CensusScope is a product of the Social Science Data Analysis Network.
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LANGUAGE
The Census asks questions about language use at home to locate groups of people who speak a language other than English. Their isolation or integration into a primarily English speaking community can be determined by their ability to speak English proficiently.
Language Spoken at Home, 1990-2000
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1990 |
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2000 |
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Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Only English |
1,338,075 |
89.43% |
1,619,471 |
82.68% |
Spanish |
93,556 |
6.25% |
230,101 |
11.75% |
Other Indo-European* |
36,931 |
2.47% |
54,361 |
2.78% |
Asian Language** |
22,428 |
1.50% |
43,557 |
2.22% |
Other |
5,180 |
0.35% |
11,248 |
0.57% |
Total Population Age 5+ |
1,496,170 |
100.00% |
1,958,738 |
100.00% |
Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 2000
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Language Spoken at Home: |
Number |
Percent |
Spanish |
121,535 |
52.82% |
Other Indo-European* |
17,119 |
31.49% |
Asian Language** |
23,023 |
52.86% |
Other Language |
3,664 |
32.57% |
Total |
165,341 |
8.44% |
Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 1990
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Language Spoken at Home: |
Number |
Percent |
Spanish |
32,863 |
35.13% |
Other Indo-European* |
10,210 |
27.65% |
Asian Language** |
13,124 |
58.52% |
Other Language |
1,433 |
27.66% |
Total |
57,630 |
3.85% |
* "Other Indo-European" excludes English and Spanish. "Indo-European" is not synonymous with "European." French, German, Hindi, and Persian are all classified as Indo-European. Hungarian, on the other hand, is lumped into "Other Language."
** "Asian Language" includes languages indigenous to Asia and Pacific islands areas that are not also Indo-European languages. Chinese, Japanese, Telugu, and Hawaiian are all classified here.
Also note that ability to speak English "very well" is based on the self-assessment of those responding to Census questions, not on a test of language ability.
Source: Census 2000 analyzed by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN). Home | About | Help | Contact | Use Policy
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