Aboriginal Languages in Canada Essay

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Although the 2011 census in Canada revealed that there were over 60 aboriginal languages, it may still be difficult to establish the actual number. For instance, census data in the past few decades never revealed the existence of such a large number of aboriginal languages in Canada. As it stands now, it may not be easy to accurately establish the number of aboriginal languages in this country. Nonetheless, it is imperative to mention that unique and indigenous languages are found in Canada. Some of the native languages found in Canada have never been spotted anywhere across the world.

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As it stands now, there are clashing viewpoints on the actual number of aboriginal languages in Canada. The latest census statistics reveal that Canada is endowed with more than 60 different indigenous languages that are yet to be recognized. Therefore, there is a need to classify the aboriginal languages in terms of their expected survival periods.

Indigenous bands used to experience multilingualism even before the onset of the colonization era. The indigenous ethnic groups were often temporary settlers moving from one place to another. Nonetheless, quite permanent stationary bands have been created by the reserve system. Perhaps, this is an important historical period when the most accurate number of aboriginal languages can be established. Due to the increasing Anglicization, there is a deliberate effort to preserve ancestral languages that are at high risk of fading away.

It is agreeable that Algonquian is the largest aboriginal language found in Canada. The number of reported mother tongue drawn from Algonquian stands at 144,015. One aspect that cannot be disputed is that Canada has one of the most diverse profiles of aboriginal languages. From this diversity, three languages namely Ojibway, Inuktitut, and Cree stand out. However, there is still a lack of adequate data on the ground regarding the distribution and permanency of these languages. As much as they are dominant languages through which the aboriginal languages are spoken, it can still be cumbersome to determine their life spans.

The contribution of Quebec cannot be ignored when discussing the distribution of aboriginal languages in Canada. Before the close of 2011, about 21% of the population speaking aboriginal mother tongue was residing in Quebec. Other regions such as Saskatchewan and Manitoba shared about 33.7% of the population speaking the aboriginal language. From the study materials, the cause of the imbalanced distribution is not known.

One of the issues that can perhaps assist in explaining the difference is the impact of colonization of Canada. During the colonial era, some ethnic groups were restricted in certain areas. Therefore, they could not move freely and mingle with other ethnic segments of the population. As a result, unique cultures emerged. The development of multilingualism is one of the possible effects of the colonization of Canada.

The census results also tend to coincide with historical findings on language development in Canada. From the 2011 census, those who speak the aboriginal mother tongue do it mostly in their homes (82.2 percent of those surveyed). On the other hand, a small proportion of 24 percent speaks it regularly regardless of the location.

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From the above reflection, it can be seen that intense study is still required to fully understand and appreciate the structure and development of the aboriginal language in Canada. The census data cannot be adequate in providing salient information on this subject area.

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IvyPanda. (2021) 'Aboriginal Languages in Canada'. 23 March.

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IvyPanda. 2021. "Aboriginal Languages in Canada." March 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/aboriginal-languages-in-canada/.

1. IvyPanda. "Aboriginal Languages in Canada." March 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/aboriginal-languages-in-canada/.


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