Growing up in Ottawa, and with an Ottawa Valley Irish background, I used to say bucko all the time (for boy, my boy, boyo, guy, dumb**se), but with very little sense whatsoever that this was a corruption of the Irish búachaill. Well, now I’m cookin’ wit gas, because I’ve discovered an Ottawa Valley glossary.
(My paternal grandfather, who would not suffer fools gladly, used to say “amadán” in a certain tone, and this was the Irish for “fool”).
Safe home – What would you give to hear Mum say that once more?
O, what wouldn’t I give to hear my Mum say “safe home” once more?
My Mum had a good chuckle when I told her about the sayings. When she was a young girl in Ottawa the Nuns gave elocution lessons at school to “get rid of that dreadful Ottawa Valley accent” and my Mum and the rest of her classmates were looking all around at each other as they had no idea what the Nuns were going on about!
“That dreadful Ottawa Valley accent”! Glad your mum got a laugh over those sayings.