Canadian Vocabulary As I Know
You will find dictionaries in Toronto Public Library which documents the words used in US and Canada as slang. I found one such book by David Burke by the title "Biz Talk - American Business Slang and Jargon". If you borrow this book, you can learn more about the words used in the business world in US and Canada.
It is important to use the same language while talking with people in the country. It helps them to
recognize you and your abilities.
- Clique
- A group of friends, more like birds of a feather.
It is common among children to belong to a clique, who has similar thoughts.
- Bet Dollars to Doughnuts
- A casual discussion involving betting with money or a treat.
E.g. I can bet dollars to doughnut that he will not come today.
- Elevator / Escalator
- A cubical to elevate you to higher level. You might have known it as "lift".
Escalator are the steps that keeps going up automatically. It is a good
idea to take stairs when the escalator is not working.
- Fleecy
- A fabric softener brand. A widely used item for softening clothes. It is put into
washer after a wash cycle. You may find people looking at clock while
clothes are in washer. They have to run to put Fleecy into the washer.
Some washers has built-in slot for keeping fabric softener. The washer picks up
the softener at the end of the wash and adds to clothes.
- Flyer
- The most interesting paper that most of city dwellers wants to read.
The pictures of products and special offers interest a large consumer base
into buying things.
- Football
- A game played in US, where players carry the ball in hand and put down
on the designated lines. When you "touch down" on the last line, it is a goal.
The opposite team tries to take away ball from your hand and do the same.
The goal achievement is in phases as compared to soccer.
- GIC
- Fixed deposits of India are things of past here.
Banks here issue certificates which guarantees an income at specific rate.
They are called GIC - Guaranteed Income Certificate.
- Good for you !!
- A positive expression used at times requesting you to
stop talking about the subject you started. Compare with I am happy for you.
- Heat and Hydro Bill
- Bill for consuming gas and electricity. The electricity is generated by
using hydro power, hence it is called hydro. The heating system uses gas
to heat up a house.
- I hear you !!
- A polite expression reminding you to stop repeating what you already said.
Compare with, I heard it first time when you said it.
- Interactive Voice Response
- Press buttons on telephone to make choices. This requires you to listen
carefully over the phone.
- Mortgage
- The loan for buying a property. You pay monthly installments to repay
the mortgage that runs from five years to twenty years
- Mutual Fund
- An investment in stock market. A mutual fund invests in stocks, bonds,
funds and income trusts. The objective, volatility and risks of investing
in a mutual fund are described in a prospectus for that fund.
- NSF
- Not Sufficient Funds. In general, a dishonored cheque is called NSF.
It may be dishonored for any reason including not sufficient funds.
- Personal Banking
- Banking services for an individual like savings account, fixed deposit account etc.
Compare it with Corporate Banking. Do you have a personal bank account?
- Pimp
- Showing off the tangible assets like expensive car, jewelry, clothes etc.
- Pop
- A soda in a bottle or a can. It could be Coca Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew,
Sprite or similar product. Pop word is also used in place of "each".
E.g. You can sell it for 20 bucks a pop. Pop is also used in place of
describing father. E.g. Mom and pop store.
- Resume
- A brief detail submitted to prospective employer.
Bio Data in India, Curriculum Vitae in UAE and CV in New Zealand.
- So
- Describing more quantity of many things. E.g., So happy, so useless, so funny,
so stupid, so exciting.
- Transfer
- A small piece of paper (like ticket) issued by TTC when you pay your fare.
This transfer is used when you change from one bus/train/street car
to another bus/train/street car. Did you take transfer?
- Unisex Hair Saloon
- In Toronto (or Canada), you will find unisex hair saloon more common.
The same barber styles hair for both gender, male and female.
The barber may be a male or a female. Many of residents here cut their hair at
home with help of a family member. Reminds me of Gandhiji mentioning it in his
autobiography.
- Void Cheque
- Cancelled cheque with Void written on the face of the cheque.
Void cheques are issued with pre-authorization payment instructions
to telephone companies or other companies where automatic payments
are to be carried out.
- Washer and Dryer
- A washing machine is called Washer. It is designed primarily for washing clothes.
Dryer is a machine for drying clothes. The clothes can be
dried completely in a dryer. You can fold clothes and put them in your
wardrobe after drying them in the dryer.
- You won't get nothing
- Expression to inform someone in strong way that you will not be
getting anything from someone or somewhere.
Nothing word is used for negative expression.
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