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DCHP-2 (Jul 2012)
1n. in a lexicalized phrase — come from away or CFA; Atlantic Canada
a person who is not from Atlantic Canada or any of its provinces.
Type: 1. Origin — The term, which is a lexicalized phrase, is used in Atlantic Canada, i.e. Newfoundland and the three Maritime Provinces (Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick) to refer to the respective location, e.g. on Prince Edward Island (PEI), the term means 'not from PEI'. The expression is perhaps most frequently reported for Newfoundland and is hardly, if at all, used outside of Canada (see Chart 1). Within Canada, PEI is the clear leader, followed by Newfoundland and, with some lag, Nova Scotia (Chart 2). Other hits refer to these uses in the Maritimes.
Quotations
1979
Visitors in Newfoundland are called CFA's (Come From Away) and in honor of the CFAs, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Crosbie gave a bus tour of the city, with Gertrude Crosbie as the talking guide.
1979
A CFA, for mainlanders who haven't been exposed to Newfie jargon, is a come from away and is used to refer to anyone who isn't from Newfoundland or Labrador. They'll call you a CFA to your face, but it's perfectly acceptable; the label isn't pejorative.
1982
AS A CFA (Comes From Away), I didn't know Newfoundland could be so different and still be Canada; although, when I missed my plane connection to St. John's and had to overnight in Halifax, I should have guessed, if only from the fact that Newfoundland is half an hour later than anywhere else in Atlantic North America.
2007
"We Newfies fear the CFAs (Come-From-Aways) will learn about Canada's best-kept secret and stake out all the good trouting spots before we get a chance to retire back home. Oh, dear, is CFA an epithet? Please don't take it badly. You're always welcome."
2008
Why, if I had a loonie for every time an Amherstonian was irritated by some CFA tourist who insisted on pronouncing the town's name with a hard 'H,' I'd be able to buy enough gasoline to travel to that fine but now increasingly distant community for a weekend visit to their lovely Farmer's Market.
2adv. — usually from away, Atlantic Canada
a place other than Atlantic Canada.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — Away acquires the specialized meaning 'not from Atlantic Canada'.
See also COD-2, s.v. "away" (6), which is marked "Cdn (Nfld & Maritimes)".
See also COD-2, s.v. "away" (6), which is marked "Cdn (Nfld & Maritimes)".
Quotations
1988
"If you hear someone say a distinct 'ing', you can assume they are either from the university staff or Confederation Centre, the arts centre in Charlottetown; both institutions hire many people 'from away'."
The latter phrase, used even in the island's daily newspapers, denotes anyone not P.E.I.-born and is regularly applied to someone who has lived there for 70 years.
1998
In mocking the locals, I think, my friend, who was born in Quebec, was really attacking the insularity that permeates the Maritimes; the attitude, however gentle, that no matter how long you've lived there, you're still "from away" if your family hasn't been there for generations.
2008
[...] including outbound tours for travel anywhere in the world to motor coach tours of Atlantic Canada for groups from away.
References
- COD-2
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 10 Sep. 2012
