Going Beyond the Eh

Having now lived in Canada for a few months, I have been able to detect some differences in the way Canadians speak versus the way Americans speak, both in the words we use as well as pronunciation. Many Americans chuckle at the Canadians' use of the interjection "Eh?" but the differences in the way Americans and Canadians speak go well beyond that simple two letter word. The following collection of words and phrases are perhaps not all uniquely Canadian, but commonly used by many English-speaking Canadians in their everyday speech.

Brown bread - Bread that Americans would commonly refer to as "whole wheat" bread.

Buggy - A word used by Canadians in a grocery store to signify a shopping cart. 

Canuck - It may sound derogatory, but the use of the word "Canuck" to refer to a Canadian is perfectly acceptable. The NHL hockey team in Vancouver is called the "Vancouver Canucks," and Canuck was the last name of a popular comic book character, "Johnny Canuck."

Expiry date - The Canadian equivalent of the American use of the phrase "expiration date."

First Nations - A term referring to the aboriginal peoples of Canada, used by Canadians as the term "Native American" is used in the United States.

Flat - A 24-pack of beer that is also frequently called a "two-four" by Canadians.

Garbuator - Even though it may sound funny to Americans, Canadians use "garbuator" when talking about a garbage disposal.

Hey? - Canadians say this in place of the phrases "What?" "Huh?" or "Pardon me?" when one has not adequately heard what another person has said.

Hydro - As some Canadian provinces use hydroelectric power as their primary source of generating electricity, many Canadians use this word to refer to their electric service: "Honey, did you forget to pay the hydro bill again?"

Loonie - Canadians call their one-dollar coin a "loonie," which stems from the picture of a loon on the coin's back.

Mum - Americans have often heard the use of this address by British folks, but many Canadians also use this word when referring to their beloved "Mom."

Packing - Used not only when packing something, such as a suitcase, but also when carrying something: "I'm sick of packing this heavy suitcase everywhere!"

Parkade - The Canadian equivalent of the term "parking garage."

Runners - Canadians are not talking about marathon participants when using this word, but rather the running shoes the participants are wearing.

Tap - Canadians say "tap" in the place of the word "faucet."

Touque - A hat that many Americans would refer to as a "ski hat" or "cap." A "touque" often has a pompom on its top.

Toonie - The nickname of the Canadian two-dollar coin, named as thus simply because it rhymes with "loonie" and starts with the same letter as the word "two."

Washroom - A word used in place of the American use of the word "restroom;" however, Canadians still call a private bathroom a "bathroom" as Americans do.

As the Canadianisms above go well beyond the stereotypical use of the word "Eh?," Canada, the Canadian people and Canadian culture all go well beyond the stereotypes "cold," "polite," and "invisible," respectively. People are often blinded by one word that describes a culture and thereby miss out on the many characteristics that make that culture unique. Language is the window to any way of life, and discovering the distinctive qualities of that language also allows for uncovering the true qualities of a small piece of humanity.