Do you think Toronto's high linguistic diversity will continue for a long time?

[King of Kensington]

Note that 41% of those who can't speak English were 65+ in 2011, and they make up majorities of many groups. There are very very few monolingual Italians once senior citizens are excluded, for example.

 

[wild goose chase]

Note that 41% of those who can't speak English were 65+ in 2011, and they make up majorities of many groups. There are very very few monolingual Italians once senior citizens are excluded, for example.

I would also imagine that the non-English speakers who are not seniors, or ones who are particularly young may be very recent immigrants (say ones who arrived within a decade or something) that are still in the process of learning the language and whose monolingual status is temporary.
It might be the case that say, a 20 year-old immigrant that's only been here a few years might fall into the category of not speaking English this census, but by the time the next census rolls around, fall under "speaks English".

 

[King of Kensington]

In comparison, here's New York State (I can't find it for NYC only, but 40% of the state's population lives there and certainly the overwhelming majority of those who can't speak English does)

NYS total 1,278,273
Spanish 723,768
Unspecified Chinese 106,077
Russian 61,469
Cantonese 46,412
Mandarin 41,306
Korean 36,756
Italian 28,961
French Creole 23,616
Yiddish 19,400
Bengali 16,644

https://apps.mla.org/map_data

 

[wild goose chase]

In comparison, here's New York State (I can't find it for NYC only, but 40% of the state's population lives there and certainly the overwhelming majority of those who can't speak English does)

https://apps.mla.org/map_data

Much higher than I thought actually.

The proportions of the populace are fairly close actually -- with New York State's 1.28 million non-English speakers among near 20 million folks, compared to Toronto's roughly 139, 000 among a city of over two and a half million.

Toronto has somewhat more than a tenth the population of New York state, and likewise nearly a tenth of the non-English speakers. Yet, since New York state includes the over half who are outside the city who are presumably less foreign born, and Toronto includes the city as a whole, that means that Toronto actually has proportionally fewer non-English speakers despite higher percentage foreign-born.

So, despite the multiculturalism vs. melting pot narrative, it seems like Torontonians are at least not any more reluctant to learn English than New Yorkers, if not less so!

 

[wild goose chase]

New York City's supposed to be the city in the world where the most languages are spoken too. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/nyregion/29lost.html?_r=0

 

[King of Kensington]

I don't doubt it, given both its size and sheer diversity.

 

[prosperegal]

Considering that there are always people coming (and going), yes, our language diversity will continue. However, I really wish the government would either stop using the term "mother tongue" or add another category, asking for "default language" or "most comfortable language." I learned Cantonese first, and am still fluent enough to "pass." However, I cannot read/write Chinese and am much more comfortable speaking English. I "think" in English and really, English is my "default" language. However, I'd be lying when answering census questions regarding language either way. I can't fully "function" in Chinese/Cantonese due to my literacy issue but "technically," English isn't my first language! This is an issue facing MANY children of immigrants, yet the government is not/refuses to address.

 

[King of Kensington]

They do have a language spoken at home category measure as well.

 

[James]

In related news, British Prime Minister David Cameron pledges to fund English language classes for female migrants, who could be deported if they don't improve their ability to speak the language.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2...ish-or-else-says-britains-prime-minister.html

 

[Admiral Beez]

Do you see Toronto continuing to carry heritage languages by native born Canadians who can speak both English and the other language for a long time or do you think in a generation or two assimilation in language will rapidly take place and Toronto will be a racially diverse but less linguistically diverse city.

IMO, many lose their languages as they assimilate more into POWP society. My wife is Ukrainian by heritage, but can't speak it. My best mate is of Chinese descent, but while he can speak it a bit, can't read a thing. My Irish friend can't speak a lick of gaelic. And once you intermarry, forget about it.

 

[prosperegal]

IMO, many lose their languages as they assimilate more into POWP society. My wife is Ukrainian by heritage, but can't speak it. My best mate is of Chinese descent, but while he can speak it a bit, can't read a thing. My Irish friend can't speak a lick of gaelic. And once you intermarry, forget about it.

Then, a generation or two later, people will want to learn MORE about certain aspects of their heritage(s) and might be up to learning the language(s). Even if it isn't exactly the SAME dialect.

 

[wild goose chase]

Then, a generation or two later, people will want to learn MORE about certain aspects of their heritage(s) and might be up to learning the language(s). Even if it isn't exactly the SAME dialect.

There was a quote by a historian on that topic along those lines: "what the son wishes to forget, the grandson wishes to remember", where the assimilated generation wishes to "rediscover" his/her roots again, after the previous generation strove to assimilate.

I do know of many people who have taken a renewed interest in their heritage, but I don't know if the number of people who learn a language after their parents fully lost it is particularly high.

 

[Johnny Au]

There was a quote by a historian on that topic along those lines: "what the son wishes to forget, the grandson wishes to remember", where the assimilated generation wishes to "rediscover" his/her roots again, after the previous generation strove to assimilate.

I do know of many people who have taken a renewed interest in their heritage, but I don't know if the number of people who learn a language after their parents fully lost it is particularly high.

That perhaps why there is such a renewed interest in First Nations cultures after a century of forced assimilation.

 

[Palma]

The population of Wellesley Township (in Waterloo region) is 92% Canadian-born. And 4% of their population can't speak English at all, just 1 percentage point less than Toronto. 29% still speak German as their home language, even though their German and Swiss ancestors came to this continent in the 18th century! Talk about people refusing speaking to speak English in spite of having been in this country for generations.

how is it possible not to speak English and yet work? Do these people only work for Germans and even then, the customer base must include English speaking customers

 

[the lemur]

how is it possible not to speak English and yet work? Do these people only work for Germans and even then, the customer base must include English speaking customers

I can tell you that in some communities in western and southwestern Ontario, there are large numbers of Mennonites from Mexico for whom English is a third language after German and Spanish and they do seasonal work for farmers - they don't all need to speak English as long as a few of them do who can translate for the others.