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A dialect is a regional speech pattern that is identified by pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Every language has a range of dialects, and Canadian English is no exception. This massive country has many different regions and cultures that have affected the language over time. Eight different dialects can be found throughout Canada, and they are listed below.

Aboriginal Canadian English

Aboriginal Canadian English is the language as it has been manipulated over time by the non-English accents of First Nation languages. Aboriginal Canadian English is very similar to standard Canadian English and it in fact may be hard to differentiate between the two.

Cape Breton English

Cape Breton is a Canadian island belonging to the Nova Scotia province. Due to its isolation from the mainland, this island has its own dialect. Cape Breton English is spoken by the people here, the majority of whom are descendants of Highland Scottish, Irish, and French Acadian. Characteristics of this dialect include an almost 鈥渢h鈥� sound when pronouncing the 鈥渟鈥� and a shortened 鈥渁鈥� sound. Common jargon includes referring to everyone as 鈥渂oy鈥� which is pronounced more like 鈥渂ye鈥�.

Lunenburg English

Lunenburg English is spoken in Lunenburg County of the Nova Scotia province. This dialect was heavily influenced by German settlers and has a distinct pronunciation. The 鈥渞鈥� dropped after stressed syllables, pronouncing 鈥渧鈥� instead of 鈥渨鈥�, and 鈥渄鈥� in place of 鈥渢h鈥�. Much of the jargon is based on direct German translations. Some common phrases include saying 鈥済et awake鈥� to mean 鈥渨ake up鈥� and shortening 鈥渁ll gone鈥� to simply 鈥渁ll.鈥�

Newfoundland English

Newfoundland English is spoken in the Newfoundland and Labrador province and the Prince Edward Island. The dialect was influenced by the British colony that was here until 1907. Newfoundland English is full of unique expressions like 鈥渨here ya at?鈥� to mean 鈥渨here are you?鈥�, 鈥測ou鈥檙e some crooked鈥� for 鈥測ou鈥檙e grouchy鈥�, and 鈥渇adder鈥� or 鈥渕e fadder鈥� for 鈥渕y father.鈥�

Ottawa Valley English

The Ottawa Valley dialect is spoken along the Ottawa River which runs from the northwest of Montreal through Ottawa city and north of Algonquin Park in Ontario and Quebec provinces. It is characterized by a Scottish, Irish, and American Loyalist influence. These different cultures have left the dialect with varying types of pronunciation and vernacular. 鈥淩ones鈥� is the word for 鈥済utters鈥� and the words 鈥渃ot鈥� and 鈥渃aught鈥� are pronounced differently rather than as a homophone like in standard English. Also used in this dialect is the phrase 鈥渇or to鈥�, as in, 鈥淗e went to the store for to buy a tie.鈥�

Pacific West Coast English

Also known as Pacific Northwest English, this dialect is spoken in British Columbia and Yukon provinces. It is similar to California English and has picked up influences from the many cultures and a rapidly changing population of the area. In Pacific West Coast English, the 鈥渞鈥� is pronounced unlike the other dialects and the word 鈥渟tick鈥� sounds like 鈥渟teck.鈥� People use the word 鈥渟unbreak鈥� to refer to an opening in the clouds on the typical long, rainy days of the Pacific Northwest winters and the word 鈥渟pendy鈥� to refer to something expensive.

Quebec English

Quebec English is a dialect spoken in the French-speaking Quebec province. The dialect borrows heavily from the French language and either adheres to the french pronunciation or pronounces the word with an English accent. There is also a heavy use of interlanguage which creates the 鈥淔renglish鈥� language and uses phrases like: 鈥渢ake a decision鈥�, 鈥減ut your coat鈥�, and 鈥渃lose the TV鈥�.

Inland Canadian English

The Inland Canadian English is spoken throughout Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan provinces. This dialect is also referred to as Canadian English. The accent reflects 鈥淐anadian raising鈥� which is a changing of vowel pronunciation before voiceless consonants. It is very similar to American English though does retain some British influence as well as some strictly Canadian sounds. The word 鈥渕ap鈥� for example, could sound like 鈥渕op鈥� to somebody from the US.