When you move overseas and start talking to people in your new community you soon realise that South Africans have some odd and unique sayings, and sometimes a weird way of pronouncing things. I think, as new comers, we all have that story of walking into a store and asking for something, only to be greeted with a blank stare by someone who has no clue what you’re talking about.
Hare are a few of the random things South Africans say, and their Canadian equivalents that you’ll need to get used to:
Robot – Traffic light
Pavement – Sidewalk
Petrol – Gas
Petrol station – Gas station
Bottle store – Liquor store
Boot (of car) – Trunk
Bonnet (of car) – Hood
Dummie – Pacifier/Soothie
Nappies – Diapers
Lift – Elevator
Flat – Apartment
Trolley – Cart
TV remote – Clicker
It’s a pleasure – You’re welcome
Ja – Yes/yeah
CV – Resume
Takkies – Runners
Beanie – Toque
Braai – Barbeque
Take away – Take out
Flapjacks – Pancakes
Pancakes – Crepes
Cold drink/soda – Pop
Biltong – Jerky (similar but not the same)
Mince – Ground beef
Biscuits – Cookies
Swimming costume – Bathing suit
Lilo – Floatie
South Africans tend to also use the word “shame” quite a lot, and this is definitely something Canadians don’t understand. While South Africans use this as a way to show sympathy for someone or a situation, this is seen as an odd expression here.
Here are a few other common Canadian terms to get used to:
Loony – one dollar
Toonie – a two-dollar coin
Poutine – a local dish consisting of fries, gravy and cheese curds
Double-double – when you want double cream and double sugar in your coffee
Eh – a common phrase equivalent to “ya know”, “huh”, “right”
Timmies – Tim Hortons
Canuck – a Canadian
Two-four – a case of 24 beers
Klick – a term for kilometer
So that’s a little overview of the Canadian language. Now don’t get us started on the units of measurement used in Canada. It’s Imperial, no it’s Metric. NO, it’s a combination of both. It’s messy, it’s weird, and it’s confusing!
Leave a Reply