Canadian vs. American Words: What Do YOU Call These?

Apparently, Lisa and I speak two different languages. 😂

Okay, maybe not completely different languages.

But Lisa lives near Toronto, Canada, and I’m an American who has lived in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and now New Jersey. And the longer we work together, the more often one of us says something that makes the other one stop and say:

“Wait. What did you just call that?”

So for this episode of The Other 99%, we took a break from email marketing, customers, websites, and all of our normal small business talk and did something completely different.

We asked ChatGPT to give us pictures of things Canadians and Americans might call by different names—but NOT tell us what the words were.

Then Lisa and I saw the pictures for the first time while recording and had to say what we would naturally call each one.

And oh my goodness. 😂

Let’s see which side you’re on.

🇨🇦 Toque vs. 🇺🇸 Knit Hat

Lisa: Toque

Susan: Knit hat or winter hat

This was our very first picture, and I immediately knew we were going to have fun.

Lisa looked at the winter hat with the pom-pom and casually said, “That’s a toque.”

A WHAT?

Apparently “knit hat” or “winter hat” is far too much work for Canadians.

We did, however, agree that the fluffy thing on top is a pom-pom.

Canada 🤝 America.

Progress.

🇨🇦 Runners vs. 🇺🇸 Sneakers

Lisa: Runners

Susan: Sneakers or running shoes

Lisa looked at a pair of athletic shoes and immediately called them “runners.”

I have never in my life looked at my shoes and thought, “Where are my runners?”

Sneakers? Yes.

Running shoes? Sure.

Runners?

Nope. 😂

🇨🇦 Pop vs. 🇺🇸 Soda…Unless You’re From Ohio

Lisa: Pop

Susan: Soda

But this one comes with an asterisk because I lived in Cincinnati for 17 years, and there we called it pop, too!

Now that I live in New Jersey? Soda.

Which brought us to another Lisa-ism I had never heard before:

“Pseudo pop.”

Lisa uses that for the generic, off-brand version of Coke or Pepsi.

I’d just call it generic or off-brand soda.

Lisa’s response?

“You guys put too much effort into things.”

Fair. 😂

🇨🇦 Washroom vs. 🇺🇸 Restroom or Bathroom

Lisa: Washroom

Susan: Restroom or bathroom

Lisa’s argument makes sense:

“You’re not going in there to take a bath!”

Okay, fine.

But you’re not going in there to rest either.

So maybe we’re ALL wrong.

🇨🇦 Pencil Crayons vs. 🇺🇸 Colored Pencils

This may be my favorite.

Lisa: Pencil crayons

Susan: Colored pencils

Pencil. Crayons.

I still have questions. 😂

Lisa’s defense was basically, “You color with them! They’re crayons!”

Yes, Lisa.

And they’re pencils.

Which is why they’re called colored pencils.

I will die on this hill.

🇨🇦 Eavestrough vs. 🇺🇸 Gutter

Lisa: Eavestrough

Susan: Gutter

You know that thing attached to the edge of your roof that catches rainwater?

Lisa calls it an eavestrough.

I call it a gutter.

Lisa informed me that a gutter is the thing along the side of the road.

And I informed her that apparently in America we don’t mind using the same word twice. 😂

🇨🇦 Zed vs. 🇺🇸 Z

This one has actually caused confusion between us before.

Lisa: Zed

Susan: Z

As in…

A, B, C, D…

all the way through…

X, Y, ZED.

Lisa once told me to use “Command Zed,” and I was legitimately looking at my keyboard wondering where she saw a key that said ZED.

Nope.

Just Z.

🇨🇦 Lever vs. 🇺🇸 Lever

This one isn’t spelled differently.

It’s pronounced differently.

And when we got to it, we both immediately knew we were saying the same word in two completely different ways.

Which brings us to another one…

🇨🇦 Herbs vs. 🇺🇸 Herbs

Lisa pronounces the H.

I don’t.

According to Lisa, “Herb is a man’s name.”

According to me, the H is silent.

Neither one of us was willing to budge.

Moving on. 😂

🇨🇦 Mobile vs. 🇺🇸 Cell Phone

Lisa might call it her mobile or mobile device.

I’m much more likely to say:

“My phone.”

“My cell phone.”

Or let’s be honest…

“Where’s my iPhone?”

The Great Canadian Bagged Milk Situation

Okay. This wasn’t just a different word.

This was an entire cultural education for me.

Lisa buys milk…

IN A BAG.

Actually, she buys a larger bag containing THREE smaller bags of milk.

Then you take one of the bags, put it into a special milk container, snip a tiny corner off the bag and pour the milk from there.

And then…

YOU PUT THE OPEN BAG BACK IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

I had questions.

So. Many. Questions.

“How do you close it?”

You don’t.

“What if there’s fish in the refrigerator?!”

Apparently that’s not a concern.

Meanwhile, I’m over here buying my gallon jug of milk, opening the lid, pouring it and PUTTING THE LID BACK ON LIKE A NORMAL PERSON.

I feel very strongly about this one. 😂

🇨🇦 Chicken Burger vs. 🇺🇸 Chicken Sandwich

Show Lisa a breaded chicken breast on a bun?

Chicken burger.

Show me the exact same thing?

Chicken sandwich.

Which led us down an entire rabbit trail.

What about a hot dog?

Still a hot dog.

Grilled cheese?

Still grilled cheese.

Somehow those made the cut.

And Then We Got to the Candy…

This is where Canada and America really started showing their differences.

Smarties

In Canada, Smarties are candy-coated chocolates similar to M&M’s.

In America, Smarties are those little rolls of colorful, chalky candy.

Except Lisa calls OUR Smarties…

ROCKETS.

Excuse me?!

Those are Smarties.

Apparently, Canadians also have actual candy called Smarties, and I will admit—I’ve tried the Canadian version and they are really good.

Lisa claims they’re better than M&M’s.

I’m not ready to make that declaration publicly. 😂

Ketchup Chips

Canada, we need to talk.

Ketchup-flavored potato chips are apparently a thing.

Lisa says they’re the BEST chips.

I have never had them.

We have pickle chips. We have kettle chips. We have approximately 14 million other chip flavors.

But ketchup chips?

Not a regular thing here.

Apparently I need a Canadian care package.

And Sometimes the Difference Isn’t Canada vs. America

This was one of my favorite parts of our conversation because even within the United States, we say things differently.

I grew up in Pennsylvania, lived in Ohio for 17 years and now live in New Jersey.

And I’ve learned that crossing a couple of state lines can apparently change your vocabulary.

Pop becomes soda.

And in Ohio, I encountered one that REALLY threw me.

If someone didn’t hear what I said, instead of saying:

“What?”

“Huh?”

“Pardon?”

or

“Can you say that again?”

They would say:

“Please?”

The first time someone responded to me with “Please?” I had absolutely no idea what she wanted.

Do I say “You’re welcome”?

Do I repeat myself?

What are we doing here?!

Eventually I learned that she meant, “Please repeat what you just said.”

Who knew?

Now We Need YOUR Version

This episode started because Lisa and I kept discovering these tiny differences in the way we speak.

But now I’m convinced Canada vs. America is only the beginning.

What do you call these?

🇨🇦 Toque or 🇺🇸 knit hat?

🇨🇦 Runners or 🇺🇸 sneakers?

🇨🇦 Pop or 🇺🇸 soda?

🇨🇦 Washroom or 🇺🇸 bathroom?

🇨🇦 Pencil crayons or 🇺🇸 colored pencils?

🇨🇦 Eavestrough or 🇺🇸 gutter?

And most importantly…

Is chicken on a bun a chicken burger or a chicken sandwich?!

We need to know.

Watch Us Try to Figure Out What the Other One Is Talking About

This is definitely an episode that’s even better on video because you can see the pictures right along with us—and watch our faces when one of us says something the other thinks is completely ridiculous.

No business strategy this week.

No homework.

Just two friends from opposite sides of the border discovering that we don’t always speak the same language. 🇨🇦🇺🇸😂

Click here to watch the full episode:
https://youtu.be/GvHiwAoYN6A?si=gJOc5Ntuc4IjYtWs

Then come tell us:

What’s a word or phrase you say where you live that people from somewhere else think is weird?

And be honest…

Team Lisa 🇨🇦 or Team Susan 🇺🇸?