<P> The report of the Inter-Governmental Group on Criteria for Commonwealth Membership states that English is a symbol of Commonwealth heritage and unity . </P> <P> Southern Hemisphere native varieties of English began to develop during the 18th century, with the colonisation of Australasia and South Africa . Australian English and New Zealand English are closely related to each other, and share some similarities with South African English . The vocabularies of these dialects draw from both British and American English as well as numerous native peculiarities . </P> <P> Canadian English is the variety of English spoken in Canada . It contains elements of British English and American English, as well as many Canadianisms . It is the product of several waves of immigration and settlement, from the United States, Britain, Ireland, and around the world, over a period of almost two centuries . Modern Canadian English has taken significant vocabulary and spelling from the shared political and social institutions of Commonwealth countries . </P> <P> Caribbean English is influenced by the English - based Creole varieties spoken, but they are not one and the same . There is a great deal of variation in the way English is spoken, with a "Standard English" at one end of a bipolar linguistic continuum and Creole languages at the other . These dialects have roots in 17th - century English and African languages; unlike most native varieties of English, West Indian dialects often tend to be syllable - timed rather than stress - timed . </P>

Development and spread of english in common wealth countries