With Canadian spelling under threat, we must use vigour to mount a defence. By utilizing Canadian spelling, we endeavour to distinguish ourselves from the behaviour of our neighbour, and honour our unique traditions.
The two sentences above contain seven Canadianisms – words that distinctly reflect the variety of English used in Canada. Canadian English is a rich part of our heritage and helps define who we are as a nation, but it’s under threat from – strangely enough – our own federal government.
Canadian spelling has significant overlap with both British and American English, but has its own distinct rules. In some places, it matches British English, for example, spelling “colour” with a “u.” In other instances, it mirrors American usage, spelling words like “analyze” with a “z” instead of an “s.” Canadian English also has French words – for example, “portage” – and words from Indigenous languages, such as kayak (from Inuktitut) and caribou (derived from Mi’kmaq, it describes several subspecies of North American reindeer).
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The chattering classes first noticed something was awry in November’s federal budget. Words like “maximise,” “organised,” “centralise,” and the heavily overused “catalyse” were spelled with an “s” instead of “z,” conforming with British, not Canadian spelling. Eagle-eyed literati noticed similar changes in press releases from Prime Minister Mark Carney over the last six months. These changes seem to be applied inconsistently, with some shifts towards British usage, and other spellings still matching American ones.
In early December, five linguistics experts and the spokesperson for Editors Canada released a letter urging the Prime Minister’s Office, federal government and Parliament to stick with Canadian English spelling, which they have used consistently since the 1970s. The letter warns if governments start using other systems of spelling, it could lead to confusion about what Canadian spelling is.
The rationale for the government’s change is unclear, but there’s speculation that it’s due to Mr. Carney’s long tenure in Britain, or perhaps, a desire to distance Canada from the increasingly hostile U.S. and align with our European allies. Whatever the reason, the shift away from our own linguistic tradition is misguided.
It may seem trivial, but Canadian spelling is an essential part of who we are. Yes, there is overlap with America, but despite the need to assert our independence, we shouldn’t jettison all aspects of our shared identity. Our language reflects Canada’s unique history, our blend of traditions, and the federal government needs to defend it. Generations of politicians in Quebec have made careers out of defending Canada’s unique version of French – the least the federal government can do is not undermine the country’s version of English.
Other institutions and media outlets also have a role to play in maintaining Canadian spelling, which is currently widely used. The Globe and Mail led the charge to switch to “-our” spellings in its own stories in 1990, and was followed by other newspapers.
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It can be hard sometimes for Canadians to pinpoint what is unique about our country. We don’t have a vast culinary tradition like that of Italy or Japan, but we can proudly claim poutine and Nanaimo bars as our own. Likewise, our quirky spelling distinguishes us from our American cousins and the country’s British forebearers. When a reader sees a text has Canadian spelling, it’s a clue about who wrote it – and who the intended audience is. It’s our language.
Canadian English faces another obstacle. The Canadian Oxford Dictionary, the last remaining full-sized reference book for our homegrown version of English, hasn’t been updated since 2004. It’s hopelessly out of date, meaning it doesn’t include new words and usage. Should it be “vaxed” or “vaxxed”? “Live stream,” “livestream” or “live-stream?” Without a modern resource, it’s easy for people to drift towards foreign references. The not-for-profit Society for Canadian English is currently seeking funding to develop a new Canadian English dictionary for both print and online.
Our language keeps evolving, with new words and expressions such as “maplewash,” “renoviction” and “elbows up” gaining usage. If Mr. Carney wants to truly understand the meaning of “elbows up,” a patriotic phrase he has often deployed, he should mount a defence of Canadian spelling and direct all parts of the federal government to use it with vigour.
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