notfondajane Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 I heard that a Canuck is a derogatory word for a French Canadian? Is that true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, notfondajane said: I heard that a Canuck is a derogatory word for a French Canadian? Is that true? https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/canuck-mystery-behind-vancouver-hockey-moniker-004628744.html great article about the name Canuck(s) .....this part of the article is the most important to your question .... Is "Canucks" a derogatory term? Some dictionary definitions cite "canuck" as being offensive slang to a certain group of people. Are the Vancouver Canucks actually the Washington Redskins of the NHL? Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau addressed that question in a letter to columnist William Safire in 1977: "As with all slang, and especially that of nationality, the implications of the word vary a great deal according to the context and the intent of the speaker or writer….Many Canadians feel ["Canuck"] refers to all Canadians, some believe it is Eastern Canadians, other that it is French Canadians, while the majority have rarely heard it used in any context…..Whether or not you committed an ethnic slur (in using it) would depend entirely on the way the word was used…..To me, a slang term applied to a nationality by a person of a different nationality could, under certain conditions, be construed as a slur." Over time, "Canucks" has lost its edge and has come to simply mean "Canadians." There's much more on "Canucks" and derogatory usage on Eric Zorn's Chicago Tribune blog, on which he surmises: "Given the potential for confusion, it's probably best for us Yanks to avoid the term unless referring to the hockey team." If anything here is more to the article .... In 1945, after the end of World War II, the Pacific Coast Hockey League expanded to Vancouver and the new franchise took the name "Canucks" as a way to honor the bravery of Canadian soldiers who fought overseas. According to Jim Donaldson of the Providence Journal, the team also "adopted Johnny Canuck as their mascot, depicting him as a lumberjack, appropriately attired in a checked shirt and toque, and carrying a hockey stick. " In 1970, the minor league Vancouver Canucks (now playing in the Western Hockey League) were purchased and transferred to the NHL as an expansion team. Edited April 15, 2020 by pilldoc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 10 hours ago, notfondajane said: I heard that a Canuck is a derogatory word for a French Canadian? Is that true? It may have been at one time, but I've always been proud to be a Canuck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 (edited) 56 minutes ago, flyercanuck said: It may have been at one time, but I've always been proud to be a Canuck. I'm sure you are! As you should! I always enjoyed my stay North of the Border! Edited April 15, 2020 by notfondajane 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfondajane Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 I thank you for the information on the term Canuck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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