Word of the Week

Word of the Week (248): HAWEATER (*new CSW15*) (probability 10092), by David Sutton

Some will feel that the new word HAWEATER is not a terribly useful addition to the list, since as I am sure I don't need to remind you it has two perfectly good anagrams already, but on the other had the more the merrier, and this word, that means a resident of Manitoulin Island, Ontario, is just one of a raft of new terms, mostly derogatory, for local inhabitants or ethnic groups.

KABLOONA, for example, is an Inuit term for one who is not an Inuit: the plural can be KABLOONAS or KABLOONAT. PEPSI does not mean the soft drink but is an offensive name for a French Canadian. VENDU is another Canadian addition, a derogatory term for a Quebecois who is viewed as having sold out or become assimilated to English-Canadian society, from the French verb vendre, to sell. BAYWOP is a Newfoundland term for people coming from outport communities.

CULSHIE is a person from rural Ireland: this can also be an adjective meaning rustic or boorish, so CULSHIER and CULSHIEST. POLACK is a person of Polish descent: I am sure that has been around for a long while but I guess it was capitalised before. VRYSTATER is a South African word for a native inhabitant of the Free State, especially one who is white.

GINZO, a person of Italian descent, now takes a plural in S in addition to the existing plural in ES, hence GINZOS. And SAMBO, a colloquial appellation for a negro, now takes a plural in ES in addition to the existing one in S, hence SAMBOES.