Jack Chambers, a Canadian linguist and expert on language variation and change, died on March 2, 2026, at age 87.
Born John Kenneth Chambers in Grimsby, Ontario, he played an important role in research on Canadian English beginning in the 1980s. He coined the terms “Canadian Raising” and “Canadian Dainty,” the latter describing Canadian speech that mimics British speech and was popular until the mid-20th century.
Chambers was a professor of linguistics at the University of Toronto after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Alberta in 1970.
John Kenneth Chambers (12 July 1938 – 2 March 2026) was a Canadian linguist, and a well-known expert on language variation and change, who played an important role in research on Canadian English beginning in the 1980s. He coined the terms “Canadian Raising” and “Canadian Dainty”, the latter used for Canadian speech that mimics the British, popular till the mid-20th century.