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Glite Dictionary
Canadianese slang

Canadianese slang

9.9
Words and phrases people in Canada use informally
  • noun
  • Slang
translation icon : jerga canadiense
  • She explained what 'toonie' meant, giving me my first real lesson in Canadianese slang.

Examples

  • The film is full of Canadianese slang that's unfamiliar to most Americans.

  • I love using Canadianese slang when I talk to my friends.

  • Many newcomers enjoy learning the Canadianese slang they hear in Toronto.

  • Do you know any Canadianese slang?

  • Many newcomers enjoy learning the Canadianese slang they hear in Toronto.

  • She explained what 'toonie' meant, giving me my first real lesson in Canadianese slang.

  • The film is full of Canadianese slang that's unfamiliar to most Americans.

Surface Forms

Canadianese slang singular
Canadianese slangs plural

Morphology

Canadianese + slang

The meaning is directly compositional: 'Canadianese' is a nonce formation from 'Canadian' + the suffix '-ese' (denoting a variety or manner of speech) and 'slang' means informal words, so together they denote informal Canadian expressions. Although 'Canadianese' is rare in dictionaries, its parts are transparent and follow a common morphological pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Canadianese slang comes from a playful use of the ending 'ese' to name a kind of language, so Canadianese suggests a local way of speaking and slang means informal words. So imagine a friendly Canadian saying 'eh' or using words like 'toonie' and 'loonie', and that's why the phrase means the special informal words people in Canada use.