A recent release of data from the 2022/2023 Canadian Social Survey, Statistics Canada has uncovered intriguing shifts in language dynamics within Canadian households over the past five years. The survey, conducted from April 2022 to June 2023, examined changes in language behaviors at home, shedding light on patterns, trends, and the factors influencing linguistic transformations.
The data reveals that nearly one in six Canadians, who predominantly spoke a non-official language at home five years prior to the survey, have now incorporated an official language into their domestic conversations. This contrasts with individuals who primarily spoke English or French at home, with only 2.1% and 2.8% making similar shifts, respectively. Overall, 5.0% of the general population experienced changes in their primary language spoken at home.
An intriguing correlation emerges when considering immigrants. Of the population who spoke a non-official language predominantly at home five years earlier, a staggering 80% were immigrants. Immigrants represented 31% of the individuals who altered their language behaviors during the five-year period. Interestingly, the likelihood of immigrants adjusting their language use is higher shortly after their arrival, with 23% making changes compared to 17% for those in Canada for 6 to 10 years and 9% for those over a decade.
The survey also highlights the influence of majority and minority languages on language behavior changes. Individuals who spoke the language of the majority at home were less likely to switch languages. In Canada outside Quebec, 1.8% of those who spoke English most often at home began speaking or adding another language, while in Quebec, 1.9% of those who spoke only French experienced language behavior changes.
Conversely, people speaking the language of the minority at home were more prone to altering language behaviors. In Canada outside Quebec, 13% of those speaking only French at home transitioned to using English, while in Quebec, 6.7% of those speaking only English made the shift to French.
Approximately one-third of the changes in language behaviors involved adding a language spoken equally to the one spoken most often at home five years earlier. In Canada outside Quebec, 47% of changes included a shift from a non-official language to English. Meanwhile, in Quebec, 59% of the changes involved switching from English to French.
The survey indicates a correlation between age and the likelihood of language behavior changes. Individuals aged 15 to 34 were found to be more prone to altering the language spoken at home, with around 8% making changes compared to 2.3% for those aged 55 and older.