Canadian English

Canadian English is confusing, eh?! With even Canadian dictionaries and trusted resources defining the language by its difference to American and British English, one can’t help but feel that Canadian English is lacking the international recognition it deserves as its own colourful and eclectic language. A native Canadian speaker can tell you more than anyone else about the variety of different names existing for one object. Do you have a pair of sneakers, trainers, runners, Nikes, running shoes, gym shoes, or tennis shoes? Is there a difference? There are positive aspects to this in-depth knowledge of the various dialects of the English language: it suits a Canadian’s general love for diversity and inclusion by giving them both the opportunity to understand all the English speakers who come into their cohort and the freedom to choose which word they prefer to use in their daily speak. A word may be either a more efficient or a more apt choice for the situation.

Yet this practice of defining a language by its similarities and differences to others causes a great deal of confusion. Take the word “practice” for example. Isn’t it already confusing enough to figure out if you’re using a verb or a noun, and then add to that the fact that American English would have you use a ‘c’ for both and British English an ‘s’ for the verb and a ‘c’ for the noun. Which one should a Canadian use? Well, in this case, it is generally preferred to follow the British usage – except, that is, if you are studying at a university or working for a company that requires you to follow a style guide set by an American institution. The Associated Press Stylebook is considered by many businesses as the go-to for journalistic standards for usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; and the Chicago and MLA manuals of style are the most widely adopted style guides for students in the humanities and beyond. Canadian students need to take the time to study the style guide given to them or risk plummeting grades. Oh, and if they have a computer program (or is it programme?), they may also need to adjust the settings to avoid highlighted ‘errors’ that they make by diverging from the American or British standard.

So, where are the Canadian standards? While U.S. publications choose the Webster’s dictionary for its faithfulness for American spelling, the British, and also the Canadians, favour Oxford. For a dictionary to be valuable, it must continue to be updated to adjust for modernization of the language. The Second Edition of the Oxford dictionary was published in 1961, and the third edition is expected in 2037. Luckily, Canadians have had the bestselling and highly acclaimed Canadian Oxford Dictionary, which was first published in 1998. It was instantly adopted as the house dictionary of the most prestigious companies in Canada. However, in 2008, following a fall in sales (partly due to the rise in googling), Oxford were forced to lay off the staff in the Canadian division. Now, while Canadians await the third edition of the Oxford dictionary and hope their vocabulary will be reflected, many have turned to Merriam-Webster, the American dictionary brand. Merriam-Webster is slowly introducing more Canadian terminology, although it is slower than many would like: the word “poutine” was only introduced in 2014. If you are uncertain, the best idea is to check a reliable Canadian dictionary: the most accepted are the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, the Gage Canadian Dictionary, and the Collins Canadian Dictionary.

Canadian Spelling tips

In general, Canadian English has adopted the American ending “ize” instead of “ise” in verbs like “organize” and “specialize.” And like the Americans, spell “encyclopedia” (and most other words like it) with an “e” instead of an “ae.” Like the British, Canadians put a “u” in words like “colour” and “favour” and end words like “theatre” and “centre” with an “re”. They also write “cheques” rather than checks and order from catalogues rather than catalogs; however, they work with “programs” rather than “programmes”. How many of these words did your computer highlight?!

Canadian Vocabulary

Here are some fun Canadian terms that differ from both British and American English.

double-double (noun): A Canadian term used to describe a coffee with two teaspoons of sugar and two cream pots. Usually heard at Tim Hortons (the favourite coffee shop). 

cube van (noun): A van with a box-like cargo area that sits on the frame — sometimes called box trucks or box vans. 

gas bar (noun): A place to buy gas/petrol. Also called a filling station or gas station.

bachelor apartment (noun): An apartment that combines the living, kitchen, dining, and sleeping areas into one space with a separate bathroom. 

garburator (noun): An in-sink unit that can compress solid food waste for cleaner disposal.

stickhandle (verb): to exert control over or carefully manipulate a project or situation

eavestroughs (noun): a word for the gutters collecting and draining water around a building

parkade (noun): a multi-level car park

scribbler (noun): a notebook or exercise book

Of course, Canada is a bilingual country and so there is also the French influence on the English language. This can be heard in the use of “supper” as an early evening meal and expressions such as “to open the light”.

As a lover of language, I can’t help but adore Canadian English with its ‘anything goes’ attitude and, of course, that wonderful ‘about’ accent. I’d love to learn more if the Canadians out there would like to enlighten me – or maybe I’m too much of a “keener”!