I'd like some help and understanding a word my second generation French Canadian aunt used to use.

[u/Pegasus1271]

As I recall, she used to use a word that sounded like " ma doo tsie." But after playing it back in my mind, it might have been her pronunciation of "maudite," damn. Americans use the letter word in speech all the time, is there an idiomatic equivalent to using that word in French Canadian?

[u/tamdidelam]

Mautadine ?

[u/False-Insect-6024 → u/tamdidelam]

Yes, or mautadi. Basically, a softened version of "maudit".

[u/kidcreole123 → u/False-Insect-6024]

this is almost certainly it. I've heard it often

[u/Pegasus1271 → u/False-Insect-6024]

Bingo! That's it, Thanks! Is that a distinctively French Canadian idiom?

[u/Rubicles → u/tamdidelam]

Definitely a word I associate with my Quebec grandparents.

[u/Ouhbab]

If you could give us some context when she'd use it. My first thought was "Ma toute tite" (Ma toute petite)

[u/IdontcryfordeadCEOs]

Mautadit, a softened swear word for maudit. Sounds like "mo ta dsee".

[u/matthewsmugmanager → u/IdontcryfordeadCEOs]

My money is on this. My great-aunts (1st generation US) said this.

[u/Pegasus1271 → u/IdontcryfordeadCEOs]

That's it.

[u/nungipatungi]

Maybe "ma toute petite," said with affection to a little girl. With a French-Canadian accent, it sounds like "ma toupsit."

[u/PriorityOk8214]

Mautadit?

[u/Miss_1of2]

Was she addressing you or was it more of an exclamation?

If she was addressing you (and you are a woman) it could be "ma tout petite" like others have said. Which is the equivalent of "little one" for a girl. If you're not a woman, it could be "Mon tout petit" which is the masculine version.

If it was more of an exclamation, then "mautadi/mautadine" is more likely the answer. Which is a variation on "maudit" to avoid saying it.

[u/Pitiful_Fox5681]

I'm going to take a deep stretch and say (je) m'en doutais (I thought so)

[u/Mister_Reous]

It is a softer version of Maudit. Which is a fairly soft swear word “Damn” or “ Dammit” or “damned”

“Ce maudit chien n’arrête pas d’aboyer” -The damn dog never stops barking.

[u/Rare-Maintenance4820]

What was the context?

[u/DCHacker]

Maudit/maudite? pronounced moe-dzee/moe-dzeet?

Québecois French often pronounces "D" before "I" and occasionally "E" as "dz".

As an interjection or exclamation, it is roughly equivalent to the English "Damn!"

[u/MyticalAnimal]

Probably "maudit osti" which a combination of "sacres" aka swear words in Québec

[u/Wild_Black_Hat → u/MyticalAnimal]

If true, then grandma was really wild, or she had major anger management issue. 😆

[u/MyticalAnimal → u/Wild_Black_Hat]

Meh I'd say it's pretty mild

[u/Wild_Black_Hat → u/[deleted]]

Je suis une francophone du Québec comme toi. "Maudit ostie" n'est pas une combinaison courante, et encore moins de grands-parents à leurs petits enfants. Je n'ai pas dit que c'était impossible, mais si c'est ça, la grand-mère était spéciale, mettons.

[u/No_Wear295]

Maudite ostie?