BTAN40029BA/BTAN3029MA
Varieties of English
Fall 2015
Institute of English and American Studies
University of Debrecen
Instructor: Éva Kardos
Canadian English
(based on Chapter 12 of Algeo 2005)
I. Introduction
Canadian English is generally thought to originate as a variant of northern American English.
Throughout its history it has been influenced by British English and American English.
It is quite homogeneous; the differences that mark the major dialects, e.g. the English of the
Maritimes, of Quebec, the Prairies, etc., are quite insignificant. Even the English spoken in
Newfoundland is moving towards standard Canadian English.
II. Speakers of Canadian English
Canada is an officially bilingual country, where the two languages are English and French,
though in 1996 only 14 percent of the population were exclusively French speakers.
III. Some historical details
Newfoundland English
This variety has more distinctive features than any other variety.
Q: What do you think is the reason for this? Hint: Think of the geographical location of
Newfoundland.
Quebec English
Similarly to Newfoundland English, it has more distinctive features. This variety has come
under increasing influence from French. Since 1974, French has been the sole official language
of this province.
Post-Confederation uniformity
The uniformity of Canadian English increased thanks to the deliberate settlement policy put
into place after Confederation in 1867.
Q: What factors do you think can contribute to the fact that a language becomes more
homogeneous in a country?
Multicultural society
Canada is a multicultural society. This country has welcomed lots of immigrants throughout its
history. The latest major wave of immigrants arrived from countries like Ukraine and Germany
after World War II.
1
IV. Linguistic features
Phonology
Canadian raising
The raising of diphthongs in words like house and bite is a distinctive feature of Canadian
English.
The existence of this feature is sometimes attributed to the Scottish influence in Canada.
Merger phenomena
This phenomenon has resulted in homophonous pairs such as the following:
cot/caught
Otto/auto
tot/taught
holly/Hawley
Q: Which two sounds have merged here?
Voicing of intervocalic sounds
Like most Americans, Canadians like to voice or flap intervocalic [t] to [d], producing
homophones like those below:
metal/medal
latter/ladder
hearty/hardy
flutter/flooder
bitter/bidder
Yod dropping
Canadian like to drop yod after [s], as in suit, but they retain it after [t, d, n], as in Tuesday, due,
and new.
Studies show that Canadians are increasingly following the American model by dropping yod
after alveolar stops and nasals.
Retention of [r]
Canadian English is a generally rhotic dialect. It appears that a non-rhotic dialect was brought
to Canada by the Loyalists from New England. The loss of [r] was, however, reversed for some
reason.
Q: Can you think of possible reasons for this?
2
Marry/merry/Mary
While British speakers like to make a three-way distinction between Mary, merry, and Mary
when they pronounce these words, Canadians differentiate between Mary and merry, on the
one hand, and marry, on the other.
Secondary stress
The retention of secondary stress in words ending in -ory, -ary, and -ery is standard in Canadian
English.
Q: How would you characterize American English and British English with respect to
secondary stress?
Morphosyntax and usage

Canadian English shows some preference for the shortened past and past participal
forms spelt/spelled, dreamt/dreamed, which are common in British English.

Canadians also like to use constructions like Have you? and Have you got?, though dosupport is becoming more pervasive thanks to the American influence.

The expression as well can function as a conjunctive adverb in Canadian English, as
illustrated in When I get home, I have to make dinner. As well, I have to do a load of
laundry.

Anymore can express 'nowadays', as in He complains a lot anymore.

The construction after + present participle can be used to express what the present
perfect does, as in He is after telling me all about it.

Sentence-final eh? is used for a variety of functions including reinforcement, a request
for repetition or soliciting agreement.
Canadianisms
French-English relations
anglophone
francophone
separatist
sovereigntist
Native Peoples
First Nation
3
Government, law, and politics
Confederation
impaired
mainstreeting
postal code
Finance
GST
loonie
toonie
Social structures and programs
heritage language
Education
bird course
intersession
reading week
residence or res
Food and drink
all dressed
butter tart
4