h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

'Buddy' is used interchangeably as a noun and as a pronoun. For example, it often does not behoove us Canukians to bother remembering someone's name. In this event, the someone becomes 'Buddy' as follows:

'Hey, yknow Buddy there, Buddy that gave me that boost that cole snap coupla weeks ago when I borrowed other Buddy's Dodge Ram, yknow Willy there with the Dodge Ram? Fine peessa machinery, that Dodge Ram. Well, dja know Buddy was a Ferguson just like Buddy down there at the Corner Gas and all thu other Buddies down there at the Corner Gas? All along, Buddy's a Ferguson. Sheesh. Go figgur, eh?

[Notice the special treatment accorded to Willy's vehicle, the Dodge Ram, as opposed to the cursory brush-off of everyone else. Owning a Dodge Ram accords one the status of having one's name remembered and mentioned in conversation.]

Kind regards, Ani.

This thread was posted to the Guide to Canadian English (or slang). I just realized, however, that people finding it only on my space are not going to know wot the hek it's about. It's part of a list of Canukianisms which I hope people will continue to grow. Ani.

Hey, don't worry, it was an interesting enough title to get me to look at the thread, and once there the name of the entry is at the top (or somewhere, depending what skin you're using). I'm adding these corrections, thanks.

Bagpuss: I also posted an amendment to 'hoser' under the 'correction' thread. Are you displeased with my amendment? I question you because I don't really think 'hoser' is always used as a putdown. Please give me your thoughts on this. Ani.

I read that. I changed the entry a little, but it may need more. That was copy/pasted from the earlier version of this list and I hope I'm not being unfair on whoever wrote it to say I'm not that happy about it. For a start I wonder if "arcane" was meant to read "archaic" and, if so, if that's really true. I certainly heard the word when I was in Canada (I'm not a native). I don't suppose you'd like to write an entry for it and I'll edit it in?

Let me take a look. Ani.

My reply to you is in two parts: (1) Discussion; (2) Recommendations for amended ‘hoser’entry.

(1) Discussion

Re ‘arcane’: ‘hoser’ is not meant to be understood by a select few and therefore is not arcane. It is a plain, ordinary word in the popular lexicon.

Re ‘archaic’: Neither is ‘hoser’ archaic. It is still used, but the time and place for usage has shifted. During the era of the MacKenzie brothers, it was part of the popular lexicon and everybody sought occasions to use the word ‘hoser’ in a sentence. Not so anymore. Now, when people are ‘bonding’ around Canukianism (a kind of existentialism), we tend to be more extreme in our diction than during our 9-5 (post-Nafta) lives. So, although a Canadian banker may no longer say ‘hoser’ when he or she suspects that a colleague has borrowed her rubber stamp and not returned it, she will certainly have no reservations about saying ‘hoser’ when she finds out that ‘buddy’ has borrowed her Dodge Ram without asking.

I saw your amendment. I think the clause ‘no self-respecting’ Canadian actually uses these terms anymore’ is inaccurate.

(2) Recommendations:

a) Delete ‘arcane’ from reference.

b) Replace entry with the following: Term popularised in the mid-Eighties by SCTV comedy show characters Bob and Doug MacKenzie (played by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis). During the run of the show, ‘hoser’ was part of the popular lexicon and used unselfconsciously by most Canadians either to denote angry, rejecting disapproval of someone or to denote good-natured, affectionate disapproval of someone, regardless of time and place. Since the cancellation of the show, time and place has narrowed. Still part of the popular lexicon, its current usage is limited to somewhat selfconscious after-work Canadian bonding rituals (see ‘beer’, ‘hockey’) and must be accompanied by ‘the I’m kidding face’ which was popularized on a 2004 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien' show by Jim Carey (see ‘the I’m kidding face’).

[NB: I will provide an entry for your review on 'the I'm kidding face.'] Ani.

I noticed that no explanation is provided yet for the term 'Hogtown' more commonly known as the City of Toronto. Bruce Bell is a local St Lawrence Market historian. I don't know if 'hogtown' is in his website, but it probably is. In any case, it is a very useful history site.

http://www.brucebelltours.com/

Also, the term 'haweater' can be added. I don't have the link yet, but you can google manitoulin.ca to get there. Ani.

Blimey, you'll have me working overtime on this. I've put in your entry for "hoser", with some minor edits (hope you approve). My initial reaction was, "oh dear, it's even longer," but I like your writing style, so I haven't cut it short.

I'll get around to the other changes later (says the member of the Procrastinators' Guild).

Hi Bag. <>

Oooo, please don't let me do that. I am just forwarding you what I have so that you can file it for future reference. As for future entries, I thought they could be worked on over time.

The amended entry for 'hoser' looks good. As for length: yes, I see the need to keep it down. However, the guide should be entertaining, at least sporadically. For example, ten curt, crisp entries and one entry from the El Mocombo after 17 beers and a heavy metal band.

Why is the format so narrow? Why is it divided into cells? Doesn't that format exaggerate the appearance of length? Not rhetorical questions; I am eager to know. Let's keep in touch on this Guide thing. Thank you. Ani.

Hi Bag. I had made some comments on a much older Canadian English thread. Rather than copy them to you, here is the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F80647?thread=273803 Have a g'day eh? Ani.