# Why am I Canadian? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222 "2002-11-17T23:55:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![substatique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@substatique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/substatique)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/1 "2002-11-17T23:55:29Z")
An important existential and political question, to be sure, but my interest is in the linguistic aspect. Why am I Canadian rather than Canadan? Other countries in the area merely tack an “n” on the end or change the last vowel to make a nationality. For example, America-\>American; Mexico-\>Mexican; Cuba-\>Cuban; Venezuela-\>Venezualan It changes, of course, when the country ends in a consonant: Brazil-\>Brazilian. However, Canada ends in an “a” just like America and Cuba. Why do we add an “i,” and more importantly, shift the stress to the second syllable? I first thought it might have something to do with the French _canadien_, but it’s actually the same question in French: _américain, mexicain_. They merely add “in” instead of just “n.” So my theory is that it has something to do with Acadians, those onetime residents of eastern Canada who migrated to Louisiana way back when. _Canadian_ sounds a lot like _Acadian_. Does anyone know if this is true, or what the real reason is for the odd spelling and pronunciation? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/2 "2002-11-18T00:29:29Z")
I didn’t find anything in several dictionaries and etymology websites, but my first thought was the same as yours (re: Acadians). How is it spelt in French? I’m not sure I could find out why I’m a Houstonian rather than a Houstonite - I’d guess it mainly a matter of which usage becomes popular early on. Denizens of my state are commonly called Texans, but back in the days of our war for independence they were Texians. And the Acadians who came down here (well, next door) are more commonly called Cajuns now. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/3 "2002-11-18T00:56:08Z")
According to the OED, “Canadian” predates “American” by 30 years. Canadian first turns up in 1568 and American doesn’t until 1598. So, blame some guy named Hacket who wrote “Thevet’s New found World”. Cotton Mather used “Canadien”, but then it switched back to “Canadian” in the 1700s and so it remained. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/4 "2002-11-18T01:05:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ringo \* > \*\*I didn’t find anything in several dictionaries and etymology websites, but my first thought was the same as yours (re: Acadians). How is it spelt in French? > \*\* It’s spelt “Acadiens” ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/5 "2002-11-18T01:05:59Z")
As I thought about this more, I think “Canadian” came about as an English equivalent to “Canadien”. And since there were more French speakers in Canada at first, that name stuck. However, “American” didn’t have to compete with another language as much. So the English speakers just made up their only word. This is pretty much a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/6 "2002-11-18T01:34:30Z")
I dunno the answer, but this is why I insist on calling the land to the north Canadia. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/7 "2002-11-18T01:35:40Z")
Try saying Canadan or Americian. Euphony counts for a lot. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/8 "2002-11-18T04:35:12Z")
It’s “Canadian” because it was “Canadien” before that. Canada was Indian first, French second, and English third, even if it’s mostly English now. Besides, “Canadian” sounds better. Four syllables with a vowel sound third (like “American”) just seem to flow better, so the French word Canadien stuck in English without having to be changed. ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/9 "2002-11-18T05:27:17Z")
Me too, **friedo**. Canadians are from Canadia. If you insist on calling it Canada, then the people should be called Canadans. Saying that “Canadian” comes from “Canadiens” doesn’t help explain why the “i” got added. ---
**Author:** ![quicken78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/919ad9/32.png) [@quicken78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quicken78)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/10 "2002-11-18T05:35:29Z")
As a follow up and a slight highjack, Manchester: Mancunian, Liverpool: Liverpudlian, Glasgow: Glaswegian??? There must be a connection. What is the etymological justification for changing the root of the word and adding ‘-ian’ when referring to an inhabitant of that region. The French reason seems to make sense but I can’t believe that this holds true for the English and Scottish cities to which I have just referred. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/11 "2002-11-18T06:53:01Z")
But “Canadien” and “Canadian” are pronounced similarly. ---
**Author:** ![quicken78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/919ad9/32.png) [@quicken78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quicken78)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/12 "2002-11-18T06:57:03Z")
no they aren’t. there is more of an emphasis on the ‘e’ in ‘canadien’. -ee yan -ee yen ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/13 "2002-11-18T07:00:46Z")
But in the 1600s, I would think that the pronunciation would be more similar. But I’m not an authority on the great vowel shift of the English language. ---
**Author:** ![quicken78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/919ad9/32.png) [@quicken78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quicken78)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/14 "2002-11-18T07:04:04Z")
I think that you are making it up as you go along, BobT. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/15 "2002-11-18T07:09:50Z")
I ain’t making up the Great Vowel Shift [http://icg.harvard.edu/~chaucer/vowels.html](http://icg.harvard.edu/~chaucer/vowels.html) ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/16 "2002-11-18T12:24:49Z")
I don’t think there are any hard a fast rules, it just depends on what it sounds like. I am British, therefore I am a Brit or a Briton. Neither fit in with your rules, yet Britain and Canada have strong historical links. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/17 "2002-11-18T12:29:11Z")
Someone from Minneapolis is a Minneapolitan. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/18 "2002-11-18T13:39:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chula \* > **Me too, friedo. Canadians are from Canadia. If you insist on calling it Canada, then the people should be called Canadans.** Do you call people from Germany Germanans? From France Francans? Japanans? Scotlandans? Swedenans? There’s no particular rule connecting the name of the country and the name of the nationality. As quicken points out, it gets even weirder when you get to the level of cities or provinces or states; whaddya call someone from Quebec? “Quebecan” isn’t the right answer. As with many other nationality names, “Canadian” is borrowed from another language, in this case French. The English word “Canadian” is NOT simply a derivation of “Canada.” It’s a derviation of “Canadien,” a French word; the words Canada and Canadian came to us seperately, describing a country and a specific group of people (the settlers of New France.) ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/19 "2002-11-18T14:26:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\* > whaddya call someone from Quebec? “Quebecan” isn’t the right answer. > \*\* That one gets fun-- I’m an anglo from Quebec, and I prefer Quebecois (keh-beck-wah) – but I know lots of people who say I’m a Kweebecker. You’ve also got Montrealers vs. Vancouverites. And I’m still trying to figure out how to describe someone from Seattle (besides saying “wet”). ---
**Author:** ![Coilean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Coilean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coilean)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222/20 "2002-11-18T14:26:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by substatique \* > \*\* > Why am I Canadian rather than Canadan? Other countries in the area merely tack an “n” on the end or change the last vowel to make a nationality. > > For example, America-\>American; Mexico-\>Mexican; Cuba-\>Cuban; Venezuela-\>Venezualan > \*\* I’ve a slight nit-pick with the examples. Other _countries_ in the area don’t really just tack on a /n/. As far as I know people in Mexico call themselves “mexicano.” Likewise, folks from Cuba are “Cubanos.” Having said that, the nit-pick doesn’t change the content of the question. My hair-brained stab at an the answer would be that there is some sort of phonological rule that accounts for your question. For example if you were to refer to yourself as “Canadan” you’d have three syllables with three identical vowels in a row (depending on how you make your vowels). It seems somewhat strange to change the second syllable from “uh” to “an” in that manner and even stranger to leave it as it is. Perhaps you need the fourth syllable (ca-na-di-an) to account for this? Again, that’s a hair-brained thought formed with less than enough caffine in my system, no knowledge of your dialect, and dodgy phonology. [relevant hijack] Anyone know how to use IPA fonts on the board? [/relevant hijack] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-canadian/137222.md?page=2)