DCHP-2

townie towny DCHP-2 (July 2016)

• n. — Newfoundland, potentially derogatory

  a person from St. John's, especially in contrast to someone from an outport.

  Type: 3. Semantic Change — Townie is commonly used in a number of contexts to refer to a person from a large city or town, as opposed to someone from the countryside (see AND, s.v. "towny"). In Newfoundland, this term is used specifically in reference to people from St. John's and can be seen as an analogue for people from the outports (see, for example, baywop or noddy). Townie likely made its way to the Newfoundland vocabulary through its English (OED-3, s.v. "towny" (B1)) or Irish settlement roots.
  See also Gage-5, s.v. "townie"(2), which is marked "Nfld.".

  See also: bayman  outport (meaning 1)  baywop  baynoddy  noddy ((2))  

  • 1916  Suddenly the towny disappeared from the shop as did also the parcel from the counter. The outport man lodged a complaint with the police who rounded up the accused last night, but most of the liquid had been consumed. 
  • 1951  Stacking some hay in a nearby field was a chap who used to watch me each day. In a jocular mood, I asked him to join me. He shyly agreed. I slowed down to let the "local yokel" keep pace. He kept the pace. [...] The upshot of it all was that we both slowed down to a snail's pace, then finally halted. I gasped that he was a pretty good runner. He said that for a "townie" I was not so bad either. 
  • 1964  They call the St. John's man a "townie" while the outporter is a "bayman."
  • 1967  The discrimination here is taken for granted, by the oppressors and by the underdogs. It is so inbred in our culture, such a basic presence in our social heritage, that one does not think to even whisper of it. But what Newfoundlander in his right mind has ever, even for an instant, doubted that a 'townie' is [inherently] superior to a 'bayman'. And the chasm which separates the two is not to be bridged till the 'bayman' completely buries his ethnic background and assimilates into the urban mold. 
  • 1978  Animosity runs particularly high among the baymen toward the townie for the latter's extreme stereotyping of the personalities and lifestyle of outport Newfoundland. 
  • 1982  Despite the rapid growth of several other communities, the dispersion of signs of modern urbanity (such as shopping malls) throughout the province, and a rise in mobility which amounts to a cultural revolution, the St. John's "townie" is still for many the embodiment of modernity, and the rural "bayman" the embodiment of traditional life. 
  • 1999  Why would I leave my family and move there? Mollie says I woulda gone if I really loved him but I don't know. I don't want to live anywhere except St. John's. A real townie, I guess. 
  • 2001  I am, without a doubt, a townie. Apart from brief stints in Marystown, Mount Pearl and a few months in Banff, I have lived in St. John's all of my life. I love this city, apart from the copious amounts of snow and fog we receive every year, and am proud to be a townie. However, I am totally perplexed by the mistrust that many people form [sic] "around the bay" have for townies. 
  • 2013  Cleary says Saturday's race will pit "Townies vs. Baymen." "The Baymen" are coming from Fogo Island with their punts. As of Monday, "the Townies" hadn't been recruited yet. "Townie pride is on the line and we need our best rowers to step forward," said Cleary.