Canadians

[Stefan Dollinger]

The reported use of "Canadians" in Kansas rings a few bells over here at the
DCHP-2 project (Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles, 2nd
ed.).

I'd surmise on three things:

1) this use apparently has more to do with "US" and "THEM", than with how
Canadians tip. Canadians tend to be very polite, as can be seen in many
Canadian comedy skits, where, because of politeness concerns, Canadians
don't get what they originally came for...

2) if "inner-city" refers to African American, then we might have a new
application of the 19th-century connection between the (originally French)
Canadians and people of a darker skin colour that is very likely (as far as
we know now) crucial in the development of "Canuck". Used as a term of pride
and endearment in Canada today, "Canuck" has been used as a "racial" slur in
the States. The more complete story for these semantic shifts can be read at
www.dchp.ca (see Dollinger 2006)

3) Look at renditions of Canadians in the U.S. media - start with South
Park, for instance. There always has to be a butt of a joke, and there seems
to be a good tendency that "otherness" is often the sole reason for
acquiring such designations. It's the perception of those who regard
themselves as the "in-group" (i.e. the waiters in your example) and there
often is no other link. Certainly, Canadians are very generous tippers in
general.

In general, my educated guess is that this may well be the recycling of a
"racial" slur of yesteryear in a new form - from the U.S. meaning of
"Canuck" (note again: it's a term of high prestige in Canada) to a new U.S.
meaning of "Canadian" in this particular context. And again, this tells us
more about the users and their perceptions of "out-group" and "in-group"
than about Canadians

I wonder if you collect some data on this and send it to us? dchp AT
interchange.ubc.ca

Stefan Dollinger
Editor DCHP-2, UBC, Vancouver

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mircea Sauciuc" <msauciuc at GMAIL.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 6:33 PM
Subject: Canadians


> Hi -
>
> I was speaking with a friend last night who last summer worked in
> Kansas City as a waitress.  She said that fellow workers used to use a
> name for inner-city families that were known to not leave a tip:
> Canadians.  "Hey, we have a table of Canadians...they're all yours."
>
> Anyone know the reference or heard this said?  Is it made to actual
> Canadians because they're cheap (I'm not making that claim, just using
> it as a possibility) or is the term derived from something else?
>
> --
> Mircea Sauciuc
> University of Kansas
> Department of Linguistics
>

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