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 |
271,371 |
52.52% |
250,459 |
43.86% |
Spanish |
164,064 |
31.75% |
214,949 |
37.64% |
Other Indo-European* |
54,445 |
10.54% |
61,891 |
10.84% |
Asian Language** |
19,494 |
3.77% |
29,308 |
5.13% |
Other |
7,364 |
1.43% |
14,488 |
2.54% |
Total Population Age 5+ |
516,738 |
100.00% |
571,095 |
100.00% |
Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 2000
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Language Spoken at Home: |
Number |
Percent |
Spanish |
115,735 |
53.84% |
Other Indo-European* |
25,702 |
41.53% |
Asian Language** |
11,785 |
40.21% |
Other Language |
5,850 |
40.38% |
Total |
159,072 |
27.85% |
Population Speaking English Less Than "Very Well" in 1990
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Language Spoken at Home: |
Number |
Percent |
Spanish |
90,351 |
55.07% |
Other Indo-European* |
22,617 |
41.54% |
Asian Language** |
8,907 |
45.69% |
Other Language |
3,060 |
41.55% |
Total |
124,935 |
24.18% |
* "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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