Biff and whiff, baker s fog and lu sknikn, pie social and milling frolic these are just a few examples of the distinctive language of Cape Breton Island, where a puck is a forceful blow and a Cape Breton pork pie is filled with dates, not pork.

The first regional dictionary devoted to the island s linguistic and cultural history, the Dictionary of Cape Breton English is a fascinating record of the island s rich vocabulary. Dictionary entries include supporting quotations culled from the editors extensive interviews with Cape Bretoners and considerable study of...