Souris Slang

Please note that due to the nature of this list, it will never be exhaustive.

Souris has its own unique slang and expressions, as are detailed in the following. Common examples are 'slippy', 'satchel', and the use of some in front of an article to add emphasis, such as 'some cold'.

List of Local Slang

• A Lick and a Prayer: To offer little to another in terms of reassurance/promise, but to encourage them to be optimistic as to your fulfillment of that promise. "All I can offer you is a lick and a prayer."
• A Raft: An informal unit used to indicate a large number or volume. "There was a whole raft of them showed up after church."
• Ain't that Somethin'?: Used to express disbelief, or to imply/express an interrogative. May also be used sarcastically.
• Airish: Warm, etc. Dressed for summer weather, feeling warm. Looking at the girl in shorts and t-shirt, her grandmother told her "you're looking awful airish."
• All Get Out: Used as a modifier to indicate a certain degree of extremity. "He was as fancy as all get out."
• All Out of Puff: Out of breath. Infrequent.
• All Over Mud: Meaning someone or something is very dirty, or covered from head to toe. Used literally. Ex: "when the kids came back from the field they were all over mud." Alternatively all over clay, all over dirt, all over wet, etc,. 
• An'thin: (Pronounced n-thin) means anything. Ex: Anthin going on tonight?
• Anyhoo: Anyway. Used to get to the point of a conversation, to draw focus back to the topic at hand, or to end a conversation.
• Arse over Kettle: To have a big fall or spill, to tumble or fall down.
• Arsin' Around: Fooling around, wasting time. "Quit arsin' around and get that wood split."
• A'Tall: At all. Pronounced a-tall or it-tall. Ex: "What are you up to?" "Oh, nothin' a'tall."
• Awful: Can be used as a superlative, both in the positive of the negative. Ex: "The porridge looks awful good", would mean that porridge looks very good. In the negative, an example would be "that hockey team played an awful poor game."
• Balls on a Heifer: Used as an expletive in place of terms like "oh, shit!" A heifer is a female cow, and therefore cannot have balls.
• Bernard: pronounced Brr-nerd
• Big: To be conceited, vain, full of pride. "She was awful big, wasn't she?"
• Biscuit Eaters: Rare. Used to denote someone large, burly, sturdy, or energetic. Means someone who eats a hearty, wholesome, old fashioned meal, i.e. homemade biscuits.
• Blessing of the Fleets: An annual tradition wherein a mass is celebrated, often at the wharf/harbour, with the aim of praying for a safe and bountiful fishing season.
• Blessus: Pronounced something like 'blessis'. Added as a modifier to indicate degree or conviction. "Did you know him well?" "Blessus, yes; he was my brother."
• Blow the Stink Off Ya: Means to get active, get outside, go play. Said to children who have lingered in the house too long.
• Braap: Verb. To ride or drive any type of offroad vehicle, particularly is such a way so as to produce noise from the motor. Used almost exclusively by youth.
• Boat Traffic: An abnormal amount of traffic on the road, experienced after the CTMA Madeleine ferry arrives in the afternoon.
• Boot 'Er: To move fast, in a hurry. To rush. Ex: "I boot'ered into Town today before work" "You'd better boot'er to the Credit Union before it closes."
• Boppin' Around: To be out and about, spending one's day with no particular intent or destination.
• Bornt: Born
• Burnt: Also turned, learned, etc. Pronounced with a sharp "t" instead of "ed".
• Calm: May be pronounced cam. An older fisherman's way of speaking. Also palm pronounced as pam.
• Ceilidh: Gaelic spelling. Pronounced KAY-lee, like the girl's name. A traditional kitchen party style get together, with an emphasis on music and dancing. Still very popular in the summer months.
• Chesterfield: Couch
• Church Traffic: An abnormal amount of traffic on the road, experienced after church lets out. "I got caught in church traffic on the way into Souris."
• Coasting: Tobogganing/sledding. Usage does not seem to extend very far west of Souris.
• Cousint: cousin. Note the insertion of the t consonant.
• Crack of Crow: The earliest time in the morning, typically before the sun has even risen. Also, "crow piss early".
• Croakin': To be heavily affected by heat, to the point where one feels like dying. "It was so warm in that church I thought I'd pass out. I was croakin'." Croaked, in the past tense, means to have died. This usage can be literal.
• Cruisin' The Strip: The traditional and customary act (typically of High School students) of driving repeatedly up and down the strip. See 'The Strip', below.
• Cutting Lines: Pronounced 'cuttin' lines'. The act of intentionally sabotaging another fisherman's trap lines, in such a way so as to prevent him from hauling in his traps. This is done extrajudicially, as a warning or payback.
• Dance a Set: To perform a round of dance in accompaniment to fiddle or other traditional music.
• Doiron: Last name; prounounced Dur-rong
• Deep Fried Veggies: A local restaurant favorite, consisting of battered and deep fried mushroom, zuccinni, broccoli, and cauliflower. Found at the Bluefin and the Shipwreck.
• Dingbat: Someone stupid, or dumb. A mild insult.
• Dinner: Used variably and interchangeably between families, referring to either the noon hour meal, or the evening meal. This often leads to confusion. The noon hour meal can be lunch or dinner, while the evening meal can be supper or dinner. Lunch and supper are never to be used interchangeably, however.
• Dirty: Can be used to mean something bad, or unfair. "That was a dirty move he pulled"
• Dirty Humor: In a bad mood. "He was in dirty humor after losing the game"
• Doojigger: Similar to doohickey. Used in to indicate an item, object, etc., that one does not know the name of.
• Drawers: Underwear.
• Drawers in a Knot: Irritable, agitated, annoyed. "Don't get your drawers in a knot".
• Drug Through a Knot Hole: Indicates that one looks disheveled, unkempt, like hell. A knot hole is the small hole left in a piece of wood where a branch once grew.
• Eager: May be used often as an adjective. The state of being eager. "I'm some eager for that show tonight."
• Eastern: May be prounounced with two syllables, as easter-rin
• Farmer's Turn: An excessively wide turn, done out of habit by farmers who are accustomed to driving large machinery.
• Fart In A Mitt: Often the expression "useless as a fart in a mitt". Used to emphasis futility or uselessness.
• Fart Can: A modified muffler for a car, one which is often intended to make a lot of noise.
• Fartin' Around: To be kicking around the house, doing nothing. To be killing time.
• Feed: A hearty meal, one in which everyone is satisfied in have a enough to eat. Also, and connected to, the first eating instance of any local produce or goods. Ex: "We had our first feed of new potatoes last night" or "I can't wait to get a feed of lobster on landing day"
• Fiddle Festival: Formally the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival. Formerly Rollo Bay Fiddler's Festival. Beginning in 1975, this annual festival is held on the third weekend in July at the Rollo Bay Fiddle Grounds.
• Fill Your Boots: Used in the same manner as the phrase, 'be my guest'. Can also be used to indicate that one is welcome to something, or to do something, to any degree they like. "Can I have more pudding?" "Fill your boots."
• The Fin: The Bluefin Restaurant.
• Fit to be Tied: Used to express a level of range, anger, fury, etc. "She was so angry, she was fit to be tied", the implication being one is so angry that they need to be restrained, lest they act out rashly.
• Fleet: The entire apparatus of a fisherman's livelihood, including license, boat, traps, equipment, etc.
• Foolish: A state of being, the act of being foolish. Although it is used in a way similar to the standard dictionary definition, it does take on its own distinct meaning in the vernacular, separate from the standard definition. Whereas in typical use foolish may be used to describe a trait of someone, i.e. a stupid person is foolish, it may be used locally as a trait in and of itself. It may also mean drunk.
• Fool Head: Ex: "Laughing his fool head off." To be in possession of a fool head, means to have a penchant for stupidity, idiocy, etc.
• Fortune Good: Used jokingly, in disparagement. Meaning that something may not be perfect, but it is good enough for Fortune.
• Fraggle Rock: TBD
• Full Bore: To do something with vigor, or intently. All in.
• Full of Baloney: Means you are lying, telling a tale, etc. Used also, 'full of old rope', 'full of beans'.
• Full to the Scuppers: For something to be very full, to the point that nothing else would fit. "That load is full to the scuppers". "I couldn't eat another bite; I'm full to the scuppers". Scupper is a nautical term.
• Gaudet: Last name; pronounced Goody
• Gall: Nerve, boldness. "The gall of him to show up dressed liked that."
• Get A Kick Out Of: To find something funny. "I always get a kick out of him."
• Get Clear Of: To rid one's self of. "I got clear of that old car." "I can't seem to get clear of this cold."
• Give Him A Tunin': Tuning. Variations: her, them, etc. To chastise, criticize, or harshly and abruptly correct someone. Can also be used to indicate beating someone up, etc.
• Give me a shout/holler/dingle: Give me a call (on the phone)
• Go fly a kite: Get out of here, leave me alone, go do something else, etc. Said often to children.
• Go Way Witch'ya: Means literally 'go away with you', or more meaningfully, get out of here. Used to express disbelief, or the belief that the speaker is 'full of shit'. Ex: "the tide was so high on Monday it was over the road." "No, go way witch'ya"
• Goes To Bed When There's Shadows Under The Stove: Goes to bed very early.
• Good Enough for the Girls You Go With: Used jokingly, as a minor insult. Meaning that something may not be perfect, but just like one's choice in women, one is willing to settle for "good enough". Ex: "I guess that Sunfire you drive must be good enough for the girls you go with." Used in the same way as 'Fortune Good'. See above.
• Guff: Attitude, lip, sass, mouth. Ex: "Not another word. I've had enough of your guff."
• "H" (pronounced hay-tch): local variation of h
• Half Cut: Drunk
• Handle: A type of inherited nickname, in which a person is referred to by the names of his successive relatives, as far back as is needed for clarification. Still common today, particularly among those who share common last names, such as MacDonald. Ex: Dylan Paul Kenny Cyril MacDonald, Jim Reggie MacDonald. In each case, the name following the first name is the name of their father, grandfather, etc.
• Handy: In close proximity. Ex: When Mom answers the phone, "Hello, is Dad handy?" May also indicate that one is skilled at something. Ex: She is quite handy with a sewing machine.
• Harvester: a type of insect that emits a loud, long chirping screech during warm summer days.
• Havin' a Time: Means someone is enjoying themselves, or that the activity they are doing is pleasurable or fun. "He was sure havin' a time at the beach the other day."
• Healthy as a Trout: To be in good health.
• Hen's Teeth: Used to express disdain or disbelief, as hen's cannot have teeth.
• Hold Your Drawers: (See 'Drawers') Literally, hold on to your underwear. Used to tell someone to wait a moment.
• Honest to Gravy: Infrequent usage. Same meaning as 'honest to goodness'.
• Hoofin' It: To walk, often for quite a distance. "Since his car quit, he's been hoofin' it to school."
• Hooked Up: To have a tuna fish hooked on the line.
• (Inflected inhalation of yep): Sounds like you are saying yep while simultaneously inhaling. Often used in agreement, particularly when you don't wish to overemphasize your agreement.
• I Seen: I saw / I have seen
• Ignorant: Rude, oblivious, stupid. "You've been awful ignorant to me lately"
• Ignorant Day: a day of bad weather, particularly for fishing.
• It'll All Come Out in the Wash: Used metaphorically to explain that in the end everything will be all right/everything will reach a conclusion, just as dirty clothes will ultimately come out clean after the laundry.
• Imagine: Spoken with a drawn out 'a'. Used either sincerely or sarcastically, to express disbelief. Ex: "The dog ate my sandwich!" "Imagine"
• In The Name of Time: Used to express awe or disbelief.
• Into a Tiff: To get into an argument, disagreement, etc. "He got into a tiff at work again."
• Into a Tizzy: Differs from 'Into a tiff'. Into a tizzy refers to getting worked up over something, at times to the point of irrationality.
• Jesus Murphy: Used as a quasi-expletive, or to express disbelief. Also, 'Jeepers Murphy'.
• Keen: Eager, interested, etc. Ex: "he was awful keen to see her at the Fiddle Festival".
• Kindling: Pronounced 'kin-lin'.
• Kit and Kaboodle: The entirety of something. "They renovated the entire house, the whole kit and kaboodle."
• Land: Verb. For guests to visit, unannounced. "They whole crew of them landed for dinner". Also, to bring lobsters ashore.
• Landing Day: The first day that fishermen land their catch of lobster. Many local people are needed as extra hands for this day, and as a result are often gifted lobster as thanks.
• Leblanc: Last name; pronounced Leblonck
• Line Road: Souris Line Road.
• Line Road License: Learner's permit. Used jokingly, hinting that people from the line road may begin to drive on their own before they are legally able to, perhaps due to lax police enforcement.
• Litany: Tirade, rant, etc.
• Little Phone Book: The small phone book sent out annually by the Graphic Newspaper, which includes listings for only King's County.
• Long, hard 'a': Seen in words such as dad, bad, harbour, garbage, car, imagine. Pronounced such as baad, baaid, or baayd.
• Long Than Ever Ago: A long time ago. Ex. "She should have been here long than ever ago!"
• Looking Sharp: Looking good, fancy, nice, etc. Often used to compliment men, or as a compliment from a men to someone else.
• Mash: The leftovers of a boiled dinner, mashed together.
• Many's a Time: Translates loosely to many times I have (done). Connotes experience or familiarity with the situation. "Have you ever milked a cow, Poppa?" "Why yes, many's a time."
• May's'll: Pronounced "mays-ull", means 'may as well'.
• Minchim: Small, miniature. This is a new usage.
• Mirro(w): A mirror. Pronounced meer-row
• Monta-que: Montague.
• Naufrage: Pronounced new-frayjshe.
• No End To: In large supply, endless. "There was no end to the mackerel out there today" "You shoulda seen the people at Basin Head today, there was no end to them."
• Northside: anywhere along the Northside road, typically from around the Goose River area, up to about North Lake.
• North Side Tea: a very hearty, well steeped tea; also, moonshine.
• Not A Peep Out of You: Casual warning to children, meaning not to make a sound. "Up to bed now, and not another peep out of you."
• Nuke/Zap: Cook something in the microwave
• Oilgear: The outer layer of water proof clothing one wears while lobster fishing.
• Older than my tongue, but younger than my teeth: An evasive answer given to children when one wishes to avoid revealing their true age. Dwindling usage, primarily used by seniors.
• On A Tear: Several meanings: to move about and act with such a mind that one cannot be stopped. Also, to rage about in anger, in a rather hostile or destructive way. Also, to be drunk, and act in either of the above manners.
• On The Land: When farmers are working the fields, specifically when they are planting their crops, they are said to be 'on the land.'
• On The Water: When fishermen are out at sea fishing, they are said to be 'on the water.'
• One Pile Wouldn't Hold It: An absurd claim, meaning that there is so much of something that it couldn't all be contained in one pile, despite the non-specific nature of a pile. Ex: "He sawed so much wood that day that one pile wouldn't hold it."
• Opening Day: The first day of trout fishing season, typically in early or mid April. School attendance is notoriously low on this day.
• Picnic Day: The local name for Victoria Day. It is tradition to have a picnic on this day, especially amongst families with children. Only attested to in the Souris area and East. Picnickers may go to the beach, such as Basin Head.
• Pint: Such as a pint of rum. This pronunciation is rather tricky to articulate. It is pronounced much like the word point (such as East Point), but whereas point would sound as if it were spelled pwoint, pint is pronounced as if this 'w' were removed.
• Piss Clams: A type of clam dug at low tide, often along the south side.
• Piss Poor: To be extremely poor. Also, 'he doesn't have a pot to piss in" to denote poverty.
• Pogey: Employment Insurance benefits/money. Ex: Drawing pogey. Means receiving EI money.
• Pogey Pop: Any of a variety of pop brands (Big 8, Vess, etc.,) that are typically purchased only when one cannot afford the brand name variants, i.e. when one is drawing pogey.
• Poke: Noun: To be an "old poke" is to be old, slow, etc. Verb: to stick one's nose into someone else's business. "She likes to poke her nose in".
• Poking: (See also poky, pokey, pokin', etc.) To be slow, dawdling, etc. "The car ahead of me was just pokin' along."
• Polluted: To be filled with something, ex. "the river was just polluted with fish". Also means drunk.
• Pop a Squat: Take a seat, sit down.
• Porridge: Oatmeal.
• Pour/Tour: pronounced as pore/tore
• Pussy Willow: Any number of varieties of wetland plants that produce soft, fuzzy buds in the early spring.
• Put (H)'Er In the Rhubarb: make a mistake, doing something stupid, have things go awry. Also, to put a car in the ditch.
• Quite the puss on: Meaning quote the frown; this person is very unhappy. Likely derived from 'sourpuss'.
• Quite the smudge: used in reference to smoke or dirt. Very dirty.
• Rails to Trails: Confederation Trail.
• Rig: A vehicle. Often a truck or larger vehicle, but applies even to cars.
• Rig in the Yard: A vehicle in the driveway. Ex: "Is Bernard home?" "His rig was in the yard when I drove by."
• River Road: Souris River Road.
• Rollo Bay: Pronounced Rolluhbay. People from away have the tendency to pronounce it as two separate words, placing an emphasis on the second 'o', resulting in roll-o__bay.
• Rollo Bay Loop: The road south of the Main Highway, leading from Rollo Bay Inn to the old Platter House. Sometimes simply "the loop".
• The Run: The name of the channel of water which flows between the wharves at Basin Head, or at any harbour which has a channel.
• Run into 'Town: Go to Charlottetown
• S Turns: The winding turns found several kilometers up the St. Charles road. These we created when the Island switched from horses to cars for transportation. Cars needed wider turns to accommodate their higher speeds.
• Satchel: A backpack or bookbag
• Scruffin' Clothes: Clothes to be worn, often by children, when it is known that they are going to get dirty.
• Setting Day: The first day of the spring lobster fishing season, where fisherman set all of their traps out in the water.
• Shit a mill and build a dam on it: Used as an expletive, typically after injuring one's self.
• Shitkickers: A type of heavy rubber boots, worn around the harbour, etc.
• Should Of: other uses; could of, would of, etc. Of is used in place of have.
• Showhall: specifically the Souris Showhall (movie theatre). In older use, may refer to any movie theatre.
• Sled: Snowmobile, skidoo.
• Slippy: Slippery
• Snotty Weather: Unpleasant, disagreeable weather.
• So Dirty You Could Grow Potatoes In It: Used in reference to anything particularly dirty or filthy. Ex: "The dash of his truck was so dirty you could grow potatoes in it."
• Solomon Grundy: A unique type of pickled fish, sometimes cod. Spelling variations abound. As has been said, "you don't spell Solomon Grundy, you eat it."
• Some: Used to place great emphasis. Ex: "I'm some hungry" meaning "I'm very hungry"
• Somethin' Else: Used politely yet sarcastically to express that what was just witnessed/experienced was unpleasant or unexpected.
• Sook: Rymes with look. Someone, often a child, who is whiny, complaintive, or otherwise a fuss. Can be used as a verb, adjective, or noun. Also, one may be "sooking", which is the active form of the verb. Derives from sook, a female crab.
• Spell: Length of time, meaning quite some time. "It's been quite a spell since I've seen you last". Also, to be seized with illness or dizziness. "She took a spell at the Legion last night."
• Spill: As in, to take a spill. Means to fall. Ex "He took quite a spill on the ice"
• Spittin' Image: An uncanny resemblance. "He's the spittin' image of his father."
• Splash Pants: Athletic pants made of breathable materials, that are somewhat waterproof.
• Spring Peeper: Small marsh/swamp frogs that peep or chirp early in the spring time.
• Spurt: A small amount of time, spent in some degree of busyness. When used in the phrase 'took a spurt', it indicates that one was motivated in such a way so as to engage in a spurt of work, etc. "He took a spurt and got that last bit of wood put in."
• St. Charles: This entry appears due to the tendency of some people to pronounce it as St. Char-liss. This is an example of the use of what Pratt calls "Island tongue".
• Stamps: Noun. From the former days of getting stamps for an EI claim, where one stamp equalled one week's worth of work. Thus, "I'm two stamps short of pogey" means two weeks short of claiming EI.
• Stog: Verb. To force something into a space which scarcely has room for it.
• Stunned: Stupid or ignorant, however the term is used in an amicable or loving way. "My God I love her, but she sure is stunned"
• Sunday Driver: Stemming from the still-popular practice of going for a leisurely drive on a Sunday, this name is applied to one who drives slow, aimlessly, or without due care and attention.
• Take a Spite To: past tense, taken a spite to. To be particularly vengeful towards, or to hold a grudge against, a certain person or thing. Example: "Your father sure has been mowing the lawn a lot lately" "Yep, he's really taken a spite to those dandelions."
• Talk At Ya: Also, talkatch'ya, talkitcha (later may also be applied after any of these versions ex: talk at ya later). Means "I will talk to you later" or will catch up with you later.
• Tend To Your Own Knitting: Mind your own business.
• The Strip: Main Street Souris, extending from the Petro-Canada, east to the Save Easy.
• The Whole Works: All of something. Everything, complete. "The whole works of them showed up after the hockey game."
• Three Sheets to the Wind: Drunk
• Tickety Boo: Things are ship shape, in good order, good standing, etc. "She had the house tickety boo after the party". "He was feeling tickety boo once he got out of the hospital".
• Took A Flegarry: To have a fit. To be angry or enraged about something, and to act in an erratic matter. Likewise, to take an actual 'fit', in which one loses temporary control of one's self, or some portion thereof.
• Took a Notion: Had an idea. Often used in relation to a bizarre or uncharacteristic idea. "We were doing fine, until Harold took a notion to use his shortcut!"
• Took A Turn: See 'took a spell', below.
• Took A Spell: When one's health changes suddenly, they are said to have taken a spell. Can also be used to indicate time. "It took a spell to get here, that's for certain." See 'spell'.
• Top Pogey: Receiving maximum EI benefits. See 'pogey'.
• Tore a Strip Off: Told someone off, set them straight, etc, taught them a lesson, etc.
• Tuckered Out: Tired, exhausted.
• Two Shakes of a Tom-Cat's Tail: Used to indicate speediness, meaning fast, soon. "Are you ready yet?" "I will be in two shakes of a tom-cat's tail." Can be shortened simply to "two shakes".
• Un: A word beginning with the prefix 'un' is often pronounced 'on', for example, unemployment might be pronounced 'onemployment'.
• 'Up East': variably anywhere east of Souris. When used in a provincial context, by people who are not from Souris, it may refer to Souris inclusive.
• Warsh: wash. Note this insertion of the r consonant.
• Went Aboard: To angrily tear into someone; to confront and express intense anger towards someone. To engage in something fervently. Also: come aboard, came aboard.
• What're You At?: Shortened form of 'what are you at?'. Means 'what are you doing?' Ex: What're you at tonight?
• What're You Sayin'(g): Shortened form of 'what are you sayin'(g). Means 'what are you doing?', 'what are you up to?' or 'what do you think?'. Ex: "What're you sayin', bud?" "Not much, just about to go for a drive."
• Who's Your Father?: A common question, asked both sincerely and in jest, inquiring as to who someone's father is. Often used upon first meeting someone to establish a connection or sense of understanding between the two speakers.
• Whore in a fit: Variably "like a whore in a fit", or "useless as a whore in a fit". To be flustered, in a hurry, rushed, or angry.
• Won't: Where elsewhere in the country it is pronounced so as to rhyme with 'don't', it is here pronounced as 'woon't'.
• Y is a crooked letter, and you cannot straighten it: An expression used to deflect incessant questions of 'why' from a young child.
• Yanging: To whine, sook, or fuss, typically used in reference to children. "The kids kept yanging at me while I was on the phone." Can also be used in reference to a physical tugging sort of act. Thus the above example could apply if the kids were 'yanging' on pantlegs, etc. Applies also, in familial terms among very young children. to male children adjusting their private areas. "Yanging on himself", etc.
• Yeah, so, No...: Used to indicate the negative, a 'no' response. "Yeah, so, no... we never did end up going to Town."
• Yeah, No...: Always spoken with an inhalation on the 'yeah'. Used to express agreement, to end a conversation, or to change a topic.
• You Couldn't Find Room For a Shadow: Indicates that a place is small/tightly packed.

Rural distinction

As is noted in the Dictionary of Prince Edward Island English, those living further from Charlottetown exhibit a higher tendency to pronounce words in an 'Island tongue' (Pratt, 177). For example, when investigating the pronounciation of the word 'film', it was found that it was pronounced with two syllables (i.e. fill'em) by 40% of the sample population in Souris, 56% in Tignish, and only 24% in Charlottetown (Pratt, 177).

References

Unless otherwise indicated, these entries have been collected orally.

Pratt, T.K. Dictionary of Prince Edward Island English. Toronto, University of Toronto Press: 1988. Print.