I Wish Canucks Could Speak Properly

You know what I hate? Canadians who can't get their nation's terminology down properly. We must be the least creative people in the world when it comes to language. Aussies, Brits and Americans all have pretty colourful slang and dialects in their versions of English.

Up here, everybody outside of the Maritimes just speaks in this Generic North American accent without colour or style. It's like having a whole country made up of the cast from "Will and Grace". It's boring!

I was listening to a musician from Halifax on the radio here in T.O. the other day. The guy was talking about the differences in the music scene between Toronto, and "out east" where he was used to playing. I've heard people say that about a thousand times.

For those Canadians who need help with the concept, listen up.

If you are in Toronto, looking south towards the Lake and USA then;

To your far right is "Out West"

To your near right is Down the QE to Hammer Town"

Near Behind you is "Cottage Country"

Far Behind you is "Up North"

And to your Left is "Down East" (as in "Down River" for those with no historical knowledge)

This applies pretty much across the country, except;

If you are in Vancouver or Calgary, facing south, then:

To your Left is "Back East"

If you're north of the 49th parallel, facing towards the USA, then everything is "Down South"

Hope this clears things up for everyone.

I can honestly say i have no idea what you just said. I followed it upto the radio part then my lazy brain just popped.

Lawndart, maybe you should get a refund on that lobotamy.

Im "put west" here in edmonton.. every where else is imaterial; and that being said the rest of the blabber becomes a moot point dont it... LOL

I have no idea about what this has to do with Canadian slang, it just shows that we have a knolwdge to our own geography. Also, down east is also known as out east. And "Down the QE to Hammer Town" refers to Hamilton, for those of you who don't know. I have only heard of Torontonians refer to Hamilton as 'The Hammer' and i live 1/2 an hour away from the city.

There is a full list of Canadianisms here, under content i think. I have heard alot of those, and east coasters say a lot more of them

Toronto is not the center of Canada.... [rtfm]

Its not because you call it a certain way, that is works for everybody else... maybe you should get it strait and listen what the rest of the Country has to say.

cheers to that Chopper

Ya I'm a This a way (Left), Thata way (Right) kinda direction person

I grew up in Toronto and I can't honestly remember ever hearing the term "down the QE to Hammertown" ever, the whole time I lived there.

Never heard it either Jen

I imagine that most are just "local" expresions. not widely used unless you are from that area