As a first generation American born of French Canadian parents and having lived in Canada, I always understood the term "Canuck" as a reference to French Canadians. The term was sometimes used derogatorily as it was when my ex sometimes called me a "Canuck" which I was not too fond of. I know that now it refers to a broader group of Canadians and am glad it has a prouder definition. In a related term "Cajun", comes from a deformation of "Arcadian" which refers to the people in the maritime provinces of Eastern Canada who were kicked out of Canada and came down to settle in Louisiana. The word "Arcadian" or "Arcadien" pronounced in French with the soft "D" after a while became "Cajun". How about that? And, not that it will make a difference to anyone, but I am now a Southernized Yankee.

Well, we sure don't want to offend anyone, but if you name you main sports team with it, I thought it can't be too bad. Let's let those from the frozen north, just thawing out, weigh in - nothing is permanent and while I changed about 20 Canadian Profiles last night that had posted in the last 6 months, they can be changed to something else.

Absolutely agree, Brian! It's wonderful that Canadian sports have had such a positive influence in helping to make the term "Canuck" something to be proud of.

I thought this internet tidbit was interesting since it explains why my father (who loved his Irish heritage from his mother & grandmother) thought Canuck was a good term (well probably the sports team name was the factor for him) since this says it was originally used to describe the Irish in Canada. It does comport with AnneMarie's recollection that there was a perjorative meaning at one time
[quote]There is a theory that the word is derived from Connaught, a term said to be given by French Canadians to the Irish. The Oxford Companion To The English Language (defines the term as): Canuck 1820�s. Probably from the Iroquoian "CANUCHSA", someone in a "KANATA"(village)�but possibly from Hawaiian "KANAKA" (man), through a pidgin used in the fur trade (in which Pacific islanders were employed), and taken into French as "CANAQUE", perhaps being originally applied to French Canadian canoemen. A nickname for a Canadian�but in the U.S. Northeast pejoratively referring to French Canadians.
Why is it Canucks always have the most intelligent answers?
Because Canucks rule![/quote]

the best ! down under but over to the side & down a bit more ??

I'll have what she's having.

He

so you guys to the side - in the cup races etc., have always been called kiwi's should we add that to the down under moniker for the NZ people?

fine by me

All joking aside, this really was done with a purpose, so people in the same geographic area would notice each other, or search our date base easily to find people near them. We have UK people for instance that in the location question have put Great Britain, UK, London, and more. In an effort to allow people to search for something that was common to all those possibilities of what people put in their profile, this idea came up.