Canada is sending the wrong message to the world by using British English, experts say
Independent1 day
Canada: Linguists Urge Mark Carney to Drop British Spellings
Does British spelling erase Canada's linguistic identity, or does it preserve etymological integrity against American pressure?
Above: Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 5. Image credit: Hector Vivas/FIFA/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Prime Minister Carney's imposition of British spellings on official Canadian documents marks a troubling erasure of Canadian linguistic identity that has evolved organically over 150 years. Canadian English reflects the nation's unique history — blending British, American and Indigenous influences into conventions that linguists describe as "broadminded" and distinctly Canadian. Abandoning established spellings like "organize" and "recognize" for British variants undermines national pride and creates confusion.
Narrative B
Language naturally evolves through cultural contact and neither British nor American spelling is inherently "wrong," they simply represent different evolutionary paths from common roots. British spelling preserves historical connections to borrowed words from multiple languages, maintaining etymological integrity that American simplifications discard. The irritation comes not from spelling differences themselves but from Americans insisting their streamlined versions are the only correct forms.
Metaculus Prediction
There is a 4% chance the U.S. will annex any part of Canada before June 3, 2072, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0