A Little Fun with Newfoundland Sayings
One of my favourite parts of travelling in Newfoundland is the local expressions. I’ve known many Newfoundlanders and a lot of times don’t even know what they’re saying - especially when they’re talking to each other.
During our two-week trip, we heard words and phrases that made us smile, laugh, and occasionally had us opening google to figure out what was said. By the end of our trip we even adopted a handful into our own vocabulary.
Some of the sayings made perfect sense once they were explained. Others...not so much!
So I decided to have a little fun.
Warning: I may have gotten a little carried away.
Somewhere in the list below are five sayings that are completely made up. The other twenty-five are genuine Newfoundland expressions.
Can you find them?
No Googling! (Where's the fun in that?)
Grab a piece of paper, jot down your five guesses, then scroll down to see how you did.
The Challenge
- Best Kind
- Stay where you're to till I comes where you're at.
- Lord Tunderin'
- Give 'er
- What's after happening?
- Mauzy
- Scoff
- Yes, b'y!
- Long may your big jib draw.
- You're crooked.
- Whaddaya at?
- Who knit ya?
- Deadly.
- Hard Ticket
- Right some good.
- Where ya longs to?
- Fair balmed.
- The arse is right out of 'er.
- Have a yarn.
- B'y, she's blowin'.
- Keep your cod dry.
- The kettle's after boiling.
- Gone out in the bay.
- Kiss the cod.
- Luh!
- She's all caplin and no cod.
- Some stunned.
- Don't lose your sou'wester.
- Get on the go.
- That's as handy as a fish on a bicycle.
How Did You Score?
5 out of 5: You deserve to be named an honorary Newfoundlander!
4 out of 5: Impressive! You know your Newfoundland sayings.
3 out of 5: Not bad at all. A couple of made-up sayings fooled you.
1–2 out of 5: Better book a trip to Newfoundland!
0 out of 5: Don't worry...I was hoping I'd fool you!
The Reveal
The Five Fake Sayings
Keep your cod dry.
The kettle's after boiling.
She's all caplin and no cod.
Don't lose your sou'wester.
That's as handy as a fish on a bicycle.
The Real Sayings (and What They Mean)
Best Kind – Everything is good. All is well.
Stay where you're to till I comes where you're at. – Stay where you are and I'll come to you.
Lord Tunderin' – An expression of surprise, amazement, or frustration.
Give 'er – Go for it! Give it everything you've got.
What's after happening? – What just happened?
Mauzy – Damp, misty, foggy weather.
Scoff – A hearty meal or feast.
Yes, b'y! – An expression of excitement, agreement, or surprise.
Long may your big jib draw. – A traditional wish for good luck, good fortune, and prosperity.
You're crooked. – You're not feeling well, or you're in a bad mood.
Whaddaya at? – What are you doing? How are things?
Who knit ya? – Who are your parents or family?
Deadly – Excellent, awesome, or really good.
Hard Ticket – Someone who's mischievous, difficult, or a bit of a character.
Right some good – Very good.
Where ya longs to? – Where are you from? Who are your people?
Fair balmed – Acting silly, confused, or a little crazy.
The arse is right out of 'er. – It's worn out, broken, or no good anymore.
Have a yarn. – Sit down and have a chat.
B'y, she's blowin'. – It's really windy outside.
Gone out in the bay. – Gone a little absent-minded or eccentric.
Kiss the cod. – Part of the traditional Screech-In ceremony where visitors become honorary Newfoundlanders.
Luh! – An expression meaning "Look at that!" or used to get someone's attention.
Some stunned. – Very surprised or shocked.
Get on the go. – Get moving or get started.
Honorable Mentions
There were so many great Newfoundland expressions that I couldn't fit them all into the quiz. Here are a few more that are every bit as colourful.
Stunned as me arse – Extremely surprised or shocked.
Right n' handy – Very convenient or useful.
Gone da bys – Gone off with friends or out socializing.
Nippers – Mosquitoes or blackflies.
Sleveen – A sneaky or sly person.
Rotted – Upset, annoyed, or disappointed.
Cheesed – Embarrassed, annoyed, or frustrated.
What's the scuff? – What's all the excitement or commotion about?
Where's ya to? – Where are you?
How's she gettin' on? – How are things going?
Crackie – A lively, fun person who's always up for a good time.
Mudder – Mother.
Me ol' cock – A friendly way of saying "my friend" or "buddy."
Got me drove – Feeling frustrated, exasperated, or at the end of your patience.
After – Used to describe something that has just happened. For example, "I'm after spilling my coffee." It simply means "I just spilled my coffee."
I'll admit, before our trip I only recognized a handful of these. By the end of our two weeks, though, we were having a lot of fun with them and trying to insert some of them into our conversations.
The language is just one more thing that makes Newfoundland so unique. It's colourful, full of history, and just plain fun to listen to.
So tell me... how many fake sayings did you spot? And more importantly, which one fooled you the most? Let me know in the comments.
Best kind!
Oh wow, English is not my first language, so this was a real challenge. A fun one though.
ReplyDelete"Who knit ya?" Hahahaaaa! I also like "a hard ticket" - I don't think I am one myself, but I have certain people in mind. I will share this post with my friend from Gander.
"That's as handy as a fish on a bicycle" fooled me. The words "Lord Tunderin" are kind of cool to me. Thanks for sharing these interesting words.
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