Write it right! Contest - Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie

Click on the word or group of words that is correctly written in each of the 10 pairs in bold letters, for a chance to win $1,000!

The spelling challenge is prepared annually by the Language Portal of Canada team. (The Language Portal is an initiative of the Translation Bureau at Public Services and Procurement Canada.)

Canadian regionalisms

The year 2019 is the 50th anniversery / anniversary of the Official Languages Act. English, one of Canada’s two official languages, has evolved grately / greatly over the centuries / senturies. It has borrowed many words, like “rapids” and “toque” from French or “toboggan” and “igloo” from Indigenous languages.

Different communities have also developed different words for the same idea. For instance / instants, people in the Prairies spend weekends at the cabin, and Ontarians at the cottage, while / wile Quebeckers head to the chalet and Cape Bretoners to the bungalow!

The mane / main reason for these differences is the presence of so many language groups within our borders / boarders. Indigenous peoples have inhabited North America since time immemorial / immemmorial. The French settled in Canada in the 1600s. Thousands of Irish and Scots emmigrated / emigrated to the New World in the 1800s. And the 20th century saw a tied / tide of newcomers from many nations.

Contact with French and other languages has thus enriched Canadian English.

Participation Form

All fields are required.

First Name*

Last Name*

Address*

City*

Province*

Postal Code*

Telephone*

Email Address*

I would like to receive emails from the Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue I would like to subscribe to the Language Portal of Canada’s email notification service.

The winner will be drawn from among the entries received by March 31, 2019, in our Ottawa office. The draw will take place between April 2 and 5, 2019. The winner's name will be posted on the www.RVF.ca website.

Read the contest rules