Linguistic Identity Complexities in English-Speaking Quebec

Type of resource
Author/collaborator
Title
Linguistic Identity Complexities in English-Speaking Quebec
Abstract
The author lays out how linguistic identities are shaped by historical, social, and institutional factors, and also through relations with other linguistic groups. He examines how this affects the English-speaking community's sense of belonging. The author's key findings are: linguistic identity is more complex than the traditional "anglophone-francophone" dichotomy suggests, especially with the rise of multilingualism among anglophones, leading to identities that researchers describe as "hybrid"; the label "historical anglophone" carries a notable paradox: statistical data show that many whom the government would qualify as such do not meet most accepted definitions of anglophones, as they lack English as a mother tongue or home language; and many English-speaking Quebecers feel a strong connection to their local communities, but often struggle to identify with Quebec as a whole.
Report Number
[Research Brief No. 15]
Place
Montreal
Institution
Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN)
Date
January 2025
Pages
11p.
Language
en
URL
Notes

This research brief is available in French under the title Complexités Identitaires des Québécois d’Expression Anglaise at https://www.concordia.ca/content/dam/artsci/scpa/quescren/docs/Brief_15_FR.pdf

Citation
Donovan, Patrick. Linguistic Identity Complexities in English-Speaking Quebec. Montreal: Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN), January 2025. https://www.concordia.ca/content/dam/artsci/scpa/quescren/docs/Brief_15_ENG.pdf.
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