When Newfoundland became Canada's 10th province

March 31 every year marks the anniversary ofNewfoundland (officially Newfoundland and Labrador since 2001), enteringinto Confederation with Canada in 1949 tobecome the country's tenthprovince.

The historic event was the culmination of negotiations which saw a squeaker yes-vote for Confederation, making the decision a contentious one.

But on Dec. 11, 1948, Joseph Smallwood, who was described by aCBC reporteron the province's first day as the"peppery little apostle of Confederation," signed the agreement to move forward.

The Union came into effectjust before midnight on March 31, 1949.The next day ceremonies and dignitaries marked the event.

How do you say it?

Archives2:06Poet E.J. Pratt tells Canadians about the new province of Newfoundland, in 1949

The Newfoundland-born poet spoke to Canadians about his birthplace, with advice on how to say the new province's name correctly.

A dip into the CBC Archives tells us that from Day One, there would be some puzzlementover some of the colourful words of the newest Canadians, but the first questionwas just how to say the word Newfoundland properly.

CBC Radio broadcast a special, To Welcome Newfoundland, featuring music and guests, including E.J. Pratt, who hailed from Newfoundland and who was introduced as the "unofficial poet laureate" of Canada.

Getting straight to the matter of language, he spoke about his fellow Newfoundlanders, whose "dialect" was "almost a closed book" to the "outsider."

As for how to say the name of the place itself,Pratt said he'd been asked that question "at least a thousandtimes."

"It must always be Newfoundland, with the accent on the last syllable, and the first 'd' hardly in evidence," Pratt said.

Over the decades many Newfoundlanders have provided a simple rhyming word for remembering how to have the word roll off the tongue"understand."

'Last syllable'

One such lesson came from Bob Cole.In 1967, the announcer, who would go on to be a familiar voice to Hockey Night in Canada fans,was working for the summer in Toronto.

Bob Cole on pronouncing Newfoundland

57 years ago

Duration 0:29

The St. John's announcer wants to help Canadians understand how to pronounce Newfoundland.

Host ElwoodGlover called upon the expertise of the St. John's native for how to sayhis province's name correctly.

"I never can get this straight," Glover said, stumbling over the word.

Leaning on the table and looking into the camera, Cole told the audience "I understand you're from Newfoundland."

"Last syllable," Glover said.

"You got it," Cole agreed.

A dictionary of its own

In 1982, The National'sKnowlton Nash announced that Canadians from parts other than Newfoundland would now stand a chance at deciphering some of the language unique to the province, thanks to the publication of a new dictionary.

In 1982 a dictionary to explain Newfoundland English was published

42 years ago

Duration 2:27

Twenty years in the making, a book explaining dialect unique to the island hit the bookstores.

Twenty years in the making, The Dictionary of Newfoundland Englishwas meant tolet all Canadians into the secrets of Newfoundland speech.

Dictionary editor George Story explained the origin of the Newfoundland dialectthat is "just a little different."

"You've got comparatively few changes in the makeup of the Newfoundland people," Storysaid, adding that 98 per cent of Newfoundlanders were of Irish or west country English descent.

The dictionary, which was selling at$45a copy about $115 todaywas looking sure to sell well.Most of the copies, however, were going to Newfoundland bookstores, and few on the mainland were interested.

However, a second, updated and much thicker version was published in 1990, and remains in print.So if, as Pratt discussed back in 1949, Canadians are looking forthe meaning of words like "brewis" and or "hert,"it's all there for the finding.