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Vocabulary: You never stop learning

Cute & Fun words

By Barbara Echard





I speak English as a second language. I studied English language teaching, I have a certified C2 level in reading, listening, writing and, speaking in this language and I have been living in Canada for over three years so far fully immersed in my second language. I should feel confident in my language skills, although you never really do 😖, "there should be no surprises"- I used to think. But having learned my second language as an adult, in a foreign academic context, there are limits to the themes, topics and circumstances one is exposed to in order to acquire new more language. 

Now that I live here in Toronto, I have met new people, gone through new challenges, had different jobs, taken up new hobbies, etc. all of which have offered opportunities for new input, that is to say, learning new words! So, here I will share some of my favourite new words and expressions I have learned so far, please keep in mind that Canada is a truly multicultural place, therefore not all words in this list are necessarily 100% Canadian English. 

Enjoy.

Cute & Fun words

Toe beans: This is the cutest word I have ever learned and I feel is totally accurate to describe the shape - and smell - of our doggies' paws. 🐾

Coat: another doggy-related word, referring to their furry natural surface. 

Pop: Canadian for soda. 

Toque: Canadian for cute wool winter hat. 

Trinkets: Those cute little key chains, charms, little accessories we can't stop buying. 

Health - related

Requisition: the order the doctor gives for lab tests.

Blood work: not creepy, just another name for a blood test.

Coil: Informal for any IUD contraceptive. The copper IUD for example is an actual t-shaped device with a copper wire wrapped around it, like a coil. It may have been originated there.

Expressions

Yesternight, yesterweek, yestermonth: yep! a big stretch to yesterday, with the same past tense, last time meaning. 

Choppy water: violent waves in the lake or sea. - I love that this expressions translates almost literally to my first language, Chilean Spanish, as "el mar está picado". 

Lake Ontario was choppy that day. A storm was brewing!


This entry was written 100% with Human Intelligence.... 100% organic, gluten friendly and dairy-free. 
Copyright of images...all mine, taken by me. 



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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

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