From ‘rink rats’ to ‘bunny hugs’: How well do you know Canadian words?

January 28, 2025 by Scott Anderson - U of T Magazine

Over the years, Canada’s vast geography and diverse communities have given rise to a bounty of unique words and expressions. For more than 20 years, Sali Tagliamonte, a University of Toronto professor of the Department of Linguistics, and her research team have been exploring the linguistic diversity of smaller centres in Ontario, in particular. Their findings challenge the idea that Canadian English is becoming more American, or that it’s the same from sea to sea. Her lab supplied many of the unique words and expressions in this quiz.

So, whether you’ve lived here your whole life, or are a newcomer, take the quiz and see how well you know Canada’s quirky phrases and localisms.

Take U of T Magazine’s quiz

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