out there. Don’t overthink it when someone invites you to a stagette. It’s what we call a bachelorette party. Honestly, the term makes sense when you hear the male version.
That’s a ‘stag.’ However, most Americans expect to hear ‘bachelorette.’ They’re not sure whether a ‘stagette’ is a hunting event or something. It’s not. It’s just Canadian.
Gotchies
There’s nothing that complicated about ‘gotchies.’ They just mean underwear, only in a really Canadian way. There are actually two parts to it. ‘Gotch’ is the original Canadian slang, and ‘gotchies’ is the even more casual version.
You might hear some alternatives, too, like ‘gitch’ or ‘ginch.’ Try saying it to someone from down south. They’ll probably laugh and ask you what you said. Let’s be honest, it is kind of a funny word to say.
Chirping
It’s time for another hockey phrase. This time, it’s ‘chirping.’ It means that you’re talking trash. However, there’s a specific way of ‘chirping,’ and it involves throwing some quick insults at each other.
It doesn’t have to be anything serious. Sometimes, it’s part of how we play, like friendly teasing. Yet it’s not so easy for my American friends to understand. They hear, ‘he was chirping all night,’ and think I’m talking about some birds. Not at all.
Dickered
Americans get really confused by ‘dickered.’ It just means drunk. But not a little drunk, or even slightly tipsy. It’s something we use to talk about someone who’s pretty far gone. So why doesn’t it make sense to them?
Because ‘dicker’ is already an English word that means haggling or bargaining. It has a completely different meaning.
Americans assume something else’s going on when they hear it. No, being ‘dickered’ last night only means you got really drunk, nothing more than that.
Pylon
Practically everyone’s heard of a ‘pylon.’ It doesn’t mean the same thing over here as down south, though. Americans use it to talk about the big tower that we use to send electricity over long distances. We use it in a couple of different ways.
A ‘pylon’ is what we call those bright orange traffic cones. Hockey players also use to talk about someone who’s getting skated around and doing nothing. So, it could mean something on the road, or someone on the ice. It really depends on the context.
Yes b’y
My American friends see, ‘yes, b’y’ and think it’s a typo. They don’t realize it’s real Newfoundland English slang. For anyone who’s not from there, it comes from ‘boy,’ but works more like ‘buddy’ or ‘man.’
But it doesn’t even need to be about a person. You can use it as part of the sentence flow. It’s more about what ‘b’y’ sounds like than what it means, if you catch my drift.
Rotted
Another popular Newfoundland slang phrase is ‘rotted.’ No, it doesn’t mean spoiled, or even decayed. It’s what people over there use when they’re annoyed or tired. You can also use it when you’re hungover.
The reasons why someone feels ‘rotted’ might be different. However, it all comes down to the same idea. They don’t feel great. You might want to stay out of their way.
Takitish
My American friends always think ‘takitish’ is one word. They don’t get that it’s actually just ‘take it easy,’ said really quickly. In fact, it’s such a common phrase over here that it’s listed as a regional expression. It’s kind of like, ‘see you later.’
We use it to say goodbye. Of course, it’s not something you’ll hear everywhere in Canada. But the people who use it don’t even think about it. It’s a bunch of words blended into a single one that doesn’t sound like it should exist.
Gutfounded
I’ll admit it. Saying ‘I’m gutfounded’ does make it sound like something pretty serious happened. Thankfully, it’s much simpler than that. All it means is ‘I’m hungry.’ There are even alternate versions of it in Newfoundland, like ‘gut-foundered.’
The meaning’s still the same, though. It sure does sound dramatic, and that’s sort of why it works. You’re going to want to feed someone who sounds that hungry.
Bird class
Someone might talk about taking a ‘bird course’ at school. Cue images of feathers and field notes for anyone who’s not Canadian. It’s not as interesting as it sounds, though, because it’s simply slang for an easy class.
You can use it to talk about your own schedule. Or, if you want to insult someone, you can say that someone else’s taking a ‘bird course.’ You’re essentially telling them that they’re studying something way too easy. Ouch.
Beak
‘Beak’ is another kind of bird-related slang. It also has nothing to do with birds. Like ‘chirping,’ it’s a term from hockey culture that we use to talk about people talking trash. You can use it as a verb as well as a noun.
For example, you can say that ‘he was beaking all game.’ Anyone who tells you that you’re ‘beaking’ is telling you to close your mouth. They think you’re running your mouth too much.
Bush party
Don’t expect a house or a venue when you hear about a ‘bush party.’ Don’t even expect proper lighting. It’s literally just a party out in the woods or a field, nothing more, nothing less. People in rural Canada actually use it to talk about gathering around a fire.
Americans do have those kinds of events, too. But they don’t call it a ‘bush party.’ It sounds kind of obvious once you understand it, yet without that context, many of my American friends are completely stumped.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.