20 Interesting Canadian Slang Words

“In Canada we have enough to do keeping up with two spoken languages without trying to invent slang, so we just go right ahead and use English for literature, Scottish for sermons and American for conversation.” –  said Stephen Leacock who was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humourist. Between the years 1910 and 1925, he was the most widely read English-speaking author in the world.

Let’s have a look at some Canadian slang words.

1. Loonie: A common word for the Canadian one-dollar coin.

2. Double-double: A coffee with two cream and two sugar.

3. Homo Milk: Homogenized whole milk (3.25%)

4. Two-Four: A case of twenty-four beers.

5. Mickey: A flask-sized bottle of hard liquor.

6. Toque (pronounced “tuke”): A knit cap usually worn in winter. Known as a “ski cap” in the USA.

7. Klick: “Kilometer”

8. Washroom: The place where one would find the toilet, sink, and bathtub.

9. Pop: Sweet carbonated beverages. Known as “soda” in the States.

10. Rattled: When someone is shaken up by an incident, usually resulting in embarrassment or anger.

11. Chinook (pronounced “shin-uk”): A warm, dry wind blowing down the Eastern slopes of the Rockies across Alberta and the Prairies. These winds can cause the temperature to rise by 20° Fahrenheit (11° Celsius) within 15 minutes.

12. Beaver Tail: A flat, flaky, fried pastry in the shape of a beaver’s tail. Often served with a variety of toppings: ice-cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fruit.

13. Canuck: A Canadian.

14. Hog Town or The Big Smoke: Toronto

15. Bunnyhug: A hooded pullover, also known as a ‘hoodie.’ Used mainly in Saskatchewan.

16. The Hammer: Hamilton, Ontario.

17. Whadda’yat?: Newfoundland term, meaning “What are you doing?”

18. Hammered: Very drunk.

19. Rink rat: someone who spends a lot of time on an ice rink.

20. Give’er: Go for it.

www.knowable.com

Here is a short text for you using Canadian slang words. Can you “translate” the highlighted words into English?

Last year I travelled to Canada and my destination was first The Big Smoke and then The Hammer. I travelled plenty of klicks in the country and met a lot of nice Canucks. They often invited me for a double-double or a Mickey. Once I got invited for a Two-Four. I drank so much of it that I fell asleep hammered in the washroom of my Canadian friend. I was so rattled when I woke up that from then on I only drank pop and Homo milk. I bought presents for my kids:a toque and a bunnyhug. I so enjoyed my stay in Canada that I keep a loonie on my desk to remind me of Canada. If you are planning to travel to Canada but you’re still hesitating, my advice is: Give’er.

Key

Toronto, Hamilton Ontario, kilometres, Canadians, coffee with two cream and two sugar, a flask-sized bottle of hard liquor, a case of twenty-four beer, very drunk, bathroom, shaken up by an incident, sweet carbonated beverage, homogenized whole milk, ski cap, hoodie,  Canadian one-dollar coin, go for it