Newfie (alsoNewf or sometimesNewfy) is acolloquial term used by Canadians and others for someone who is fromNewfoundland. Many Newfoundlanders consider "Newfie" aslur first used by American and Canadian military forces stationed on the island. It is also the shortened name of the Newfoundland dog breed. The term is also associated with jokes from the mid-to-late 20th century that depicted "Newfies" as foolish, leading to a belief in the derogatory nature of the term.[1][2]
During theSecond World War, sailors onconvoy duty nicknamedSt. John'sNewfiejohn.[3]
The first edition of theGage Canadian Dictionary, published in 1983, and the second edition of theRandom House Unabridged Dictionary, published in 1987, both include usage notes describing the term 'Newfie' as offensive. However, neither the second edition of theCanadian Oxford Dictionary, published in 2004, nor the current edition of theDictionary ofNewfoundland English, published in 1998, make such a mention.[4]
In March 2006, anEdmonton police officer was disciplined for using the wordNewphie [sic] to describe the apprehension of an individual under the Mental Health Act.[5]