You’re watching some of the best episodes of Letterkenny the other dayeee when you figure subtitles might be in order if you are going to try to keep up with its signature rapid-fire dialogue. Of course, even flipping on that setting barely does the trick as the TV show – streaming exclusively with a Hulu subscription in the States – is pertnear full of lingo only natives of the Great White North would understand. You are probably even scratching your head over what “pertnear” means, aren’t ya?
Having educated myself on how to properly interpret the comical vocabulary from this sitcom – created by Letterkenny cast members Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney – I say it is time to help someone else “figger it out.” The following is a less-than-Texas-sized batch of frequent examples of Letterkenny sayings and slang – including when you may have heard them, what they mean, and, perhaps, even when it might be a good time to use them yourself.
Between Us Girls
This silly way of saying “just between us” would be used more frequently in later seasons of Letterkenny. What makes it particularly silly is that, at least on the show, it is more often used by men in conversation with other men.
Donnybrook
A “donnybrook”s is defined as a fight between more than two people. Any fan of Letterkenny knows that such a thing is quite common in the titular town, especially when Wayne (Jared Keeso) and the hicks are involved.
Great Day For Hay
As a farmer, Wayne spends a good chunk of his time “chorin’,” which includes such tasks as gathering hay and letting it dry in a field – a process that goes much quicker in dry, sunny weather. Therefore, when someone describes a day as “a great day for hay,” that is what they mean.
Not My Pig, Not My Farm
Speaking of farming, Wayne’s profession has inspired some particularly dismissive back-talk, such as “Not my pig, not my farm.” This is a way of letting someone know that something is “not their problem” and, thus, nothing that they should be bothered with.
Shirt Tucker
Even an intimidating guy like Wayne is not impervious to insults, such as “shirt tucker.” This is a rather disparaging term used against Hicks in general.
Yew!
Almost any time that folks gets excited – often during a night drinking at MoD3an’s or in the Letterkenny holiday specials – just one word best describes their feelings: “Yew!” The exclamation usually sounds best when uttered by Daryl (Nathan Dales) after a bug sip of Puppers.
Pitter Patter
It actually does not take much to perceive the context of this phrase, often heard in the full sentence, “Pitter patter, let’s get at ‘er” on Letterkenny. This is Wayne’s way of expressing his own impatience, which occurs often, by telling another to hurry it up with a story or get off their bum and help with chorin’.
Ferda
As one of the more obscure slang terms heard on Letterkenny, it might be especially difficult for American audiences to pinpoint its meaning. Spoken pretty much exclusively by Jonesy (Andrew Herr) and Reilly (Dylan Playfair), especially in conversation about gains at the gym or an upcoming hockey team championship, “ferda” is simply a shorthanded “ferda boys,” as an expression of teamwork or celebration of the jocks’ enduring bromance.
Degens
Speaking of Jonesy and Reilly, those dude bros often exhibit behavior similar to what the hicks’ unapologetically define as a “degen.” This is another example of shorthand on Letterkenny, referring to someone who's considered a “degenerate,” or, as Webster’s dictionary puts it, “a person whose behavior is not morally right or socially acceptable.”
Spare Parts
While not particularly at the level of a “de-gen,” it is best to be wary of those who are called “spare parts.” Wayne calls Stewart (Tyler Johnston) this when he tries to show Katy (Michelle Mylett) that he's upset with her by simply ignoring her in one Letterkenny episode. The phrase typically refers to a person acting disrespectfully, or if you would rather go by the Urban Dictionary, it is another way to describe someone as coming from the “bottom of the barrel,” which packs a much harsher punch.
Tarps Off
Speaking of a punch, that is what you should expect when you hear someone shout this phrase in Letterkenny. Frankly, “tarps off” translates to “shirts off,” and one might remove their shirt when a fight is brewing, unless you are Wayne and you prefer to keep your shirt on. But, at least unbutton your cuffs first.
Chirpin’
When the tarps do come off, that often tends to be in response to some “chirpin’” – another word for talking trash, to put it simply. While this is an action often demonstrated by much of the cast, this particular slang term is predominantly recognized by hockey players, which Jonesy and Reilly sure know a thing or two about, having Shoresy (another character played by Jared Keeso who later got his own spin-off from Letterkenny) as a teammate.
Schmelt
You are most at risk to endure a good deal of “chirpin’” if you happen to be the “schmelt” of your athletic team. This is another example of hockey slang, which refers to the rookie teammate and is used in an especially insulting manner toward the newer member with the poorest performance or least amount of friends.
10-Ply
A typical “schmelt” would most likely earn that title from being “10-ply,” which the softest Letterkenny side characters have been described as. Much like the gentleness of toilet paper or facial tissues, the levels of “ply” can vary, with “10-ply” indicating a ridiculous level of emotional vulnerability, according to an interview with Jared Keeso.
Snipe
This is another slang term a hockey player might use, but also one that takes on an entirely different meaning off the ice. A “snipe” could be a particularly difficult goal to score in a game, or an attractive person, as in a “swipey snipey,” to quote Reilly’s description of his Tinder date in the Letterkenny Halloween special, “The Haunting of Modean’s II.”
Sauce
To throw one last hockey reference at you, we present a term that's basically just that, but with a unique twist. "Sauce,” according to The Hockey Writers, refers to passing a puck to another teammate by hitting it into the air, and then having it successfully land on the tape of the receiving player’s stick.
Airball
Speaking of throwing, Letterkenny throws out an insane amount of jokes at warp speed with rarely an “airball” to be found. By that, I mean most of the humor does not fall flat, unless you are Daryl, whom the rest of the Hicks will have no issue informing when one of his puns turns out to be a swing and a miss, usually when trying a little too hard.
Take About 20 Percent Off
Whenever an "airball" of a joke does occur, it could be because someone should have “taken about 20% off” (or so), which basically means to pull back a bit on your current effort or behavior. Wayne, and even Daryl at times, is often forced to remind Squirrely Dan (K. Trevor Wilson) to do that when he is caught ogling Katy or Bonnie McMurray (Kamilla Kowal) on Letterkenny.
Pertnear
The term “pertnear” might not have even caught too many Letterkenny viewers’ attention, but is at least worth mentioning for the moment it does. It's shorthand for “pretty near,” as in, “We are pertnear the end of this list.”
Texas-Sized 10-4
I often quote this Letterkenny slang term when I want to emphasize to someone how much I agree with them or understand something they have said. Just like “10-4” translates to “Roger that,” making it a “Texas-sized 10-4” really sends home the message that you are on the same page.
Hopefully this guide helps you next time you binge through all 12 seasons of one of the funniest TV shows on Hulu, Letterkenny. If not before you go on being gutty (ahem, I mean rude) about it, take about 20 percent off there, good buddy.
