canadian Identity Under Threat? Anglicization of official Documents Sparks Outrage
A growing chorus of linguists and publishers across English Canada are voicing concerns over a recent surge in British spellings appearing in official government publications – like “emphasize” into “emphasise” and “liberalization” into “liberalisation” – has been quietly accumulating in government publications, culminating in noticeable instances within the recent federal budget. This has drawn particular attention amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States.
“At first we thought it was just an aberration,” explained John Chew, editor of a forthcoming dictionary of Canadian English, developed in collaboration with the Society for Canadian english. “But the cases have continued to pile up.”
Hundreds of words now reflect the British spelling convention,including “de-industrialization” becoming “de-industrialisation,” “amortisation,” “catalyse,” and “digitalisation.” A group of concerned linguists and editors have formally protested, sending an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney this month, asserting that this represents an “attack on Canadian English.” They point out that Canadian English has been the standard in federal government communications for half a century.
the timing of the change has raised eyebrows, particularly given Prime Minister Carney’s prior role as governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020. Some speculate whether this experience is influencing the current linguistic trend. The Prime Minister’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment.
“Canadian English must remain the use in all communications and publications of the federal government,” the letter emphatically states. “it’s a part of our national history.”
A Distinctly canadian voice
Canadian English has historically navigated a space between British and American linguistic norms. However, the authors of the letter stress that Canadian English is not merely a hybrid, but a “distinct national variant of English recognized by the Oxford english Dictionary.”
“Canadian English evolved here and represents a unique aspect of our culture,” the letter continues. “It is indeed one of the inherent practices of our daily lives that make us Canadians.” Maintaining this linguistic identity, they argue, is crucial, even serving as a symbolic gesture of national strength. They suggest adhering to Canadian English is “the easiest way to adopt the ‘elbows high’ posture,” referencing Mr. Carney’s favored hockey analogy for resisting pressure from former U.S. President Donald trump’s tariffs and his ambition to annex Canada as the “51st state.”
Kaitlin Littlechild, president of Editors Canada and director of an organization supporting Indigenous editors, underscored the significance of the issue. “Spelling is not necessarily a sensational subject,” she noted. “But given the current political climate and the tensions we are experiencing these days regarding national identity, I hope that this issue will be taken into consideration.”
Reverse ‘Maplewashing’?
The evolution of English-Canadian spelling reflects the country’s diverse immigration history, incorporating influences from both English-speaking nations, as well as French and Indigenous languages.Examples include the French-derived word “toque” (often spelled with a “you” instead of the American “beanie”) and the Inuit word “kayak.”
Interestingly, a recent poll identified maplewashing – the practice of falsely projecting a Canadian image – as the Canadian word of the year. However, Mr.Chew suggests the current government may be engaging in “maplewashing backwards.”
“It’s quite disappointing that the Prime Minister’s Office – or whoever writes the press releases – does not support the patriotic discourse elbows up using correct Canadian English,” he lamented.
The debate highlights the subtle yet powerful ways language shapes national identity, and the importance of defending linguistic sovereignty in an increasingly globalized world.