Canadians ignorant about own language, survey shows

Nine out of ten Canadians don't know that butter tarts are a uniquely Canadian food. That's the startling discovery lexicographers at the Canadian Oxford Dictionary made when they surveyed Canadians about their own language. And butter tarts are just the tip of the iceberg, according to Katherine Barber, Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary and author of the new book Only in Canada, You Say: A Treasury of Canadian Language. "Personally, I have never understood how people outside Canada can live without butter tarts, but apparently they do," says Barber.

"Canada Day is a time to celebrate our identity and uniqueness, yet Canadians are surprisingly unaware that, like 'butter tart', many of the words we use every day make us distinct in the world," says Barber. That handy "humidex" that lets you know how to dress in hot weather (a term invented by the Toronto weather office in 1965), the "joe job" you worked to pay your university tuition, the "bargoon" you picked up at Saturday's garage sale- all are Canadian words that would mean nothing to anyone outside our borders.

Most people think 'eh' is pretty much the end of the story. But there are hundreds of uniquely Canadian words and phrases that we use every day. The place you're most likely to trip over Canadian words is in the grocery store. Words like "Nanaimo bar", "Montreal bagel" and "back bacon" are obviously Canadian. But what about those "Cheezies" you sometimes sneak into your grocery cart? Cheezies are a Canadian trademark. South of the border, you'd have to go searching for cheese doodles to satisfy your craving. And you won't find "date squares" (or "matrimonial cake" as they're called in the Prairies), "alldressed" chips (or pizza), "panzerotto", or "poutine" anywhere else either.

And if overindulging on all of the above leaves you feeling a little nauseated, taking a "Gravol" would be a natural first step. But if you tried asking for Gravol at any pharmacy in the U.S. or the U.K., you'd be in for a nasty surprise. "They wouldn't have a clue what you were asking for," Barber laughs. "Outside of Canada, Gravol is known by the brand name Dramamine. Most people know we Canadians are made of strong stuff, but they must wonder how eating gravel can settle an upset stomach!"

Even sex, drugs, and gambling have their own uniquely Canadian words: a client arrested in a house of prostitution is a "found-in", you can win on a "triactor" bet at the horse races, and you may be alarmed to hear that your neighbour's house is actually a "grow op".

"Canadians often complain that our identity is hard to define. One place that we can find a key to that identity is in our vocabulary," says Barber. "'Eh' is all very well, but there is so much more to us than that."

Other sentences you will hear only in Canada: It looks like this toaster's had the biscuit. Apples are cheap like borscht this week. After more than three decades in politics, the premier has decided to hang up his skates. It'll be a frosty Friday in July before I come back to this place. He rhymed off a few other names. It looks like you're going to get another kick at the can, so make the best of it.