A Newfie and Country Jamboree

Bumper crop of Newfie usage over the weekend...

From Monsters & Critics (from the website: "Monsters and Critics' aim is to provide users with a broad source of entertainment news and reviews as well as coverage of world news, technology, sport and science.") comes this gem. This piece has apparently been making the internet rounds, as it's a repeat from another site, in fact it's the piece that got me keeping track of the word "Newfie" after a break. It would seem Canada's East Coast trail is a sight to behold, the only problem is the Newfies ruinin' everything by showin' up and tellin' jokes and talkin' to ya. If any Newfies out there having been stationing themselves along the trail offering Screech to CFA hikers, I'd sure love to hear from ya.

The 'Newfies,' as Newfoundlanders are sometimes called, will impede a hiker by thoughtlessly engaging him in conversation, offering him Screech - a kind of rum - and telling him jokes.
(June 17 2008, Ole Helmhausen)


Next up, The Halifax Chronicle Herald, from whom you'll be hearing regularly, if memory serves. In their lineup of Atlantic music festivals, the title of one refers to a little known music genre:

Stewiacke River Newfie and Country Jamboree, July 11, 12, Stewiacke River Park Rd. (Exit 11 off 102).
(Mon June 30 2008, Andrea Nemetz)


From the column Scrunchins ("A weekly collection of Newfoundlandia") as published in St. John's broadsheet The Independent comes two mentions: Once in reference to the title of a Ray Guy column from the sixties...

Newfie, Nigger, Frog, or Wop

...and secondly in reference to the iconic politician who was "inspiring" Guy at the time:

How was it that he was allowed to pick on Smallwood — the false newfie god — the way he did?
(Saturday June 28 2008, Ryan Cleary)


And finally from The Telegraph-Journal out of Saint John NB, an article about an Easterner's view of the wine industry (as he puts it) "out west". Statements like these make me want to head out to Alberta to find out what the hell is going on out there, sociologically speaking.

They also sometimes use the term "Newfie" to refer to anyone from Atlantic Canada. I'm less offended by that, as I love Newfies.
(Fri June 27 2008, Craig Pinhey)

Get Rid Of The Newfies

In this week's Independent, editor Ryan Cleary writes about the mainland view of Premier Danny as superhero, and on the possible effect of high fuel prices on rural and suburban Newfoundland. He uses "newfie" twice in the article: first quoting Sean McCann elsewhere in the edition (not online yet), and then possibly to imply that the newfies are the ones who don't stay.

As Séan McCann of Great Big Sea says (see page 17), we'll be fine once we "get rid of all the newfies."

We're almost there. So many newfies moved to Ontario years ago which, come to think of it, may explain that province’s impending have-not status.
(Sat June 21, 2008, Ryan Cleary)

Newfie Rescue

"Newfie" is often used as an abbreviation for the Newfoundland breed of dog. "Newfie" is also used to describe something backwards and moronic, such as a "Newfie Rolling Pin", which is square. I'll leave it to you to decide exactly which meaning is in use in this article in the St. Albans & Harpenden Review.

Liz Arendt, Chairman of the Hertfordshire Branch of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, was taking part in a sponsored 'Newfie Rescue', where 40 volunteers took on the role of 'drowning swimmers' to be saved by a team of rescue dogs.
(Fri June 20 2008, Sam Duke)

Newfie Band On Tour

It looks like Hey Rosetta!, on tour, are at this moment somewhere in the prairies. From Vancouver's Straight.com comes a cellphone interview with Tim Baker, the band's lead vocalist and songwriter. I wish she had referred to them as a Newfie band in the interview as she does in the story afterward.

As Tim Baker—singer, songwriter, and Svengali of the Newfie band Hey Rosetta!—hurtles down the notoriously tour-van-eating stretch of highway between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, only the latter is part of the interview.
(June 19 2008, Elaine Corden)

Sporting News

A link to a blog that links to a blog. I'll list 'em both because they both use Newfie.

First off, from Sporting News magazine comes a post about Daniel Cleary and the Stanley Cup, with this headline:

Newfie winning the Cup again?
(Jun 18 2008, "wild@bouthockey")

Then another blog, still on Sporting News, links to it, with this clarification:

The first blog of the day goes to wild@bouthockey, his latest entry called "Newfie winning the Cup again?" is very good and maybe a Newfie can bring home the Cup back to Newfoundland
(Jun 18 2008, "gagne619)

Shut up, Newfie pub

From The Southern Gazette, the paper down on the Burin Peninsula, comes a story on local band EvenTide.

The band has also travelled to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to showcase its talent at the well-known ‘Newfie Pub’.
(17/06/08, Maria Whelan)


And from The Toronto Sun comes an incongruous reference in a story about Stompin' Tom.

...the old man would sit in the kitchen and grouse, "when is that Newfie going to shut the hell up, so we can play some real music?"
(Wed, June 18, 2008, Steve Buffery)

The Return of Newfie In Use

This is a spot to keep track of the word "Newfie", as it comes to my attention through Google News Alerts. I kept a tally like this for a few months elsewhere and eventually let it slide. Today's news alert however comes all the way from India, and it seemed like a good time to give 'er another go. Enjoy.

From what looks like the travel blog section of TopNews comes this glowing review of the natural beauty to be felt and seen along the East Coast Trail. The only problem? Newfies.

If it has any fault at all, then the locals are it. The "Newfies," as Newfoundlanders are sometimes called, will impede a hiker by thoughtlessly engaging him in conversation, offering him Screech - a kind of rum - and telling him jokes.

(Tue, 06/17/2008 Ole Helmhausen)