After the Canadian Oxford Dictionary was published in 1998, Editor-in-Chief Katherine Barber produced a series of reports for CBC TV's The National Magazine called Words In Canada.
BOOZE
Here's a sobering thought. Without Canada, the world wouldn't have beer parlours, bloody Caesars, or Newfoundland Screech. But what's a Molson Muscle, and does it have anything to do with a forty-pounder? Find out, by clicking on Words in Canada.
TRADEMARKS
Ever wonder why we call the screwdriver with a tiny square tip a Robertson, how Pablum got its name, or what the connection is between a suburb of Paris and a brand of Canadian bleach? Get out the Gravol and hang on to your hats, as Words in Canada takes quick stock of some trade names.
HOCKEY
What do mosquitoes, road apples, and tic-tac-toe have in common? How do you define deke? Who coined the term spinarama? Words in Canada laces up for a closer look at the language of hockey.
WINTER
The word caribou literally means snow shoveller in Mi'kmaq. But what's the history behind Ski-Doos and Bombardiers, where did the term toque come from, and what's a windrow got to do with winter? Words in Canada digs up the answers.
FOOD
A country as vast as Canada is a recipe for variety. For example, what's in Cape Breton pork pie? (Hint: there's no meat.) Why do Quebecers call fries, gravy, and cheese poutine? Where on earth do a few dates produce a matrimonial cake? As you stew over the answers, remember that Words in Canada is always at your service.
SUMMER
If you're ever up a creek without a paddle, you probably won't need to know how many types of canoes are listed in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary (the answer's in the double-digits), or who came up with the word humidex, or how to make Indian ice cream. But just to be safe, you might want to consult Words in Canada before the next statutory holiday under the sun.
