Canadian English in the Global Context

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Canadian English in the Global Context
World Englishes and Distinctive Features
J.K. Chambers University of Toronto
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Global Spread of the English language
historical phenomenon for more than 250 years
1750-1950 British Empire old slogan The sun
never sets on the British Empire.
1950- ? American empire
Fortuitously, successive imperialist powers both
English-speaking
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English originated here 700-1000
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English originated here 700-1000
1000-1500 spread to Scotland, Wales
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English originated here 700-1000
1700 to North America, Ireland
1000-1500 spread to Scotland, Wales
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English spoken here until ca. 1000
1700 to North America, Ireland
1000-1500 spread to Scotland, Wales
1800 to Australia, New Zealand
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2000principal language of 22 nations including
Great Britain, U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa, Bahamas, Jamaica,
Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana,
Bermuda, Falklands, Gibraltar, Liberia, Kenya,
Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Singapore, for the time being
Hong Kong
English originated here ca. 1000
1700 to North America, Ireland
1000-1500 spread to Scotland, Wales
1800 to Australia, New Zealand
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2000principal language of 22 nations including
Great Britain, U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa, Bahamas, Jamaica,
Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana,
Bermuda, Falklands, Gibraltar, Liberia, Kenya,
Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Singapore, for the time being
Hong Kong
associate official language of India
English originated here ca. 1000
1700 to North America, Ireland
1000-1500 spread to Scotland, Wales
1800 to Australia, New Zealand
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2000principal language of 22 nations including
Great Britain, U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa, Bahamas, Jamaica,
Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana,
Bermuda, Falklands, Gibraltar, Liberia, Kenya,
Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Singapore, for the time being
Hong Kong
associate official language of India
mother tongue of 377,132,600 (second to Chinese)
English originated here ca. 1000
1700 to North America, Ireland
1000-1500 spread to Scotland, Wales
1800 to Australia, New Zealand
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2000principal language of 22 nations including
Great Britain, U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa, Bahamas, Jamaica,
Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana,
Bermuda, Falklands, Gibraltar, Liberia, Kenya,
Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Singapore, for the time being
Hong Kong
associate official language of India
mother tongue of 377,132,600 (second to Chinese)
second language to about 1.3 billion
(demolinguistics according to David Crystal,
Encyclopedia of the English Language, 1995)
English originated here ca. 1000
1700 to North America, Ireland
1000-1500 spread to Scotland, Wales
1800 to Australia, New Zealand
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Why English has spread
expansion of British colonial power (peak 2nd
half 19th century) emergence of US as leading
economic power (20th century) USA and UK
comprise about 70 of all speakers of English as
mother tongue
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Why English has spread
expansion of British colonial power (peak 2nd
half 19th century) emergence of US as leading
economic power (20th century)
neutral language among contending nationalities
or ethnicities dominance of US economy in era
of multinational corporations advertising and
tourism esp. English-dependent international
conventions air traffic control, international
maritime, policing, emergency services main
language of scientific, technological, and
academic information main language of popular
music, pop culture, satellite broadcasting, video
games, pornography, drugs
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Why English has spread
expansion of British colonial power (peak 2nd
half 19th century) emergence of US as leading
economic power (20th century)
no linguistic reasons for spread
neutral language among contending nationalities
or ethnicities dominance of US economy in era
of multinational corporationsadvertising,
tourism esp. English-dependent international
conventions air traffic control, international
maritime, policing, emergency services main
language of scientific, technological, and
academic information main language of popular
music, pop culture, satellite broadcasting, video
games, pornography, drugs
accidents of history and sociology
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Why English has spread
expansion of British colonial power (peak 2nd
half 19th century) emergence of US as leading
economic power (20th century)
no linguistic reasons for spread
neutral language among contending nationalities
or ethnicities dominance of US economy in era
of multinational corporationsadvertising,
tourism esp. English-dependent international
conventions air traffic control, international
maritime, policing, emergency services main
language of scientific, technological, and
academic information main language of popular
music, pop culture, satellite broadcasting, video
games, pornography, drugs
accidents of history and sociology
but history as contact language provides
sociolinguistic features that make it eminently
spreadable more conducive to international use
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English is socially marked as international
highly tolerant of accent differences no
academy (in any nation) or recognized
authority national varieties each have their own
standard Canadian English, Australian English,
New Zealand ESL varieties abound in
immigrant-based New-World countries as well as
in many non-English-speaking nations language
of transaction Norwegian buys souvenir in Tokyo
in English Hungarian lectures on physics in
Madrid in English Spanish, Italian, Korean
backpackers speak English in hostels
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English is typologically marked as international
grammatically mixed Germanic roots and Romance
overlay vestiges of Germanic strong verb
declensions give/gave/given, etc. about 60
verbs including most common to be, to have, to
do inflectionally compromised by Romance-like
phrasal syntax the husband of Jane alongside
Janes husband became strong alongside
strengthened
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English language typologically marked as
international
mixed Germanic roots and Romance
overlay vestiges of Germanic strong verb
declensions give/gave/given, etc. about 60
verbs including most common to be, to have, to
do inflectionally compromised by Romance-like
phrasal syntax the husband of Jane alongside
Janes husband became strong alongside
strengthened
sponge-like absorption of foreign
elementsmost obvious in lexicon Dutch
(painting) easel, landscape, sketch native
American caribou, chocolate, potato, raccoon,
skunk Malay amuck, gingham, gong,
ketchup Polynesian taboo, tattoo Hindi
jungle, shampoo
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Absorption of foreign elements began early
ca. 450 A.D.Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians
Germanic peoples
detail from David Crystal (1995) Cambridge
Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge
University Press. 6.
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Absorption of foreign elements began early
ca. 450 A.D.Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians
Germanic peoples
exact routes and landing points unknown
tribes were barbarians illiterate and unruly
supplanted Romans (54 B.C.) who had supplanted
Celts (400 B.C.), who had supplanted aboriginal
Druids
detail from David Crystal (1995) Cambridge
Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge
University Press. 6.
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Absorption of foreign elements began early
ca. 450 A.D.Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians
Germanic peoples
Germanic dialects probably mutually intelligible
beor-pegu beer-drinking
songcræft music-making
gilp-cwide boasting, i.e., yelp-speech
detail from David Crystal (1995) Cambridge
Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge
University Press. 6.
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Absorption of foreign elements began early
ca. 450 A.D.Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians
Germanic peoples
500-850 influxes of Vikingslargely friendly
Alfred the Great (849-99) united England as Saxon
League
Canute (ca. 995-1035) made multinational monarchy
in England, Denmark, Norway and Normandy
detail from David Crystal (1995) Cambridge
Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge
University Press. 6.
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English ( Angle-ish) hospitality
Norse place-names in -by (Grimsby, Derby,
Rugby, Whitby) alongside Anglo-Saxon names in
-ton (Eton, Milton, Shipton)
Norse surnames in -son (Johnson, Jackson,
Peterson) alongside Anglo-Saxon names in -ing
(Browning, Downing, Fleming)
Norse/Anglo-Saxon doublets disk and dish,
skirt and shirt
Norse loanwords third-person pronouns
they-them, Thursday (Thors day), and common
words cake, egg, die, fog, knife, neck, scowl,
smile
Christian missionaries in Great Britain from
Ireland introduced literacy and the Latin names
for previously unknown occupations (abbot,
disciple, nun), places (altar, school ) and
occasions (Mass, Sabbath).

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Anglo-Saxon contribution
function words the and a/an this, that, these,
and thoseand and but who, what, when, why, and
how in, on, under, between, beside cardinal
numbers one to twelve and suffixes for deriving
higher numbers (-teen, -ty, as in sixteen,
sixty) or for deriving ordinals (-th as in
sixth). homely words kin terms mother,
father, sister, and brother (but not uncle, aunt,
or cousin) most domestic animals dog, goose,
pig, and cow common words bread, butter, foot,
good, house, kitchen, love, milk, sing, shit,
talk walk
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Norman occupation
Vikings invaded French coast as well as English
coast settled Normandy and adopted French
language, culture and law built magnificent
cathedrals
1066 William of Normandy conquered England
Norman kings reigned in England until King John
1199-1216 severed relations with Normandy
Salisbury Cathedral ca. 1240
Norman French replaced English in government, law
courts
Latin remained official language of Christianity,
scholarship, literature
English were dirt-farmers, supplicants, tenants,
labourers
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English revival
1200s English people gained social standing
first as spouses, seminarians, students and
apprentices later as kinsmen, priests,
merchants, teachers, partners
Salisbury Cathedral
English language parallel ascent 1362 restored
as language of Parliament (Norman loanword) 1400
medium for masterworks Piers Plowman and
Canterbury Tales
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English becomes Middle English
superimposition of Norman French for more than
150 years
Grammar lost many inflections Old
English Modern English helpe help healp helped
hulpon helped holpen helped
Syntax most case endings disappeared, word order
less flexible
Vocabulary was transformed
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Middle English vocabulary
thousands of Norman French loanwords in every
cultural category
government authority, constable,council, crown,
decree, empire, government, liberty, minister,
peasant, statute, tax, treason, treasurer
education art, beauty, calendar, chess, error,
gender, geometry, grammar, logic, noun, paper,
poet, prose, recreation, rhyme, story, study,
tragedy
medicine anatomy, blanket, jaundice, leper,
medicine, ointment, physician, poison, pulse,
stomach, sulphur, surgeon, vision
style apparel, boots, button, cape, cushion,
dress, face, fashion, frock, garment, leisure,
manner, pearl, quality, quilt, satin, towel, veil
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Middle English vocabulary
thousands of Norman French loanwords in every
cultural category
government authority, council, decree, liberty,
treasurer
education geometry, grammar, logic, study
medicine anatomy, physician, surgeon
style cape, dress, satin, veil
sometimes the Norman word replaced the English
one
prince for atheling marriage for troth uncle
for (n)eme to judge for deman (ME deem)
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Middle English vocabulary
thousands of Norman French loanwords in every
cultural category
government authority, council, decree, liberty,
treasurer
education geometry, grammar, logic, study
medicine anatomy, physician, surgeon
style cape, dress, satin, veil
sometimes the Norman word replaced the English
one
prince for atheling marriage for troth uncle
for (n)eme to judge for deman (MdnE deem)
whenever both words survive, Norman one is more
socially refined
pork compared to pig mansion compared
to house petticoat compared to slip amorous
compared to loving virtue compared to
goodness
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French loanwords persist
David Crystal, Encyclopedia of the English
Language. CUP, 1995, p. 47
31
French loanwords persist
peak ca. 1362restoration as language of
Parliament
David Crystal, Encyclopedia of the English
Language. CUP, 1995, p. 47
32
French loanwords persist
peak ca. 1362restoration as language of
Parliament
1400Canterbury Tales Prologue 858 lines with 500
different French loanwords
David Crystal, Encyclopedia of the English
Language. CUP, 1995, p. 47
33
French loanwords persist
peak ca. 1362restoration as language of
Parliament
1400Canterbury Tales Prologue 858 lines with 500
different French loanwords
1474Caxtons printing press including French
translations
David Crystal, Encyclopedia of the English
Language. CUP, 1995, p. 47
34
French loanwords persist
peak ca. 1362restoration as language of
Parliament
1400Canterbury Tales Prologue 858 lines with 500
different French loanwords
1474Caxtons printing press including French
trnaslations
1564-1616Shakespeare and other Elizabethans
David Crystal, Encyclopedia of the English
Language. CUP, 1995, p. 47
35
French loanwords persist
peak ca. 1362restoration as language of
Parliament
1400Canterbury Tales Prologue 858 lines with 500
different French loanwords
1474Caxtons printing press including French
translations
1564-1616Shakespeare and other Elizabethans
18th century Descartes, Locke, Hume, and Age of
Enlightenment
David Crystal, Encyclopedia of the English
Language. CUP, 1995, p. 47
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Contemporary English vocabulary
English lexical items come from 120 languages
Arabicassassin, harem, mohair, sherbet,
zero Australianboomerang, kangaroo, koala,
wombat, dingo Chinese kung fu, pidgin, tea,
tycoon Finnish sauna Germangimmick, hamburger,
kindergarten, lager, waltz Irish blarney, brat,
whisky Persianbazaar, caravan,
shah Portuguesealbatross, cobra, molasses,
marmalade Russianagitprop, glasnost,
intelligentsia, sputnik, troika Spanishbanana,
bonanza, cannibal, cork, guitar, hammock,
mosquito Turkish coffee, jackal, kiosk, shish
kebab
about 109 others according to David Crystal,
Encyclopedia of the English Language. 1995 126
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Global Spread leaves patterns
isogloss an imaginary line between two regions
marking a dialect difference
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
38
Global Spread leaves residue
isogloss an imaginary line between two regions
marking a dialect difference
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
Three sets of keywords in which /a/ or /æ/ gt /å/
at different times cant lengthened and backed
/æ/ of can in half, vowel lengthened when /l/
deleted, also in calf, talk, walk, palm, etc.,
perhaps 9-10th century
inexplicably, cant, half and calf have low front
vowel in North America (though talk, palm, etc.,
do not).
39
Global Spread leaves residue
isogloss an imaginary line between two regions
marking a dialect difference
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
Three sets of keywords in which /a/ or /æ/ gt /å/
at different times cant lengthened and backed
/æ/ of can in half, vowel lengthened when /l/
deleted, also in calf, talk, walk, palm, etc.,
perhaps 9-10th century
inexplicably, cant, half and calf have low front
vowel in North America (though talk, palm, etc.,
do not).
40
Global Spread leaves residue
isogloss an imaginary line between two regions
marking a dialect difference
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
Three sets of keywords in which /a/ or /æ/ gt /å/
at different times half, cant lengthened /æ/
and backed it probably as early as 9-10th century
bath, laugh, glass lengthened and backed /æ/ in
London early 17th century
change did not progress north of Birmingham, and
was too late for North American settlement
41
Global Spread leaves residue
isogloss an imaginary line between two regions
marking a dialect difference
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
Three sets of keywords in which /a/ or /æ/ gt /å/
at different times half, cant lengthened /æ/
and backed it probably as early as 9-10th century
bath, laugh, glass lengthened and backed /æ/ in
London early 17th century
change did not progress north of Birmingham, and
was too late for North American settlement
42
Global Spread leaves residue
isogloss an imaginary line between two regions
marking a dialect difference
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
Three sets of keywords in which /a/ or /æ/ gt /å/
at different times half, cant lengthened /æ/
and backed it probably as early as 9-10th century
bath, laugh, glass lengthened and backed /æ/ in
London early 17th century
dance, chant lengthened and backed /æ/ in London
later in 17th century
43
Global Spread leaves residue
isogloss an imaginary line between two regions
marking a dialect difference
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
Three sets of keywords in which /a/ or /æ/ gt /å/
at different times half, cant lengthened /æ/
and backed it probably as early as 9-10th century
bath, laugh, glass lengthened and backed /æ/ in
London early 17th century
dance, chant lengthened and backed /æ/ in London
later in 17th century too late for export to
Southern hemisphere colonies
44
Branches of EnglishBritish v. American
dichotomy between South England and North America
splits English into two main branches
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
45
Branches of EnglishBritish v. American
dichotomy between South England and North America
splits English into two main branches
Global isogloss (a) half, cant // bath, laugh,
glass // dance, chant å -----------------------
---------------------------------------------
South England å -------------------------------
-------------æAustral
ia, New Zealand å ----------------æ

Northern, Midland Eng æ

Canada, U.S., Scotland
British branch England, Wales and southern
hemisphere colonies South Africa, New Zealand and
Australia American branch Canada and United
States Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of
Ireland are transitional (but normally included
with British branch)
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More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
47
More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
(a) isogloss shown as two lines 1 and 6
line 1 path, bath, glass with /a/ splits off
core British varieties
line 6 cant with /æ/ splits off core American
varieties
48
More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
Distinguishing features of American branch
10. r-ful in car, cart and carter, etc., where
British branch is r-less
49
More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
Distinguishing features of American branch
10. r-ful in car, cart and carter, etc., where
British branch is r-less
9. /a/ in pot, clod, mop, mock, etc., where
British is (slightly) rounded
50
More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
Distinguishing features of American branch
10. r-ful in car, cart and carter, etc., where
British branch is r-less
9. /a/ in pot, clod, mop, mock, etc., where
British is (slightly) rounded
8. /t/ gt d before unstressed vowel in city,
sitting, metal, etc.
51
More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
Distinguishing features of American branch
10. r-ful in car, cart and carter, etc., where
British branch is r-less
9. /a/ in pot, clod, mop, mock, etc., where
British is (slightly) rounded
8. /t/ gt d before unstressed vowel in city,
sitting, metal, etc.
7. bother/father rhyme, with unround /a/
(concomitant of 9)
52
More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
Distinguishing features of Canadian branch
5. merger of vowel in cot/caught, knotty/naughty,
etc., in U.S. /å/,/ø/
53
More isoglosses
Peter Trudgill Jean Hannah. 1982. International
English A Guide to Varieties of Standard
English. London Edward Arnold
Distinguishing features of Canadian branch
5. merger of vowel in cot/caught, knotty/naughty,
etc., in U.S. /å/,/ø/
Canadian Raising mid onset of /au/ and /ai/
before voiceless C wife/wives house/houses advic
e/advise clout/cloud type, rife, right, , etc.
south, about, couch, etc.
54
Canadian English has more distinguishing features
lexicon running shoes, chesterfield
pronunciation shone, asphalt
grammar positive anymore, ever exclamations
accent Canadian Dainty, Anglo-Canadian, hoser
talk
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for further information, check our
website www.chass.utoronto.ca/chambers
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