Dictionary of Newfoundland English

by G.M. Story (Contributor), W.J. Kirwin

Book by

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Canada, Language

770 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Shawn Morrissey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a dictionary, and it might seem foolish to review a dictionary, but it reads more than that. It’s a look at the unique and diverse linguistic characteristics of Newfoundlanders, a North Atlantic people with a cultural background comprised of British, Irish, and French, and more in some parts of the island, blended with unique homegrown traits.

It dives deep into a people’s dialect of English that, among other things, sets them apart not only from the rest of Canada, but from other English-speaking nations and cultures. You won’t necessarily need the dictionary to get your way around Newfoundland, especially around Ol’ Sin John’s, but you may have a better grasp of the native tongue and how important it is to the identity of Newfoundlanders.

[B.C. Deeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from Newfoundland, it's not enough to have the Collins Dictionary on your desk. I thought I had a good handle on my native dialect, but I found out I was wrong in a recent telephone conversation with my mother. She hit me with a new phrase--but, sure enough, 'noody nawdy' was in my "Dictionary of Newfoundland English" on page 350. With the influx of 'CFAs' for the oil boom, I'd be afraid of losing the unique flavor of our Newfoundland tongue. I'm so glad George Story is making sure that doesn't happen.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very helpful to help a CFA (Come From Away) pass high school english in newfoundland. there are many reginal newfoundland terms that it helped me understand.