Comment by joshdavham

2 days ago

Probably one of my favorite commonly-used Canadian slang is "to chirp someone". It's a term that's frequently used in hockey circles, but more generally means to make fun of someone in a banter-y kind of way.

I think of chirping as specifically mean-spirited bullying, especially in an attempt to provoke a reaction. Source: grew up in BC.

Having courtside seats at a basketball game means getting to listen to the players chirp each other.

I remember being very amused at a party when hockey, baseball and football players were teaching each other their respective lockerroom slang.

Nah if you say someone chirped you say, on the street or in a pub, it's fighting words...

  • I've always took it as the opposite. Chriping is just noise with no real threat (most chirping birds are not a threat to humans). It's just someone being friendly with their banter usually in a making fun of you type context.

    • Maybe it's regional but definitely was fighting words when I grew up in Alberta. If you were bantering with your friends we'd just call it "bullshitting", "talking shit", etc...

    • I'm not into sports so I don't really know that angle but I did have a roommate in Ottawa who got into a fight outside of a bar because "some guys were chirping" him.