Language and ethnicity are known to be closely intertwined (Giles & Coupland 1991). However, before analyzing the interrelationships between language and ethnicity, I found myself faced with the problem of identifying the very concept of "ethnicity". Therefore, Fishman (1997: 327) points out that 'ethnicity', like other notions with which it is in close association, for example 'race', 'people', 'nation', 'nationality', is "not an exact scientific term" . It is therefore not clearly defined and is therefore open to interpretation (Ibid). In my research I came across a number of rather popular explanations, and the most common aggregate definition of "ethnicity" in the dictionary is "a membership in a particular social group that has a common national or cultural tradition" (MacMillan Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary, Merriam -Webster Dictionary, etc.). The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy identifies and includes language in the definition of ethnicity stating that it is "identity or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of the customs, beliefs, and language of that group." However, is language always an inevitable part of one's ethnicity or a group's ethnicity? Surely, the most understandable case of interrelationship between language and ethnicity is the one in which a person is born and lives in a specific territory that historically has had a dominant ethnicity and a dominant language, therefore ethnicity is predetermined by the close link between language and territory (Fishman 1997). Thus, Tabouret-Keller (1997) provides the example of a Belizean student who identifies as Belizean because he was born in that country, lives there, and is also a native speaker of its Creole language. But there are two other cases in which the interrelationship between ethnicity and...... middle of paper ......n ????). In fact, Wikipedia even has a separate entry for "American ethnicity" which is claimed to be different from nationality citizenship. Data from the 2000 US census showed an increasing number of those identifying as Americans. Furthermore, this increase represents the largest numerical growth of any other ethnic group in the United States (Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_ethnicity). However, it is important to remember that language is a significant component of ethnicity. However, like any other (component of ethnicity), “it can be perceived and treated differently in analysis and classification” (Jenkins): for many minority ethnic groups, language has proven to be a cornerstone of their vitality, but for countries like Canada it is rather an optional feature in the formulation of modern ethnicity.