Contents Introduction Chapter Theoretical background of English pronunciation

Canadian English
In many respects, the spelling of Canadian English is intermediate between British English and American English. However, the spoken language is much closer to American English than British English. It is also influenced by Canadian French, as Canada has both English and French as official languages.
In general, Canadian pronunciation is almost identical to American pronunciation, especially in Ontario. In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, there is a strong Scottish influence and in Ottawa Valley there is an Irish influence. The pronunciation of people living near, or working with French-Canadians is greatly influenced by French and the island of New Foundland has its own distinctive English dialect [14; 416]
The most famous difference between Canadian and American pronunciation is the ou sound in words like house and out, which sound to American ears like hoose and oot (some say the words sound more like hoase and oat). Canadians also tend to pronounce cot the same as caught and collar the same as caller. Keen ears will hear a Canadian distinction in certain vowels: the i comes out differently in knife and in knives, in bite and in bide, and in price and prizes. Many Canadians also will turn t sounds into d sounds, so the name of the capital sounds like “Oddawa”.
There is no universally accepted standard of Canadian spelling. In general, Canadians agree with British usage as to -our (honour, colour, endeavour) as well as the usage of -re (centre, theatre) along with many other classes of British/American spelling distinctions [15; 51]. In most cases, -ize (plagiarize, dramatize, realize) is preferred to -ise in words where either ending is possible, but the British -yse (analyse) is usual. American spellings prevalent in Canada include aluminum, artifact, jail, curb, program, specialty, tire, and carburetor. (See American and British English differences.) (There are occasional exceptions: One of the main jails in Toronto, Ontario is officially called the 'Don Gaol.') Also, several lexical items come from British English or even archaic British English, such as lieutenant (/lEf/-) and light standard (lamp-post). Several political terms are uniquely Canadian, including riding (electoral district) and win by acclamation (to win uncontested).
A plausible contemporary reference for formal Canadian spelling is the spelling used for Hansard transcripts of the Canadian Parliament [16; 244].
Canadian English also has its own words not found in other variants of English. Like other dialects of English that exist in proximity to francophones, French loanwords have entered Canadian English, such as:

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  serviette, meaning "napkin";
  
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  poutine, a dish made with home-made french fries and melted cheese curd topped with gravy;
  
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  depanneur, a corner store (convenience store), shortened to "dep" (Quebec only);
  
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  allophone, someone who speaks a first language other than English or French;
  
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  anglophone, someone whose first language is English;
  
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  francophone, someone whose first language is French;
  
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  tuque, a close-fitting woolen winter hat (the spelling toque is assimilated from a different kind of hat);
  
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  historical and political terms such as voyageur, Automatiste, Quiet Revolution, bloquiste.
  

In 1998 Oxford University Press produced a Canadian English Dictionary after 5 years of lexicographical research. It listed uniquely Canadian words, words borrowed from other languages and was able to survey whether colour or color was the most popular choice in common use [17].
Uniquely Canadian English words include:

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  Loonie: The unofficial name for Canada's one-dollar gold-coloured coin carrying an image of a Loon on one side
  
• 
  Toonie: The unofficial name for Canada's two-dollar coin, the name obviously referring to the number two and the Loonie that pre-dated it
  
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  Garburator: The garbage disposal unit located beneath the drain of a kitchen sink -- a rare appliance in Canada, in contrast with the United States.
  
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  Parkade: Parking garage
  
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  eavestrough: gutter
  
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  Chesterfield: A sofa, couch or loveseat
  

Also, when pronouncing letters of the alphabet, Canadians will often use the Anglo-European "zed" rather than the American "zee" for the letter Z.
The recommended spelling authority is the Gage Canadian Dictionary, since it reflects the usage of most federal government departments and agencies more closely than do the Webster's or Oxford dictionaries, is based on research into Canadian usage, and contains specifically Canadian terms. When it lists two spellings for a word in the same entry, choose the one entered first. When two spellings are given separate entries, choose the primary spelling, which is the one followed by the definition (the variant simply refers the reader to the primary spelling entry) [18; 220]. For scientific and technical words not in Gage, check Webster's Third New International Dictionary.
There are a few regional differences in the vowels of Canadian English dialects. The feature of -retraction is not found in Newfoundland English or in the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Some of these regions, notably Newfoundland and rural Nova Scotia, actually have a wide range of distinct varieties that are quite distinct from Canadian English.
One property of central and western Canadian English is in the pronunciation of the high back vowel [u] as fronted and diphthongized instead of a fully back monophthong. The variation between the two pronunciations is such that a single speaker could use either, especially in Southern Ontario, and while research on this variable is lacking, it seems to be a characteristic of the English spoken in the western provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.