The linguistic continuity of Ontario's minority Francophone population: Examining the relationship between culture and linguistic practices

Despite decades of policy aimed at the maintenance of Francophone communities in Ontario, the proportion of individuals with French as a mother tongue or who speak French most often at home has steadily declined. Research on language retention has highlighted the importance of sociodemographic and structural factors in understanding minority language practices. However, given the relationship between culture and action, this paper examines how cultural factors contribute to Franco-Ontarians’ linguistic practices. Results indicate that beyond couple composition and the concentration of minority-language speakers, cultural factors including identity, cultural consumption, and values play an instrumental role in Franco-Ontarians’ linguistic continuity. The importance of considering linguistic continuity as part of a “package” of cultural practices is discussed.