Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,177
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,177 |
Craig was complaining about being "bored" with no posts to read. Well, here is something:
'Eh?'. Rhymes with hay. The great Canajan monosyllable and shibboleth, 'eh?' is all things to all men. Other nations may boast their interjections and interrogative expletives - such as the Mare Can 'huh?', the Briddish 'what?', the French 'hein?' - but none of them can claim the range and scope of meaning that are encompassed by the simple Canajan 'eh?'. Interrogation, assertion, surprise, bewilderment, disbelief, contempt - these are only the beginning of 'eh?' and already we have passed beyond the limitations of 'huh?', 'what?', 'hein?' and their pallid analogues.
To begin with, 'eh?' is an indicator, sure and infallible, that one is in the presence of an authentic Canajan speaker. Although 'eh?' may be met with in Briddish and Mare Can litter choor, no one else in the world can 'eh?' his way through life as a Canajan does, nor half as comfortably.
Viewed syntactically, 'eh?' may appear solo or as part of a set of words, in which case it may occupy either terminal, medial, or initial position. We shall consider these briefly.
Its commonest solo use is as a simple interrogative calling for the repetition of something either not heard because inaudible or, if heard, then not clearly understood. In this context 'eh?' equals 'What did you say?', 'How's that?' Or in Canajan, 'Wadja say?', 'Howzat?'
According to intonation, the meaning of solo 'eh?' may vary all the way from inquiry (as we have seen) through doubt to incredulity. Here are a few examples:
'I'm giving up smoking.'
'Eh?' (A cross between what? and oh yeah?)
'Could you loan me two bucks?'
'Eh?' (Are you kidding?)
'Here's the two bucks I owe you.'
'Eh?' (I don't believe it!)
'Eh?' in terminal position offers a running commentary on the speaker's narrative, not unlike vocal footnotes:
'I'm walking down the street, eh?' (Like this, see?)
'I'd hadda few beer en I was feeling priddy good, eh?' (You know how it is.)
'When all of a sudden I saw this big guy, eh?' (Ya see.)
'I could see him from a long ways off en he was a real big guy, eh?' (I'm not fooling.)
'I'm minding my own business, eh?' (You can bet I was.)
'But this guy was taking up the whole sidewalk, eh?' (Like I mean he really was)
'So when he came up to me I jess stepped inta the gudder, eh?' (I'm not crazy, ya know)
'En he went on by, eh?' (Just like that.)
'I gave up, eh?' (What else could I do?)
'Whattud you a done, eh?' (I'd like to know since you're so smart.)
Forners are warned to observe extreme caution with 'eh?' since nothing will give them away more quickly than its indiscriminate use. Like the pronunciation of Skatchwan (only much more so), it is a badge of Canajanism which requires half a lifetime to learn to use with the proper panache.
Shawn
Epic 80/600 + M3's + M3 Algonquins + M2 Computer + EP125 I think I'm developing an addiction.
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 52
buff
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buff
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 52 |
Reminds me of how our northern brothers and sisters arrived at a name for their country: It had to be short and easy to say...it was decided that there would be 3 letters in the name. But, which 3? To be fair they put 26 letters into a hat and drew the first letter. Everyone was waiting with great anticipation...C,eh...
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441 |
Excellent post. But "eh" has got nothing on the work "f*ck" for utility.
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 625
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 625 |
that's kinda like the massachusetts expression "pissa". it translates to:
oh sh*t
that's fantastic
that's awful
what a dope
great let's go, etc.
can be used as a noun, adjective, or an adverb, rather versitle little expression i might add.
another mass. term we use for a liquor store is "packie", short for package store.
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 973
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 973 |
Disclaimer - R Rated, (I don't usually pass this kind of stuff on, but this one's too good to resist)
In case anyone didn't know the humble beginnings of the "S" word, here's the little story.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship. It was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common. It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas.
As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.
After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "Ship High In Transit" on them which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.
Thus evolved the term "S.H.*.T," which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.
"Chickens don't clap."
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 625
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 625 |
isn't this board a wealth of knowledge
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 973
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 973 |
you learn something new everyday (most of it damn useless too)!
"Chickens don't clap."
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 5,236
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 5,236 |
I LOVE useless knowledge. The more the better - keep it coming!
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488 |
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: Way, Way, Way off topic (and long)
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,177
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,177 |
In Untario we refer to the liquor store as the Elsie B.O. (LCBO - Liquor Control Board of Ontario)
Other things uniquely "Canajan":
The Enay Chell - Our Nash Null Hockey League.
The Arsey Em Pee - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The Gradge - A building for storing or repairing automobiles.
You had to get me started......... Do we really sound like this?
The Grake Up - Our Championship football game.
The Grodge - See Gradge.
Klomidder - A thousand meders.
Kwee Beck - A Canajan province. Rarely Kuh Beck.
Oddawa - The cabbidal siddy of Canada.
Oh Peepee - The Untario per vinshull pleece.
Please kill me now..........
Shawn
Epic 80/600 + M3's + M3 Algonquins + M2 Computer + EP125 I think I'm developing an addiction.
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