Here in the U.S. a common stereotype of Canadians is you guys using “Hoser” as an insult. I was wondering if that is actually a common insult in Canada, or if it is more of a regional/generational thing or if it is just an over exaggerated myth altogether.
Edit: Thanks for all the helpful answers! This was interesting to learn about!
Posted Jan 1, 2021, 5:45 PM UTC · edited
I've never once heard anyone say that here.
My understanding is it was regional to Southern Ontario, in the 1970s-80s. Certainly isn't in circulation anymore.
Ah, ok. Interesting.
It's still used in Norther Ontario and those above the age of 40 in Ontario primarily.
It's used similiar to lightheartedly calling someone a sucker or loser. Unless proceeded with "take off" or screaming it at each other, especially among former or recreational hockey players.
This is the origin of the insult though: when finished playing hockey or shinny, the ice has to be smoothed out again from the skates cutting the ice. Without a zamboni, you hose the ice down. As most of the games were in rural towns outside, everyone chipped in to do this, as there wasn't municipal staff to do it.
It was agreed that the losing team would hose it down for the next group.
So the losing team are then "the hosers".
So yelling at someone "take off, ya hoser" was shorthand for "fuck off you born loser, I don't need to listen to you or take your shit".
”This is the origin of the insult though: when finished playing hockey or shinny, the ice has to be smoothed out again from the skates cutting the ice....It was agreed that the losing team would hose it down for the next group. So the losing team are then "the hosers".
The Canadian Encyclopedia says that this is folk etymology with no documented evidence of use, just an unsupported claim in a 2010 Vancouver Sun article. Source
Entomology of working class Canadian language was suppressed for years as it was seen as not being worthy of study. So not having what would be considered a working class insult not being published or examined prior to 1981 is not that unusual.
For instance the phrase "no guff" is not included in the online Canadian encyclopedia, which was commonly used by most lower middle class and working class Canadians up to about 15 years ago.
Using no guff as an example is hilarious though. Hahaha.
”Entomology of working class Canadian language was suppressed for years as it was seen as not being worthy of study. So not having what would be considered a working class insult not being published or examined prior to 1981 is not that unusual.”
It’s the (apparently) nothing between 1980-2010 either that’s surprising. There’s more attention paid by Linguists during that time period (eg. Prof. Sali Tagliamonte of UofT)
”For instance the phrase "no guff" is not included in the online Canadian encyclopedia, which was commonly used by most lower middle class and working class Canadians up to about 15 years ago.”
Ohhhh, wow, blast from the past... I remember “no guff” from elementary school (early 80s, mostly middle to upper-middle class kids at my school though). I wouldn’t have expected it to show up in the Canadian Encyclopedia though, as guff isn’t specifically a Canadianism?
One from the 50's....None of your bee's wax > meaning mind your own damn business, pencil neck.
A second one. Canadian military lexicon....NO Duff, meaning this is NOT a drill. This phrase was sent out in October of 1970, to CF units by phone, to advise that the War Measures Act had been invoked by Pappy Pierre.
jimB
Fascinating
I’ve never heard anyone say it when they weren’t imitating Bob & Doug. I have no idea where it comes from.
I’m from Northern Ontario and I grew up saying it. I always used it interchangeably to calling someone a hick or a redneck. Someone was acting like a Hoser if they were decked out in plaid and yelling about hockey with a Molson in hand. It is not extremely common though. Definitely not part of my regular daily vocabulary, but used every so often.
Edit: Seeing some of the other comments, I suppose I have also heard it to mean “loser” in more of a hockey context. It’s a pretty flexible word meant to razz people.
Only times I've heard it outside of television is as a joke. Nobody takes it as an insult, even as a joking light-hearted one. Hells, I don't even know what it means.
No. I don't think I have ever heard it used in person, other than quoting a movie.
I once heard Sook-Yin Lee use it on CBC to describe her own accent.
As far as I know, it was invented on SCTV as a word they could say on television in place of "asshole."
I think it was a bit of a regional slang thing back in the 70s/80s, though not a widespread thing. My family (Ontario) personally uses it quite a bit as a colloquialism thing to the word Canada or Canadian (e.g. referring to Air Canada as Air Hoser or Canadian Tire as Hoser Tire) which I do hear a bit nowadays, not as often as I imagine it would be 30 or so years ago. Judging by the comments my family is the only one in the country using it as a term LOL!
Never heard of that term before HIMYM
It may have some limited Northern Ontario currency, but I would suggest that outside of Bob & Doug McKenzie's brief moment of fame (1980-1983), the term is rarely if ever used by Canadians unless they're doing a Bob & Doug impression or listening to their version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
*googles "Hoser" *
What does that mean
Slang for “loser” apparently, I heard it originated with the losing team in a hockey game having to hose down the rink
Oh
I’m from rural Nova Scotia and I’ve almost literally never heard someone call someone else that.
No
I've never ever said it myself. I can recall hearing it on a TV show or something but it's not something I'm used to hearing and may have been used in a satirical fashion.
I hear it more in Dude Perfect videos more then ever here in Canada, they call the one guy “purple hoser”
I have never heard someone say hoser without saying it just to mock the stereotype.
I've heard it in the wild maybe a couple of times.
Sarcastically.
Same goes for 'aboot'
But you guys do pronounce it as “aboat” or “abote”?
Yes.
Actually in Canadian Police jargon, the phrase " out and about " means the cop is on patrol and looking for somebody in particular, who is wanted on a arrest warrant. The word is pronounced as a bout. It rhymes with the world out.
JimB.
It is because of the movie "Strange Brew". I have literally never heard anyone say it except maybe as a joke because of that movie, so myth altogether I would say.
Same. Never once heard it outside a movie/tv show