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Linguists Urge PM Carney to Drop British Spellings

Linguists Urge PM Carney to Drop British Spellings

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Prime Minister Carney's imposition of British spellings on official Canadian documents represents a troubling erasure of Canadian linguistic identity that 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 about authentic Canadian usage.

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.


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All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0