Talkin’ North
Some Language Lessons in Toronto
Admittedly I was going to write about a different topic this week and don’t worry, that’s still going to be happening (but I won’t be spilling what that topic IS)
However, after my last article and also having an experience of mistaking a Canadian classmate’s typo as Canadian lingo (no, clowing around is NOT a term but clowning around still is) I thought I’d share other terms that you could hear/see while out in Toronto and what it actually means. I’d also like to thank my classmates at CMU for the hilarious conversations and verifications of these terms.
Let’s begin:
The 6 or 6ix - This is Toronto itself; it gets this slang as a reference to the 6 municipalities that make up the city (Toronto, East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York) and also the city’s area code of 416
Example of how to use this word: “I just booked a flight to the 6 so we can finally hang out!” [My dream sentence from my friends/family back home *hint hint*]
Fun side fact: previous nicknames for Toronto includes TO, TDOT (as reference to the previous TO), Hogtown (due to the hog-processing business boom in the 19th and early 20th century) and Baby New York. Toronto is CONSTANTLY called the New York City of Canada but honestly as someone who has now lived in both, I wouldn’t say it’s entirely accurate (story for another article and no NOT the article being released next week; nice try)
Yute - A “youth” that is typically a white Caucasian man that perpetuates “gangsta” culture; the Canadian equivalent of the US “wangsta”; as told to me by a Canadian classmate, “If one of them tries to approach and hit on you, don’t walk but RUN from that man.”
Example of how this word has been used: “Ugh don’t waste your time on that yute - you can do better.”
Newfie - A derogatory term for someone from Newfoundland; there are also “Newfie” jokes which are the equivalent of blonde jokes in the US which is why the term is considered offensive to some Newfoundlanders (which the late Anthony Bourdain and his show found out the hard way)
Example of how this word has been used: Why did the Newfie’s submarine sink?
Because they gave it a screen door.
Wheeling - Flirting or pursuing someone; the talking stage of someone trying to date someone
Example of how this word has been used: “He’s been wheeling me like crazy but I’m figuring out what kind of guy he is first.”
Wagwan/Wagwun - What’s going on? Or What’s good?; used a lot more by younger people; the Canadian equivalent of Ireland’s “How’s the craic?”
Example of how this word has been used: Wagwun fam?? We goin’ out tonight?
Wallahi - stemming from an Arabic word, this means “I swear” or “I swear to God”
Example of how this word has been used: “Wallahi, I didn’t take your makeup brush!”
Timmies/Tims - Tim Horton’s; I’ve mentioned this before but this is a casual coffeehouse/restaurant chain but also kind of a culture/religion up in Canada; the Canadian version of the US’s Dunkin’ Donuts.
Example of how this word has been used: If you’re going to Timmies, can you pick me up some Timbits while you’re there??
Beaut - A way to describe a girl/woman who is attractive/hot/beautiful
Example of how this word has been used: “Oh my god, she’s such a beaut, I’m so jealous!”
Wally-World - what some Canadians call Wal-Mart (yes they have Wal-Mart here)
Example of how this word has been used: “Do you think you could give me a ride to Wally-World? I need to pick up some things for school.”
Bucktee - someone who is homeless, an addict or just acts that way; similar conotation to how someone would call someone a “crackhead” in the US
Example of how this word has been used: “Stop acting like such a bucktee or someone’s going to call the cops!”
Nize It - While it stems from the Jamaican word “noise”, it actually means to stop the noise or more specifically “Shut up”
Example of how this word has been used: “Nize it, I can’t hear what the professor’s saying!”
Bare - surprisingly, it means a LOT; similar to the US west coast “hella” or east coast “wicked”
Example of how this word has been used: “Damn, there’s bare people at the Eaton Centre today.”
The Use of “U” - This is definitely a visual thing but don’t forget that Canadians often use more of a British spelling with their words; as a grammar stickler, this has been driving me nuts as I can no longer properly spell “colour”, “flavour”, “harbour” and so me a favoUr and bear with me while I adjust my spelling. That’d be bare kindness (did I get that right???).
I’ll be sure to revisit this when I learn even more terms but in the meantime, be sure to also check out Lilly Singh teaching even more Toronto terms with Vanity Fair and I’ll write you all again next week!