According to the census , English was the first language of The most widespread variety of Canadian English is Standard Canadian English , [ 8 ] spoken in all the western and central provinces of Canada varying little from Central Canada to British Columbia , plus in many other provinces among urban middle- or upper-class speakers from natively English-speaking families.
Accent differences can also be heard between those who live in urban centres versus those living in rural settings. While Canadian English tends to be close to British English in most regards, [ 11 ] it also possesses elements from American English as well as some uniquely Canadian characteristics. Canadians and Americans themselves often have trouble differentiating their own two accents, particularly since Standard Canadian and Western United States English have been undergoing a similar vowel shift since the s.
While early linguistic approaches date back to the second half of the 19th century, the first textbook to consider Canadian English in one form or another was not published until Avis was its most forceful spokesperson after WWII until the s. One of the earliest influences on Canadian English was the French language, which was brought to Canada by the French colonists in the 17th century.
French words and expressions were adopted into Canadian English, especially in the areas of cuisine, politics, and social life. For example, words like beavertail, and toque are uniquely Canadian French terms that have become part of the Canadian English lexicon. An important influence on Canadian English was British English, which was brought to Canada by British settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries.
However, Canadian English also developed its own unique vocabulary, including words like tuque, chesterfield, and double-double. In the early 20th century, western Canada was largely populated by farmers from Central and Eastern Europe who were not anglophones. American English also had a significant impact on Canadian English's origins as well as again in the 20th century and since then as a result of increased cultural and economic ties between the two countries.
