Punjabi Set To Become Canada’s 4th Top Language

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Punjabi set to become Canada’s 4th top language

Monday, 11 February , 2008, 09:13

Vancouver: With the latest census showing a 35 per cent increase in its speakers since 2001, Punjabi is set to become the fourth largest spoken language in Canada.

Today, it is the sixth largest spoken language after English, French, Chinese, Italian and German, though it is already at the fourth position in the province of British Columbia.

But as India overtakes China as the largest source of immigration for Canada in 2008, Punjabi is projected to surpass Italian and German by 2011 to become the fourth largest spoken language in the country.

According to Balwant Sanghera, president of the Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) that is celebrating the sixth International Mother Language Day February 24, 2008 "Punjabi is growing by leaps and bounds in Canada, and within the next three to four years it will become Canada's fourth largest spoken language."

Citing the latest census figures, he said 3,67,505 people said Punjabi was their mother tongue, showing a growth of 35 per cent since 2001.

"This places Punjabi as the sixth most spoken language (after English, French, Chinese, Italian and German). The difference between the number of Punjabi speakers and those of German and Italian is very small. By the next census of 2011, Punjabi will overtake both to occupy the fourth place," he added.

Sanghera, who retired as a school psychologist in British Columbia, said Punjabi is one among ten most spoken languages out of a total of 6,000 in the world.

"More than 150 million people in 150 countries speak this language. Mini Punjabs in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia and Singapore are testaments to it. Here in Surrey and Abbotsford cities, Punjabi is the second most spoken language after English," he said.

In British Columbia province, Punjabi is taught in the University of British Columbia (UBC), Simon Fraser University, University College of the Fraser Valley, Kwantlen University College and many schools.

Hospitals, city halls, airports and markets carry Punjabi signs. And it is common see the Punjabi sign of Aseen Punjabi Bolde Haan (We speak Punjabi) at banks.

Guidelines on provincial issues — elections, health, old age and education — come out in Punjabi, as do government bills and notices.

Interestingly, Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan is a Punjabi speaker who surprised everyone last year by delivering his speech in Punjabi at a Sikh function.

"As India booms, I see there is an upsurge in interest in Punjabi among business people here. We have many non-Punjabi students enrolled in our classes. In fact, one university class in Punjabi has all non-Punjabi students," said Sadhu Binning, professor of Punjabi at the University of British Columbia.

Both Binning and Sanghera have pioneered the Punjabi movement in British Columbia province, which has the largest concentration of Punjabis outside Punjab.

"International Mother Language Day is part of our efforts to get official recognition for Punjabi at the federal level. Punjabi has been in Canada for over a hundred years, yet it is not recognised by the Canadian government because of its two-language policy," said Binning.

[B4ND4]

I knew this was gonna happen. When apnia bibi ask for directions(in punjabi) from a gora bus driver, its the gora driver who feels like an alien. I have heard one driver say "I don't know Pooooooooon-jabi".

Puthi Ganga waagdi hun Canada ch :D

ve bhai aaha bus martindale nu jaandi aa...

[Heera Singh]

I hear in abbotsford, like 70-75% of the population is punjabi...

[Punjabi_Link]

Where did you get that article from? Please post your source/link.

Thanks in advance.

[singhnii♥]

I hear in abbotsford, like 70-75% of the population is punjabi...

haha 70%? dunno bout tht..but where i live the whole areas completely punjabi

[SaRpAnCh]

Panjabi is Britains 2nd language

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

that's pretty cool.

i remember on my trip to brampton, i saw a gora on like the third day. went to the mall and even the young girls were wearing punjabi suits, usually its just the aunties... :D

peace.

[singh-khalsa]

i never been to canada....hopefully i will visit there this june, itz gonna be cool if there are 70 to 75 % punjabi's.

yaar apni ma boli ch galan karan da swad e vakhra hunda. ah angraji walay pata ni kidan hassday rehnday bina gaal ton... one day when i get out of my class..one gori said i said to the teacher that he is stupid and than all start laughing and it ends after 15 mins and i was also laughing not because of the word that she said to the teacher... yaar mai tay hasda c ah loki bina gaal ton hass kidan landay lolzzzz .

canada 2nd punjab bruahhhhhhh

jithay v a jaan punjabi nava punjab vasaunday nayyyy.. hak sach di karan kamai nam guran da deonday nay...chardikala vich rehan hamashan..har dam hasday gaunday nayyyyyyyyyyy

changa bai canda valayeo mubarkan hon tuhanu tuhaday punjabi nu agay vadaunday upralay tay..

ve bhai aaha bus martindale nu jaandi aa...

haha sahi a veera...... :D

[AvnitK]

yay!! punjabi in canada!! yay!!! wish america could have that :[ :D

[nanosecond]

Here's the source link

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14602571