Most of us speak Canadian - we just don't know it. Every time we drive (or curse) a Ski-Doo, or wonder what happened to cabooses, or eat tourtiere, or play shinny, we are participating in Canadian culture, and every time we use those words we are speaking Canadian.
In this witty book of essays, Wayne Grady explores Canadian culture as expressed by the words we use to describe our inventions and innovations, our food drink, even our flora and fauna. Drawing on Canadian literature and history, Grady shows how certain words reveal key aspects of the Canadian psyche. What is the significance of Acadia? Why is Canada called a Dominion? What's the difference between Sasquatch and Bigfoot? Between hockey and shinny? Why are Canadian filmmakers best known for documentaries? And what does all this say about our national character?
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