They said it couldn't be done, that prairie Canada didn't have indigenous words and expressions as some other parts of the country claim to have. Well, here's the book, now completely revised and updated, to prove them wrong. First published in 1987, Cold As a Bay Street Banker's Heart is a humourous look at Prairie language with a serious attempt to record what is being lost to time and television.

The Bay Street boys probably never heard of "riding the varnish." And what about all those "Trudeau acres," "prairie bears," and "snow lizards," not to mention "strollers, grinners, and sleepers?" If any "mail-order cowboys" from down east want to fly out to the prairies aboard "Icelandic Air Force" and visit the "gumbo," then let them come and listen. They might enjoy a lazy ride in a "stoneboat" down the Red River or possibly a ride in a "Bennett Buggy" on the "back 40" during a "black blizzard." It won't be long before they are calling home on the "barbwire telephone" telling everyone about "snard lumps," "porridge drawers," and "prairie dogs."

Chris Thain is a retired teacher and word sleuth. He lives in Winnipeg. He has been collecting unique prairie language from sources far and wide for almost 20 years.

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