Language Use, English Ability, and Linguistic Isolation data were collected in the 2000, 1990, and 1980 decennial censuses using a three-part series of questions:
A. Does this person speak a language other than English at home?
(For those who speak another language)
B. What is this language? ___________________________
C. How well does this person speak English? --very well, well, not well, not at all.
In earlier censuses the questions were about "mother tongue" (language spoken when the person was a child) or only for a select group (e.g., foreign born).
Detailed information from decennial censuses are listed below. More detail for states, metropolitan areas, and more specific geographies is available in the American FactFinder.
Definitions and explanations, see Language Spoken at Home and English Ability in Summary File 3 - Technical Documentation [PDF 7.1M]
Education and Social Stratification Branch
Population Division
301-763-2464
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