Canada is a country made up of many cultures, from First Nations all the way to those newly arriving to call the country home. While these influences have resulted in an English dialect that stands apart, it also results in some common grammatical mistakes.
History matters
Canada’s diverse history has influenced its language and grammar, resulting in a version of English with influences from First Nations languages, as well as French and Spanish. In more recent years, immigrants from other European countries – as well as Asia, Africa, Middle East and other areas – have added their influence, and the end result is a dynamic language that adapts to cultural and other changes.
A coast-to-coast county
The country’s large size has also impacted its grammar. For example, areas like Newfoundland and Cape Breton have their own unique dialect, which includes influences that make them different to Vancouver or Yellowknife.
This can also be seen in words that are unique to a particular province or region. In Ontario, many refer to electricity as “hydro’, and out west, the Chinook is a warm, very dry wind that blows in from the mountains.
American influence
Along with Britain, one of the major influences on Canadian grammar is our neighbour to the south. This is especially true in areas such as food, clothing, transportation and new technology.
Some conventions to remember
We follow the British convention of doubling consonants when adding a suffix. This is why we use the spelling “counselling” and “travelling”. We spell words such as “neighbour” with a “u” and “cheque” instead of “check”. Words like “centre” and “theatre” also reflect this influence.
Other examples
In many cases, Canadian spelling follows American syntax. We favour using the suffix ”ize” in words such as “customize”. Nouns that end in “our” instead of “or” are also the norm.
While this may all sound deeply confusing, it’s not so hard once you get the hang of it. Some common errors that may be easy to pick up on are spelling words such as “ adviser” , “defence” and “fulfil”. These follow the British pattern instead of the American.
Going metric
Like many other countries, Canada follows the metric system when it comes to units of measurement used in trade and the sciences. This is important to consider when writing. We use kilometres, kilograms and Celsius, instead of the American miles, pounds or Fahrenheit.
Only in Canada, eh?
No discussion of common Canadian grammatical mistakes would be complete without a review of some words and phrases that you likely won’t see used anywhere else. These often started out as local terms that became widely accepted over time. “Toque”, “poutine”, “bank machine”, “scribbler” and “butter tarts” are just a few examples.
Punctuation tips
Just as with spelling and grammar, Canadian punctuation takes its cues from both the British and Americans. In many cases, we do follow the American rules with respect to hyphen use and verb agreement.
It’s all as clear as mud
This may all leave you scratching your head, wondering how you’ll keep this all straight. Don’t panic, as and there are tools that can really help. A good spelling and grammar checker set to Canadian English is a must, and sites such as Public Works and Government Services Canada’s Termium Plus website may prove quite useful as well.
Learning how to avoid common grammatical mistakes in Canadian English can help you to prepare pieces that are polished and that really speak to your audience. At Words of Worth, we would be happy to help you put your talents to work today. Contact us now to find out if writing from home is a good fit for you.