2706 others browsing the Canadian Forums! Join us!

Canadian Idioms (Canadian Idioms)

Canadian Idioms

unclepercy

Canadian Idioms

Oct 27th, 2005

Since I'm American, I am trying to learn some Canadian Idioms.
I really do not understand these terms, so allow me some leeway.
Could someone tell me what they mean?

1. hoser
2. hoodie
3. chinook
4. eh
5. hydro - this is a prefix to us, like hydromulch
6. loonie
7. pissed - it means angry to us
8. runners
9. Tim Horton
10. pogo dog

Thanks.

Uncle

Reverend Blair

Canadian Idiom

Oct 27th, 2005

1. hoser: One who hoses.
2. hoodie: Same as a bunny-hug
3. chinook: A species of Salmon
4. eh: How you pronounce the first letter of the alphabet.
5. hydro - this is a prefix to us, like hydromulch: Water (latin, not Canadian)
6. loonie: Insane
7. pissed - it means angry to us: To urinate
8. runners: Those who run
9. Tim Horton: Dead hockey player
10. pogo dog: a dog operating a pogo stick

Hmmmm...maybe I should go sit on the chesterfield and drink a 2-4.

:P

Uncle, if you are really interested in our words, I suggest you pick up a Canadian Oxford Dictionary.

GL Schmitt

Canadian Idioms And Their Meanings

Oct 27th, 2005

We would define our slang, but then we would just have to kill you.

Why not check -- at Answers.com

MMMike

Idioms

Oct 27th, 2005

Quote: Originally Posted by unclepercy

Since I'm American, I am trying to learn some Canadian Idioms.
I really do not understand these terms, so allow me some leeway.
Could someone tell me what they mean?

1. hoser a derogatory term from Bob and Doug Mackenzie - Candian icons and heros.
2. hoodie those sweatshirts with the big hood, ya know!?
3. chinook A warm, dry wind that descends the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains4. eh don't really know how to explain this5. hydro - =electricity in common usage
6. loonie $1 dollar coin
7. pissed - ask me tomorrow nite - I'll be pissed, eh?
8. runners running shoes.... sneakers
9. Tim Horton ex hockey player, massively popular coffee shop
10. pogo dog - that's american, innit?
Thanks.

Uncle

Hard-Luck Henry

Oct 27th, 2005

"Pissed off" means angry to us. "Pissed" alone means drunk.

Incidentally, we have over 140 euphemisms for "drunk". (Below are a few - I've missed out the more offensive ones). Peapod will say that we Brits drink too much, but that allegation is unfounded.

Ankled

Badgered, Banjaxed, Battered, Befuggered, Bernard Langered, Bladdered, Blasted, Blathered, Bleezin, Blitzed, Blootered, Blottoed, Bluttered, Boogaloo, Brahms & Liszt, Buckled, Burlin

Cabbaged, Chevy Chased, Clobbered

Decimated, Dot Cottoned, Druck-steaming, Drunk as a Lord, Drunk as a skunk

Etched

****ed, Fleemered, Four to the floor

Gatted, Goosed, Got my beer goggles on, Guttered

Had a couple of shickers, Hammer-blowed, Hammered, Hanging, Having the whirlygigs, Howling

Inebriated, Intoxicated

Jahalered, Jaiked up, Jan'd - abbrev for Jan Hammered, Jaxied, Jeremied, Jolly

Kaned

Lagged up, Lamped, Langered [also langers, langerated], Laroped, or alt. larrupt, Lashed, Leathered, Legless, Liquored up (South Carolina), Locked, Locked out of your mind, Loo la

Mad wey it, Mandoo-ed, Mangled, Manky, Mashed, Meff'd, Merl Haggard, Merry, Minced, Ming-ho, Minging, Moired, Monged, Monkey-full, Mottled, Mullered

Newcastled, Nicely irrigated with horizontal lubricant

Off me pickle, Off me trolley, On a campaign, Out of it, Out yer tree

Paggered, Palintoshed, Paraletic, Peelywally, Peevied, Pickled, Pie-eyed, Pished, Plastered, Poleaxed, Pollatic

Rat-legged (Stockport), Ratted, Ravaged, Razzled, Reek-ho, Rendered, Rosy glow, Rubbered, Ruined, Rat-arsed

Saying hello to Mr Armitage, Scattered, Schindlers, Screwed, Scuttered, Shedded [as in " My shed has collapsed taking most of the fence with it"], Slaughtered, Sloshed, Smashed, Snatered (Ireland), Snobbled (Wales), Sozzled, Spangled, Spannered, Spiffed, Spongelled, Squiffy, Steamin, Steampigged, Stocious, Stonkin

Tanked, Tashered, Tipsy, Trashed, Trollied, Troubled, Trousered, Twisted

Warped, Wasted, Wellied, With the fairies, Wrecked

Zombied

unclepercy

Oct 27th, 2005

Thanks for taking the time to explain these. We never say "Eh,"
but in hesitation, we all say, "Uh, uh...the red pair." That's as close as I can come.

What is meant by hoser - a derogatory term - it could be stupid, ugly, smells bad, any number of things?

Uncle

unclepercy

Oct 27th, 2005

Quote: Originally Posted by unclepercy

Since I'm American, I am trying to learn some Canadian Idioms.
I really do not understand these terms, so allow me some leeway.
Could someone tell me what they mean?
__________________________________________________ ________

Let's have a little fun - let me guess what it is or sounds like. __________________________________________________ ________

1. hoser - the manufacturer of ladies' pantyhose
2. hoodie - a hoodlum who is a beginner
3. chinook - a chenille throw
4. eh - the sound you make before you cough
5. hydro - the stage just before it becomes a hybrid
6. loonie - a long legged bird - white
7. pissed - it's when a cat is hissing and growling
8. runners - messengers for corporations
9. Tim Horton - should read Tom Horton of Days of our Lives
10. pogo dog - those stupid poodles that jump up and down

Well, I tried.

Uncle

no1important

Oct 27th, 2005

Twoonie - is the 2$ coin ( Idread to think what the 5$ coin would be called if they ever made one)

Chinook- is a warm wind to Prairie folks but out here it is one of the 5 species of Pacific Salmon sometimes referred as a "Tyee". Americans call them "King salmon".

MMMike

Oct 27th, 2005

Quote: Originally Posted by unclepercy

Thanks for taking the time to explain these. We never say "Eh,"
but in hesitation, we all say, "Uh, uh...the red pair." That's as close as I can come.

What is meant by hoser - a derogatory term - it could be stupid, ugly, smells bad, any number of things?

Uncle

That's not close at all, uncle! Eh is not a filler word, or is it ever said in hesitation. Its more of a punctuation. You americans are really missing out on a great word, eh?

MMMike

#10

Oct 27th, 2005

It's kinda like "huh...huh!?" with a little jab in the ribs if ya know what I mean.

unclepercy

#11

Oct 27th, 2005

Quote: Originally Posted by MMMike

It's kinda like "huh...huh!?" with a little jab in the ribs if ya know what I mean.

Yeah, I do. I have heard it used a couple of times, but I could not get any meaning from it. So it is a puncuation - like a question or an exclamation. ??

Uncle

GL Schmitt

#12

Oct 28th, 2005

You know how the French mitigate a declarative sentence, no?

You also know that the English have a somewhat similar habit, right?

And you know that an archaic British synonym for right is Aye?

So, you can probably deduce the etymology of the Canadian ecphonesis, eh?

Or, at least, so one explanation goes.

zenfisher

#13

Oct 28th, 2005

Eh (interj) 1. an exclamation of doubt,surprise or failure to hear. 2. informal an all purpose tag question : So that's what you think ,eh? 3. Informal a filler, like " you know or you see : It's late,eh, so I'd better go.

The Canadian Concise Dictionary

I've never really considered hoser to be a true derogatory term. More of a friendly banter between buds( right Eddy).

Pissed ...I've always used as either angry or drunk...just one of those versatile words.

Hydro is hydro electric...in other words the power company or electricity.

GreenGreta

#14

Oct 28th, 2005

My friend from texas hates it when we canadians say
"you guys" hey "you guys" instead of "y'all". I told her "it's actually you's guys"

She said that was even worse. But at least we know how to pronounce INSURANCE and PROGRAM.

As soon as an american says "insurance" he sounds like a dumb redneck hick. YUP.

no1important

#15 Top Rated Post

Oct 28th, 2005

It gets my goat, when americans say "ex AH ma" instead of "ex zee ma" but i guess they adopted a diferent dialect.

Twila

#16

Oct 28th, 2005

Quote:

My friend from texas hates it when we canadians say
"you guys" hey "you guys" instead of "y'all". I told her "it's actually you's guys"

ROFLMAO. You ever been to Langford BC? It's heard there. The local radio station use to joke about it. Sort of like how Surrey is the butt of jokes for the mainland, langford is Victoria's Surrey. Lots of 4x4's, primer black. Cars on blocks, everyone has a camero or firebird in the driveway. Painters buckets on the lawn. and lots of Thank you's. Langford was a fun place to party. Everyone was really friendly. Except for Frenchy who supposedly partied,left, killed his girl friend and came back to the party covered in blood. Freaky.

manda

#17

Oct 28th, 2005

Quote: Originally Posted by MMMike

Quote: Originally Posted by unclepercy
S
10. pogo dog - that's american, innit?
Thanks.

Uncle

a pogo Dog is the battered hotdog on a stick....now throw in a little Island slan to make thins "slippy" for ya!

Twila

#18

Oct 28th, 2005

I think Americans call a pogo dog, a Corndog. Both are equally unpaletable

Jo Canadian

#19

Oct 28th, 2005

I've found that that the word EH, is used as a form of Verbal Question mark.

It seems to work best if it's not overkilled when talking with someone. If you get someone who says Eh at the end of every sentence they're just trying too hard.

unclepercy

#20

Oct 28th, 2005

Quote: Originally Posted by GreenGreta

My friend from texas hates it when we canadians say
"you guys" hey "you guys" instead of "y'all". I told her "it's actually you's guys"

She said that was even worse. But at least we know how to pronounce INSURANCE and PROGRAM.

As soon as an american says "insurance" he sounds like a dumb redneck hick. YUP.

Actually, "you guys" is becoming more common here, as people from the North (America) move here. I prefer y'all or ya'll, my own personal fav spelling. All rednecks aren't dumb. Really. In fact, you can make it work in your favor. If you are one of the "good old boys" - it implies a degree of redneck/but not into hillbilly.

Uncle

unclepercy

#21

Oct 28th, 2005

Quote: Originally Posted by Twila

I think Americans call a pogo dog, a Corndog. Both are equally unpaletable

NO, no!!!! We don't call it a corn dog. It's a corny dog and very popular. My mother used to say that she could eat a full meal and always have room for a corny dog. Fletcher's is the originator around here - and the best.

Uncle

GreenGreta

#22

Oct 28th, 2005

You can call it a 'corny dog' or a 'corn dog', it is STILL floor sweepings in a cornbread batter. MMM floor sweepings.

razzie27

#23

Jun 8th, 2006

1. hoser: Hoser is both a slang term and a stereotype, either a loser, or the type of people youèd find out in... Saskatchewan.
2. hoodie: A sweatter with a hod on it.
3. chinook: a wind of foehn type blowing on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains
4. eh : Pronounced "a" as in "say" a very popular term which means "don't you agree?"
5. hydro - A facility that produces electric energy by releasing water from a reservoir through generators.
6. loonie: Popular name for the Canadian loon dollar coin
7. pissed - it means angry to us: it also means angry to us... But also can mean very drunk
8. runners: Runnign shoes.
9. Tim Horton: A chain of coffee houses that was named after a hockey player.
10. pogo dog: Corn dog.

Liliput

#24

Oct 3rd, 2006

1. hoser - in short it means idiot.
2. hoodie - A sweatshirt with a hood, hooded sweatshirt
3. chinook - a warm wind during the winter. local to the prairie provinces, it tends to melt their snow in the middle of january, but the white stuff always comes back
4. eh - undefinable...it just is *grins* If you can ever find a program called "Talking canadian" it will help you with the definition... plus its dead funny.
5. hydro - this is a prefix to us, like hydromulch - hydro is short for hydropower.
6. loonie - a coin worth $1cnd, the twoonie coin is worth $2cnd. We don't have $1 & $2 bills anymore.
7. pissed - it means angry to us. It can mean both angry and very drunk.
8. runners - sneakers
9. Tim Horton - an extremely popular coffee/donut shop in Canada, if someone say's to you "Wanna go to Tim's?" They mean tim horton's coffee shop not their buddy Tim. Its weird, but we are a nation addicted to Tim's. Our armed forces in Afghanistan even have a mobile Tim's truck over there. Americans bleed red, white & blue ... we bleed a beige coloured liquid of the double-double [thats two creams, two sugars in Tim-speak]
10. pogo dog - got me, never heard of it... maybe its a west coast thing *shrugs*

Thanks. - No problem, eh

Truekiwijoker

#25

Nov 6th, 2006

Don't canadians say Aboot instead of about?

bita_khosh

#26

May 16th, 2007

what is the meaning of these idioms?
to be empty handed
at one's fingertips
to have a finger in the pie
to have sticky fingers
to have butter fingers
to have someone in hand
wrapped around someone's finger
to twiddle one's thumbs
to try one's hand at something

bita_khosh

#27

May 16th, 2007

TenPenny

#28

May 16th, 2007

[quote=bita_khosh;835406]what is the meaning of these idioms?
to be empty handed - to not have anything; ie, you're hands are empty, you're not carrying anything
at one's fingertips - near. As in, I don't have that book at my fingertips; but I'll go get it
to have a finger in the pie - to be involved in something.
to have sticky fingers - to be a Rolling Stones fan
to have butter fingers - to be clumsy, as in you drop things because your fingers are slippery
to have someone in hand - to masturbate a close friend
wrapped around someone's finger - to be under the control of someone.
to twiddle one's thumbs - teenage sex in a car
to try one's hand at something - to try to do something [quote]

Nuggler

#29

May 25th, 2007

To have sticky fingers.........Thief
To have someone in hand........To have someone under close control........or........what you said Ten

Twiddle one's thumbs........Clasp your hands together then rotate your thumbs, one around another......usually means to dog it, to be procrastinating.................or.........what you said Ten????

Next time someone tells me they're going to take me in hand, I won't know whether to fight, run, or unzip...........

........too funny.

EarlymorninchucklinUgg.

#juan

#30

May 25th, 2007

1. hoser - Beer drinker...What do you do when you drink a lot of beer? Hose it into the urinal...
2. hoodie - Punk wearing a sweatshirt with a hood
3. chinook - Warm wind....Common in Calgary
4. eh - affirmation or confirmation syllable like "Huh"
5. hydro - this is a prefix to us, like hydromulch - Generally means electrical power company, or electrical power.
6. loonie - dollar coin....could also mean a bit crazy
7. pissed - it means angry to us - means the same to us
8. runners - parts of a sleigh that slide on the snow
9. Tim Horton - Hocket player, defensman, Toronto Maple Leafs...Was part owner of coffee shop chain
10. pogo dog - Beats the hell out of me.

Chewing The Canadian Bacon - New Canadian editorial community
by chewingthebacon | Oct 27th, 2006

Canadian Idioms (Canadian Idioms)

Canadian Idioms

Canadian Idiom

Canadian Idioms And Their Meanings

Idioms

Similar Threads