Loonie and toque are familiar Canadianisms, but have you heard of aegrotat, tillicum, or bunny hug?
Stefan Dollinger and Margery Fee
The Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles (DCHP-1) was first published in 1967, on the anniversary of Confederation. Fifty years later, Stefan Dollinger (editor-in-chief) and former Canadian Literature editor Margery Fee (associate editor), both professors in the UBC Department of English, have launched a revised and updated edition of the Dictionary (DCHP-2). This revision includes the legacy data of the first edition, along with new twentieth- and twenty-first-century terms and definitions to highlight the changes over time. And just in time for Canada’s 150th anniversary!
From the press release:
This new edition (DCHP-2) is the result of the work of a team of UBC linguists of English over 11 years and explains, for 1239 meanings for the first time, why a given meaning is Canadian (in 1103 cases) and why not (in 136 cases). Words such as garburator, parkade, and eh are explained in accessible language based on precise data, such as newly discovered and less-widely known Canadianisms, e.g. idiot string, take up a test etc. or to table (legislation) etc. In addition to the 10,974 entries taken over from DCHP-1, DCHP-2 offers information on some 12,000 Canadian words, meanings and expressions, past to present.
For more information about the project and to browse the open access dictionary, please see the website. Happy searching!