Mark M. Orkin (1)

Orkin penned this book during the centennial era, which was a revolutionary period in the history of Canadian nationalism. This book is an introduction to Canadian English – its origins, ingredients, patterns, and peculiarities – written for a Canadian audience hungry for evidence of a unique national identity.

To take on a project such as this in a nation such as Canada is no small endeavor, and Orkin does an admirable job of acknowledging the limitations of his study. This book could never be – nor is it meant to be – a comprehensive survey of Canadian English; it is a call to awareness and a collection of starting points for future research. In chapters dedicated to pronunciation, spelling, syntax, and names, Orkin focuses primarily on the language patterns and idiosyncrasies that are characteristic of southern Ontario and Montreal speakers: those Anglophones who live along the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. This is the most densely populated region in Canada, home to over half of the nation’s population, and in these chapters, Orkin consistently uses the Atlantic Provinces, urban British Columbia, the Prairie Provinces, and the Northern Territories as a means of contrast to underscore diversity. For example, in the chapter on names, Orkin uses Newfoundland place names – Damnable Bay, Blow-me-Down, Stepaside, and God Almighty Cove – to contrast regional naming traditions against the repetitive British and French place names that are characteristic of southern Ontario and Quebec. He prefaces comparisons between Canadian and American English by reminding his readers that dialect studies are “always local, and one would not be justified in concluding that” patterns necessarily repeat themselves “in other parts of Canada.” By consistently qualifying generalizations in this manner, Orkin prevents the alienation of speakers of regional dialects across the country while simultaneously identifying a need for further research.

While Orkin’s account of the historical development of Canadian English often seems timeless, the book occasionally shows its age. He points out, for example, that Ontario and Quebec are occasionally referred to by their pre-confederation names – Upper Canada and Lower Canada, respectively – but that these terms are so outdated that they are only used by “journalists in search of variety.” These terms have since undergone pejoration and are commonly used outside of Ontario and Quebec – in both literature and in colloquial speech – to allude to the perceived arrogance of those provinces. The chapter on slang is similarly dated. These sorts of issues are understandable and minor, especially when weighted against Orkin’s ultimate achievement in writing this book. The ways in which British and American English have affected Canadian English – a once widely debated topic which Orkin deals with at great length – are perhaps less interesting to a contemporary reader than the ways in which they have not. It is moving to read, for example, about Canada’s disinterest throughout history in creating terms of opprobrium. Although Britain and the United States have invented a large stock of ethnic slurs – chiefly aimed at foreigners – “the Canadian vocabulary is singularly poor in this respect.” Whether or not this is true, it is enjoyable to read.

In his preface, Orkin says that “the study of a living language is never done. The most one can hope for is to surmise how it began, try to describe what it is and predict what it may become.” His book is a compelling record of the development of Canadian English and a snapshot of the language as it existed in 1970. Since its initial publication, the book has become a touchstone for linguistic studies on Canadian English. The book definitively proves Canadian English as an area worthy – and needing – of our attention.… (plus d'informations)