Languages
Languages in Canada | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Language | Percent | |||
English | 58% | |||
French | 22% | |||
English and French | 11% | |||
others | 9% |
Language used most often at work:
- English: 78.3%
- French: 21.7%
- Non-official languages: 2%
Languages by language used most often at home:
- English: 67.1%
- French: 21.5%
- Non-official languages: 11.4%
Languages by mother tongue:
First language | Population (2011) | % of total population (2011) | Population (2006) | % of total population (2006) | Increase (2006–2011) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Single language responses | 32,481,635 | 98.1% | 30,848,270 | 98.7% | 5.3% | |
Official languages | 25,913,955 | 78.2% | 24,700,425 | 79.1% | 4.9% | |
English | 18,858,980 | 56.9% | 17,882,775 | 57.2% | 5.5% | |
French | 7,054,975 | 21.3% | 6,817,650 | 21.8% | 3.5% | |
Non-official languages | 6,567,680 | 19.8% | 6,147,840 | 19.7% | 6.8% | |
Panjabi (Punjabi) | 430,705 | 1.3% | 367,505 | 1.2% | 17.2% | |
Chinese, n.o.s. | 425,210 | 1.3% | 456,705 | 1.5% | -6.9% | |
Spanish | 410,670 | 1.2% | 345,345 | 1.1% | 18.9% | |
German | 409,200 | 1.2% | 450,570 | 1.4% | -9.2% | |
Italian | 407,485 | 1.2% | 455,040 | 1.5% | -10.5% | |
Cantonese | 372,460 | 1.1% | 361,450 | 1.2% | 3% | |
Arabic | 327,870 | 1% | 261,640 | 0.8% | 25.3% | |
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) | 327,445 | 1% | 235,615 | 0.8% | 39% | |
Mandarin | 248,705 | 0.8% | 170,950 | 0.5% | 45.5% | |
Portuguese | 211,335 | 0.6% | 219,275 | 0.7% | -3.6% | |
Polish | 191,645 | 0.6% | 211,175 | 0.7% | -9.2% | |
Urdu | 172,800 | 0.5% | 145,805 | 0.5% | 18.5% | |
Persian (Farsi) | 170,045 | 0.5% | 134,080 | 0.4% | 26.8% | |
Russian | 164,330 | 0.5% | 133,580 | 0.4% | 23% | |
Vietnamese | 144,880 | 0.4% | 141,625 | 0.5% | 2.3% | |
Korean | 137,925 | 0.4% | 125,570 | 0.4% | 9.8% | |
Tamil | 131,265 | 0.4% | 115,880 | 0.4% | 13.3% | |
Ukrainian | 111,540 | 0.3% | 134,500 | 0.4% | -17.1% | |
Dutch | 110,490 | 0.3% | 128,900 | 0.4% | -14.3% | |
Greek | 108,925 | 0.3% | 117,285 | 0.4% | -7.1% | |
Gujarati | 91,450 | 0.3% | 81,465 | 0.3% | 12.3% | |
Hindi | 90,545 | 0.3% | 78,240 | 0.3% | 15.7% | |
Romanian | 90,300 | 0.3% | 78,495 | 0.3% | 15% | |
Cree, n.o.s. | 77,900 | 0.2% | 78,855 | 0.3% | -1.2% | In the 2006 Census, this language was referred to simply as 'Cree'. |
Hungarian | 67,920 | 0.2% | 73,335 | 0.2% | -7.4% | |
Creoles | 61,725 | 0.2% | 53,515 | 0.2% | 15.3% | |
Bengali | 59,370 | 0.2% | 45,685 | 0.1% | 30% | |
Serbian | 56,420 | 0.2% | 51,665 | 0.2% | 9.2% | |
Croatian | 49,730 | 0.2% | 55,330 | 0.2% | -10.1% | |
Japanese | 39,985 | 0.1% | 40,200 | 0.1% | -0.5% | |
Inuktitut | 33,500 | 0.1% | 32,015 | 0.1% | 4.6% | In the 2006 Census, this language was referred to as 'Inuktitut, n.i.e.'. |
Somali | 31,380 | 0.09% | 27,320 | 0.09% | 14.9% | |
Armenian | 29,795 | 0.09% | 30,130 | 0.1% | -1.1% | |
Turkish | 29,640 | 0.09% | 24,745 | 0.08% | 19.8% | |
Albanian | 23,820 | 0.07% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Czech | 23,585 | 0.07% | 24,450 | 0.08% | -3.5% | |
Khmer (Cambodian) | 19,440 | 0.06% | 19,105 | 0.06% | 1.8% | |
Bulgarian | 19,050 | 0.06% | 16,790 | 0.05% | 13.5% | |
Hebrew | 18,450 | 0.06% | 17,635 | 0.06% | 4.6% | |
Amharic | 18,020 | 0.05% | 14,555 | 0.05% | 23.8% | |
Ilocano | 17,915 | 0.05% | 13,450 | 0.04% | 33.2% | |
Ojibway | 17,625 | 0.05% | 24,190 | 0.08% | -27.1% | |
Slovak | 17,580 | 0.05% | 18,820 | 0.06% | -6.6% | |
Finnish | 17,415 | 0.05% | 21,030 | 0.07% | -17.2% | |
Macedonian | 17,245 | 0.05% | 18,435 | 0.06% | -6.5% | |
Semitic languages, n.i.e. | 16,970 | 0.05% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Bisayan languages | 16,240 | 0.05% | 11,240 | 0.04% | 44.5% | |
Malayalam | 16,080 | 0.05% | 11,925 | 0.04% | 34.8% | |
Yiddish | 15,205 | 0.05% | 16,295 | 0.05% | -6.7% | |
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | 14,185 | 0.04% | 10,180 | 0.03% | 39.3% | |
Danish | 14,145 | 0.04% | 18,735 | 0.06% | -24.5% | |
Niger–Congo languages, n.i.e. | 14,075 | 0.04% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Lao | 12,970 | 0.04% | 13,940 | 0.04% | -7% | |
Akan (Twi) | 12,680 | 0.04% | 12,780 | 0.04% | -0.8% | |
Pashto | 12,465 | 0.04% | 9,025 | 0.03% | 38.1% | |
Bosnian | 11,685 | 0.04% | 12,790 | 0.04% | -8.6% | |
Sindhi | 11,330 | 0.03% | 10,355 | 0.03% | 9.4% | |
Dene | 11,215 | 0.03% | 9,745 | 0.03% | 15.1% | |
Oromo | 11,140 | 0.03% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Malay | 10,910 | 0.03% | 9,490 | 0.03% | 15% | |
Innu/Montagnais | 10,785 | 0.03% | 10,975 | 0.04% | -1.7% | In the 2006 Census, this language was referred to as 'Montagnais-Naskapi'. |
Slovenian | 10,775 | 0.03% | 13,135 | 0.04% | -18% | |
Tigrigna | 10,220 | 0.03% | 7,105 | 0.02% | 43.8% | |
Serbo-Croatian | 10,155 | 0.03% | 12,510 | 0.04% | -18.8% | |
Swahili | 10,090 | 0.03% | 7,935 | 0.03% | 27.2% | |
Oji-Cree | 9,835 | 0.03% | 11,690 | 0.04% | -15.9% | |
Kurdish | 9,805 | 0.03% | 7,660 | 0.02% | 28% | |
Taiwanese | 9,635 | 0.03% | 9,620 | 0.03% | 0.2% | |
Telugu | 9,315 | 0.03% | 6,625 | 0.02% | 40.6% | |
African languages, n.i.e. | 9,125 | 0.03% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Afrikaans | 8,770 | 0.03% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Nepali | 8,480 | 0.03% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Thai | 7,935 | 0.02% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Mi'kmaq | 7,635 | 0.02% | 7,365 | 0.02% | 3.7% | |
Swedish | 7,350 | 0.02% | 8,220 | 0.03% | -10.6% | |
Lithuanian | 7,245 | 0.02% | 8,335 | 0.03% | -13.1% | |
Bantu languages, n.i.e. | 7,150 | 0.02% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Estonian | 6,385 | 0.02% | 8,240 | 0.03% | -22.5% | |
Maltese | 6,220 | 0.02% | 6,405 | 0.02% | -2.9% | |
Latvian | 6,200 | 0.02% | 7,000 | 0.02% | -11.4% | |
Fukien | 5,925 | 0.02% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Berber languages (Kabyle) | 5,855 | 0.02% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Marathi | 5,830 | 0.02% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Atikamekw | 5,820 | 0.02% | 5,250 | 0.02% | 10.9% | |
Norwegian | 5,800 | 0.02% | 7,225 | 0.02% | -19.7% | |
Indo-Iranian languages, n.i.e. | 5,255 | 0.02% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Hakka | 5,115 | 0.02% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Flemish | 4,690 | 0.01% | 5,660 | 0.02% | -17.1% | |
Tibetan languages | 4,640 | 0.01% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Sino-Tibetan languages, n.i.e. | 4,360 | 0.01% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Rundi (Kirundi) | 3,975 | 0.01% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Rwanda (Kinyarwanda) | 3,895 | 0.01% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Sign languages, n.i.e. | 3,815 | 0.01% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Slavic languages, n.i.e. | 3,630 | 0.01% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Lingala | 3,085 | 0.009% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Stoney | 3,050 | 0.009% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Burmese | 2,985 | 0.009% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Shanghainese | 2,920 | 0.009% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Siouan languages (Dakota/Sioux) | N/A | N/A | 5,585 | 0.02% | N/A | |
Blackfoot | N/A | N/A | 3,085 | 0.01% | N/A | |
Frisian | N/A | N/A | 2,890 | 0.009% | N/A | |
Dogrib | N/A | N/A | 2,020 | 0.006% | N/A | |
Algonquin | N/A | N/A | 1,920 | 0.006% | N/A | |
South Slave | N/A | N/A | 1,605 | 0.005% | N/A | |
Carrier | N/A | N/A | 1,560 | 0.005% | N/A | |
Gitksan | N/A | N/A | 1,180 | 0.004% | N/A | |
Chilcotin | N/A | N/A | 1,070 | 0.003% | N/A | |
North Slave (Hare) | N/A | N/A | 1,065 | 0.003% | N/A | |
Shuswap | N/A | N/A | 935 | 0.003% | N/A | |
Nisga’a | N/A | N/A | 680 | 0.002% | N/A | |
Malecite | N/A | N/A | 535 | 0.002% | N/A | |
Chipewyan | N/A | N/A | 525 | 0.002% | N/A | |
Inuinnaqtun | N/A | N/A | 365 | 0.001% | N/A | |
Kutchin-Gwich’in (Loucheux) | N/A | N/A | 360 | 0.001% | N/A | |
Mohawk | N/A | N/A | 290 | 0.0009% | N/A | |
Tlingit | N/A | N/A | 80 | 0.0003% | N/A | |
Other languages | 77,890 | 0.2% | 172,650 | 0.6% | -54.9% | |
Multiple language responses | 639,540 | 1.9% | 392,760 | 1.3% | 62.8% | |
English and French | 144,685 | 0.4% | 98,630 | 0.3% | 46.7% | |
English and a non-official language | 396,330 | 1.2% | 240,005 | 0.8% | 65.1% | |
French and a non-official language | 74,430 | 0.2% | 43,335 | 0.1% | 71.8% | |
English, French, and a non-official language | 24,095 | 0.07% | 10,790 | 0.03% | 123.3% | |
Total | 33,121,175 | 100% | 31,241,030 | 100% | 6% | |
n.i.e. = not included elsewhere n.o.s. = not otherwise specified |
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of Canada
Famous quotes containing the word languages:
“The trouble with foreign languages is, you have to think before your speak.”
—Swedish proverb, trans. by Verne Moberg.
“The less sophisticated of my forbears avoided foreigners at all costs, for the very good reason that, in their circles, speaking in tongues was commonly a prelude to snake handling. The more tolerant among us regarded foreign languages as a kind of speech impediment that could be overcome by willpower.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)
“No doubt, to a man of sense, travel offers advantages. As many languages as he has, as many friends, as many arts and trades, so many times is he a man. A foreign country is a point of comparison, wherefrom to judge his own.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882)