Since I'm pretty homesick and there's a chance I won't be able to go back home this summer, I found a fabulous website (
an American's guide to Canada) that explains stuff to Americans about Canadians. Here's some of the best (everything non-italicized is courtesy of Emily Way emily_@_americansguide.ca):
What Every Canadian KnowsThrills gumA purple gum that looks like Chiclets. "Tastes like soap." I've never tried it -- I have some sitting in the cupboard downstairs, but I loathe gum -- but everyone says "tastes like soap!" whenever it's mentioned.
To be honest, i"ve seen it...i don't know anyone that's ever tried it. Doesnt' look appealing. In fact, I never even knew what it was called.Canadian Tire money Canadian Tire, a nationwide chain of great big automotive and hardware stores (many with attached gas stations), offers discounts in the form of Canadian Tire coupons to customers who pay cash. The coupons look like currency and can be spent at Canadian Tire just like cash. I don't think I've met a Canadian who doesn't have a stash of Canadian Tire money. There's even a Canadian Tire Coupon Collectors' Club.
HELL YEAH! My mom probably is a zillionaire when it comes to Canadian Tire money. It's so weird...you buy stuff, they give you canadian tire money. You go to buy more stuff with your canadian tire money, and they give you more money in return. Over time you're basically just exchanging monopoly money. Why everyone wears poppies in early NovemberNovember 11, known as Veterans' Day in the US, is called Remembrance Day in Canada. In 1915, Lt. Col. John McCrae wrote a beautiful and moving poem called "In Flanders Fields":
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
This poem became very famous, and people began to associate war dead and veterans with poppies. The Web site for the Ministry of Veterans' Affairs has more about John McCrae and the symbolism of the poppy.
Now, the Canadian Legion sells poppy pins every year, starting around the end of October, and everyone wears them on their jackets.
This was actually a pretty big shock for me to realize that in the US, they don't know about Flanders Fields and all that. It's sorta sad, 'cause I dig getting poppies in November. Whenever we had school assemblies we'd make wreaths and cover them with homemade poppies which is really just taking a chunk of red tissue paper, putting it on the end of a pencil, dipping it in glue, and then sticking it to something (obviously the pencil doesn't stick, it's just to create the shape). Funny, I thought kids in the US did that too.Languageanglophone
A Canadian whose first language is English.
francophone
A Canadian whose first language is French.
brown bread
In most of Canada, whole wheat bread. If you are at a diner for breakfast and you ask for whole wheat toast, they'll understand you, but "brown toast" is a lot more Canadian. Down east, "brown bread" refers to a sweetened, molasses bread.
Seriously. SERIOUSLY. It didn't even cross my mind that here in the US it's not called brown bread. Have I been saying wheat this entire time? It's all about the brown bread! yeah!butter tart
A very small (single-serving) pie. They taste like pecan pies without the pecans. This is a fairly typical recipe. They're yummy.
Once again...i truly thought that was the word everyone uses. Kraig was like "wtf is that?"donair
A pita containing spiced meat and a sauce made from sugar, vinegar, milk, and garlic.
I don't think I've ever had a donair, but they're everywhere...kinda like here in the US you'll see ghetto liquor stores that say "Liquor, cigarettes, deli"...well in Canada it's the donair.Glosettes
Brand name for chocolate-covered raisins.
I really miss these. There's also Glosettes peanuts, but everyone just buys peanut M&Ms when they want chocolate-covered peanuts. I haven't found anything similar to Glosette raisins here though.homo milk
Homogenized milk. Known in the States as whole milk. Nobody here thinks twice about what images milk cartons with the word "HOMO" in big letters on the side conjure up in the minds of Americans. A friend notes: "The term whole milk is actually used in Canada too, but refers to something different. Homo milk is homogenized milk with a butterfat content of 3.25%. Whole milk is not homogenized (it will separate if left standing for any period of time; this is the milk our parents drank). Almost all milk today is homogenized, although whole milk can still be found if one looks."
Yeah learned the hard way not to call it homo milk. Plus I say "skim milk" and people are like "WHAT?!"...the proper term in the US is "fat free milk"...icing sugar
powdered sugar
Seriously, do they not call it that here?!! Kraft Dinner, or KD
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. No difference between what's in the boxes, just what's on them. Canadians eat a lot of KD.
Bring on the KD! Although my mom wouldn't letu s have that stuff in our house, I grew up going to friends' homes and whipping that stuff up after school. I saw a South Park Episode ("Not without my anus") last night and all they did was say "Let's have some Kraft Dinner"...to be exact, you would just say "KD".Nanaimo bar
A confection, named for the town of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, that resembles a brownie but is topped with a layer of white butter cream icing and another of solid chocolate. The brownie part usually has coconut.
I've made Nanaimo Bars for people herei n the US and there isn't a single person who doesn't think it's pure heaven. If heaven were made of butter and fat.SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD!poutine (pron. poo-TEEN)
Quebecois specialty. French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy.
Single handedly the number food item I miss most. I seriously fantasize about poutine. It gets me into a frenzy just thinking about it. I'm salivating as I type. Rockets
Small, chalky candies packaged in rolls wrapped in clear plastic.
Okay this is where it gets complicated. What Canadians call Rockets are what Americans call Smarties. But what Canadian call Smarties are like super sugary versions of chocolate M&Ms. Smarties
Not the ones you're used to seeing in the US. In Canada, Smarties are a candy resembling M&Ms. They do melt in your hand, and they're a lot sweeter. Smarties conoisseurs eat the red ones last.
True dat on the last sentence.Timbits
Do(ugh)nut holes from Tim Horton's.
Mmm mmm mmm. Tim Horton's has doughnuts like Dunkin' Donuts. However since I live in Southern California, it's all about the Krispy Kremes. Which are nasty airy sugar coated pieces of garbage. Mmmmm timbits.Beer Store
Where you buy beer in Ontario.
Every Canadian is in shock that they can buy liquor int he US anywhere. In Ontario (I can't speak for other provinces that much) you can only buy beer at the Beer Store, and liquore at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). And they dont' stay open late, so if you need to do another beer run you gotta do it by like 8pm.flat
A two-four.
I've NEVER heard of a "flat" before. But in case anyone cares, a two-four (aka TWO-FER) is a 24 case of beer. No one says "pick up a case"...they say, "get a two-fer".LCBO
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Generally refers to the government-run chain of liquor stores.
See Beer Store...mickey
A measurement of alcohol (13 ounces: it's a flat, curved bottle, supposed to fit in your pocket, but it doesn't, really).
I can't believe people here don't use the word mickey for that!loonie
A dollar. The Canadian $1 coin has a loon (the bird) on the back.
No one really says "give me a dollar"...you would typically say "gimme a loonie" or "a buck". I think the dollar coin was introduced when I was in elementary school, so it's still a relatively new concept.toonie, doubloon
The $2 coin. Gold in the middle, with a silver ring around the outside. The Queen is one one side, and a polar bear is on the other. (Several people have written to remind me of the painful little joke that the coin could be called a "moonie" because it's "the Queen with a bear behind." Har har.) When the coins were introduced in the winter of 1995-1996, Canada was overcome by a frenzy to pop out the middles of the coins. This was especially popular on the Prairies, where there's not much to do in the winter. (Would you go outside any more than you had to when it's -40 for days on end?) The most successful method for destroying this new piece of currency seems to be to put it in the freezer for a while and then hit it with a hammer. Throwing it off tall buildings was popular, too. The craze passed pretty quickly, though.
Yep, totally true. I was in high school at the time, and everyone was concerned over what they'd call it. For the record, Canadians have always been all about the $2 bill...it's a little odd to me to not have anything between a dollar and a $5 in my wallet. And yes, Canadian wallets get pretty heavy.Holidays
Boxing Day
The day after Christmas. So named because of the British tradition of giving gift boxes to people such as mail carriers, milkmen, etc., on December 26. In Canada, Boxing Day is the date for many huge annual sales.
True dat.Canada Day
Canada's birthday. July 1, the anniversary of the Confederation of Canada in 1867. The day is marked by parties and fireworks.
And ridiculous amount of drinking. Not so much about BBQing like July 4th is in the US.The May Two-Four
See "Victoria Day"
Remembrance Day
November 11, known in the US as "Veterans' Day." Canadians were important and valiant fighters in the two world wars, and are still known and respected as military peacekeepers. See "Why everyone wears poppies in early November."
Thanksgiving
Celebrated on the second Monday of October, to reflect that Canada's harvest comes earlier than the American one. Very similar to the American Thanksgiving -- family get-togethers, big turkey dinner with potatoes, gravy, etc. -- but not as big a deal here, and there's no mention at all of Pilgrims.
Victoria Day
Queen Victoria's birthday, May 24th. It's celebrated the Monday before Memorial Day. Beer is the official beverage of the Victoria Day weekend, because it's more or less the first weekend of the summer, when everyone goes to their cottages or cabins and opens them up for the first time since fall.
If you're American, be aware that Canadians don't celebrate Independence Day (duh), Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Columbus Day, Memorial Day, or Presidents' Day.
Yeah people have asked me that actually. And yes, Canadians celebrate Hallowe'en. runners
sneakers, running shoes
Oh come ON...don't tell me Americans don't call them runners either!!toque
Rhymes with "kook." A kind of hat, ubiquitous in wintertime.
A toque is one of those knit hats that have a pom-pom thingy on the top.corner store
A small variety store, usually on a corner in a residential neighbourhood of a city. Similar to the American "convenience store."
Please, people use corner store here...right?dépanneur
A corner store or convenience store in Quebec.
And the only reason people care is because you can buy liquor there, and people elsewhere in canada think it's such a novelty to buy liquor at a convenience store.eavestrough
A gutter, the sort that is attached to houses and funnels rain water down a pipe.
Okay that has GOT to be used here. I'm sure I saw that word in Family Handyman.elastic
rubber band
Really, seriously, that word I had to get used to not saying at work..."elastic? A what? OHHH you mean a rubber band"...Gravol
dramamine
Now you'd think this wouldn't be a big deal to learn, right? Shortly after I dated Kraig we took a cruise to the Bahamas. And he would talk about dramamine, and I'd be like "WTF? You mean Gravol?" and he'd be all "What language are you speaking you foreigner!"GST
The dreaded Goods and Services Tax, 7% that goes on top of just about every purchase (in addition to the provincial sales taxes). The current Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien, got elected partly because he promised to get rid of this tax (also called the "Grab and Steal Tax" or the "Gouge and Screw Tax), and then promptly didn't. If you're visiting Canada and spend enough money, you can get your GST back by mail after you've gone home. Ask about this at the border.
Whoa, i didn't know i could get that back. Mother effer!Joe job
A job passed down to the person lowest on the totem pole, as in "Let Joe do it."
Hmmm, I never thought about that. I guess we do use that term.keener
Someone very eager and enthusiastic. Sometimes derogatory, in the sense of brown-noser, suckup, bootlicker. Someone obviously trying to get into someone else's good books. Now this one I STILL use to this day, and every time people are like "a WHAT?!". I usually say "look at you being an eager keener". So if i say that, now you know what it means.Pogo
A brand name for a corn dog (hot dog dipped in batter and then deep fried).
This is the word that prompted me to search the web and eventually find this site. I was talking to Kraig and Nicole about my friend Christine craving a Pogo after she got her wisdom teeth out, and they were like "uhh...corn dog?"...no one says corn dog in Canada. In fact, that sounds rather hillbilly.reserve, or "rez"
A parcel of land allotted for Native Canadians, aboriginals, or Indians.
I'm pretty sure they say that here in the US too.serviette
French for "napkin." This term is used by anglophones as well as francophones. One visitor noted that younger people don't seem to use this term.
I actually laughed when I saw this. Regardless if you're English or French, you do say serviette. Serviette implies a paper towel type, whereas napkin implies the fabric fancy shmancy kind.The States
The USA. Canadians hate referring to the US as "America," because Canadians are just as much North Americans as Americans are.
True dat.klick
Kilometer, or kilometer per hour. "Better slow down, Vern, the limit's 90 klicks here. Hand me the bottle."
Ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaa. Yep.Joe Louis
Cake treat similar to a Twinkie, with chocolate cake and a white icing interior. Available in Ontario and Quebec. No actual natural or redeeming ingredients.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM I love Joe Louis! Funny it never crossed my mind you can't get Joe Louis or those moon pie thingies here...replaced by Little Debbit cakes.canteen
can refer to a cafeteria or snack counter
This was new to me. Checked with Kraig. He told me the obvious answer that it's what soldiers use to hold water. Yeah we use that too, but canteen is also the snack bar at like a high school sporting event.JargonAlthough the American and Canadian educational systems are similar in many respects, there are notable differences that can confuse people pretty thoroughly. Here's a list of Canadian educational terms, followed by their American equivalents: Grade x ("She's in grade three")
xth grade
Once again, another thing I had to get used to. Along with Freshman, Sophmore, Junior, Senior...Write a test
Take a test
Marks
Grades. In Canada, teachers mark students' work instead of grading it, and take "marks off" if the students give wrong answers.
We use grades too. But i never thought of the difference...but yeah, we say "what's your mark?" instead of "what's your grade?"Supply teacher
Substitute teacher
Ha hahaaaaaaaaaaa....i think we all know in Canada that Supply Teacher isn't the proper term, but that's just what you say.College
Community college or technical school
Now this is huge. Getting used to the educational system. If you went to UCI, you'd probably say you went to College. In Canada, college is like....Saddleback.University
Four-year, degree-granting college or university
If you went to university, you would NEVER say that you went to college.Residence ("He lives in residence")
Dormitory ("He lives in the dorms")
True dat. Dorms are so...american.OAC, grade 13
An extra year of high school after grade 12, intended for students going on to university (not college). Only in Ontario, and they're phasing it out.
And that's why I did 5 years of high school. It's kinda like a pre-university year. You only truly need 6 OAC classes (I took 9 'cause you still gottaknow your stuff for university). Like let's say you wanted to pursue a B.Sc. in biology at university. Then you absolutely had to have: OAC English, OAC Calculus, OAC Algebra/Geometry, OAC Biology, OAC Chemistry, OAC Physics. Or something like that. CEGEP (pronounced SAY-zhep)
In Québec, a post-high school college offering two-year pre-university programs and three-year professional development programs. CEGEP stands for Collège d'enseignement général et professionel. There are a few English-language CEGEPs and many French-language ones.
This one's for Nicole 'cause she asked me about it once.Coles Notes
Analogous to Cliff Notes; Coles is a national chain of bookstores. A friend tells me that Coles Notes celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1998, and the press coverage noted that the original Cliff Notes were licenced versions of Coles Notes.
skipping out
cutting class
No one says "skipping out"...you just say "I skipped class" or "I'm gonna skip all afternoon". No one says "cut class".minor niner
Ontario term for person in grade 9. In Ontario, high schools currently range from grades 9 to 13. Someone in grade 9 is indeed a minor niner.
Ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Yep.Canadians don't use the terms "freshman," "sophomore," "junior," or "senior," for high school or college students. What Americans would call "juniors in high school" are "grade elevens." University students are referred to according to what year they're in: an American junior would be a third-year in Canada.
