Interesting to see an article hit front page of HN about my home province. I live very near the area that this story references. I have a 'Screech In' mobile app in the prototype phase, expecting a launch early next year. The app will help facilitate the many screech in ceremonies that happen throughout the year - and especially in the busy summer tourism season.
I think there are lots of Newfoundlanders on HN ;-) Your app sounds interesting, many people only seem to be aware of the ceremonies at Christian's.
Fun to do, even if it's largely for tourists now. I can say without a doubt that east coasters in the Maritime provinces are some of the most genuine, nicest people on planet Earth.
This is going to sound super pedantic, but "Maritime" provinces in Canada means Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and specifically excludes Newfoundland. You want "Atlantic" provinces. This is kinda a bugbear for Newfoundlanders. Don't worry, I'd still invite you to my kitchen party.
I didn't know that, thank you. Learned something new today. Still all very nice people.
-Signed, an embarrassed central Canadian
Ah. Spotted the Newfoundlander.
I still have the certificate from back when I was Screeched-In in the early '00s; after a couple of months in St John's working with a software company there that was lead contractor on a project I was architecting...
I was on a boat at the time...
It’s my impression that every story someone tells about Newfoundland contains the phrase “I was on a boat at the time” somewhere along the way...
Reading this, I had an urge to go watch a Donnie Dumphy video[1]. He feels like a living contradiction, so I don't know how the people of Newfoundland feel about the character. It probably helps that he's not real.
The bit that sticks out for me is that the usage "me old cock", which I strongly associate with London, is recognized in Newfoundland.
Gotta wonder what weird etymology the phrase has to become "local" in two such different and far-flung areas.
It's not surprising when you understand that Newfoundland was a British colony until we joined Canada in 1949 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_Colony).
My parents were born British so there's a stronger British/Irish influence here than Canadian in many ways.