Description

SPEAKENG indicates whether the respondent was able to speak English in 1900-1930 and 1970. Beginning in 1980, SPEAKENG indicates whether the respondent speaks only English at home, and also reports how well the respondent, who speaks a language other than English at home, speaks English.

Comparability

Along with changes in the universe, the question wording changed over time.

For the U.S. censuses of 1900-1930, the 1910 and 1920 Puerto Rican censuses and the 1970 Puerto Rican census, enumerators asked respondents only whether they were able to speak English.

For the censuses 1980-2000, the ACS, and the PRCS respondents first indicated whether they spoke a language other than English at home, and second indicated how well they speak English if they speak a language other than English at home. Respondents who speak a language other than English at non-home context (e.g., work place), but do not speak at home, should be indicated as "speak only English." Thus, the English ability is not reported for those who speak a language other than English at non-home context.

The categories of English ability are comparable over time in the 1980-2000 censuses, ACS, and PRCS: "very well," "well," "not well," and "not at all." The category of SPEAKENG, "does not speak English," includes those who indicated that their English ability is "not at all."

Universe

Availability

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: All samples
• 2003: All samples
• 2002: All samples
• 2001: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: --
• 1960: --
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: All samples
• 1920: All samples
• 1910: All samples
• 1900: All samples
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1930: All samples
• 1920: All samples
• 1910: All samples

Flags

Editing Procedure

LANGUAGE (Language Spoken) and SPEAKENG (Speaks English)
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
The question first uses a check box to ask if the respondent speaks a language other than English in their home. If they do, they are then asked what language. IPUMS combines these two questions into LANGUAGE. Respondents are also asked how well they speak English, which is variable SPEAKENG.
If a person's age (AGE) is less than 5, both LANGUAGE and SPEAKENG will be replaced with "Not in universe."
If the respondent states that they do not speak a language other than English in the checkbox and the reported language spoken (LANGUAGE) is English or missing, both LANGUAGE and SPEAKENG will be replaced with a missing value.
If a respondent has a "No" or blank value for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, but they report speaking a language other than English in LANGUAGE, the checkbox for being speaking a language other than English will be replaced with "Yes." If they also have a missing value for how well they speak English, SPEAKENG will be allocated from another person with a similar age (AGE), same ethnicity (HISPAN), same foreign born status (CITIZEN), similar year of entry (YIMMRIG), and similar language (LANGUAGE).
If a person states that they speak a language other than English in the checkbox or has a missing value, then states that they speak English when asked what language, the checkbox for speaking a language other than English will be replaced with "No" and how well they speak English (SPEAKENG) will be replaced with a missing value.
If a respondent selects "Yes" in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, and they report speaking a language other than English in LANGUAGE but they have a missing value for how well they speak English, SPEAKENG will be allocated. The allocated value will come from another person with a similar age (AGE), same ethnicity (HISPAN), same foreign born status (CITIZEN), similar year of entry (YRIMMIG), and similar language (LANGUAGE).
If a respondent selects "Yes" in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English and the respondent is native-born (CITIZEN), white non-Hispanic or black non-Hispanic (RACE, HISPAN), with a non-specific ancestry (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2) but lists no language when asked which language they speak, and everyone else in the household is also native born, white non-Hispanic or black non-Hispanic, and also has no language listed, the checkbox will be replaced with a missing value.
If the reference person has a missing value in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English and the language they speak is missing and they are foreign born (CITIZEN), arrived in the U.S. in the last 11 years (YRIMMIG), and they have a direct relative in the household (brother/sister, father/mother, husband/wife, son/daughter) who has a "Yes" on the checkbox for speaking a language other than English, the reference person's checkbox will be replaced with "Yes." If the relative also specifies what language they speak, the reference person's language will be replaced with their relative's language. If there is no direct relative with a "Yes" on the checkbox, but there is one with a "No", the reference person's checkbox will be replaced with a "No."
If the reference person still has a missing value in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, is foreign born (CITIZEN) and a direct relative in the household has a non-missing value for the checkbox, the reference person's value will be allocated from another reference person, who is the same broad race (RACE) and ethnicity (HISPAN), foreign born status (CITIZEN), age (AGE), and who also has a direct relative of the same RELATE value, same foreign born status (CITIZEN), and same value of the checkbox.
If the reference person still has a missing value in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English and is foreign born (CITIZEN), the checkbox value will be allocated from another reference person who have a similar value for if they have other relatives in the household, when they arrived in the U.S. (YRIMMIG), age (AGE), and country of birth (BPL).
If the reference person still has a missing value in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English and is native born (CITIZEN) and other direct relatives in the household who are foreign born have a missing value as well, the checkbox will be allocated for the first member of the household encountered. The allocated value will be drawn from another person with a similar value for if they have other relatives in the household, when they arrived in the U.S. (YRIMMIG), age (AGE), and country of birth (BPL). If the checkbox is allocated as "Yes," language spoken will be allocated from another person with a similar place of birth (BPL) or similar ethnicity (HISPAN), race (RACE), and native versus foreign born status (CITIZEN).
If the reference person still has a missing value in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, is native born (CITIZEN) and a direct relative in the household has a non-missing value for the checkbox, the reference person's value will be allocated from another reference person, who is the same broad race (RACE) and ethnicity (HISPAN), foreign born status (CITIZEN), age (AGE), and who also has a direct relative of the same RELATE value, same foreign born status (CITIZEN), and same value of the checkbox.
If the reference person still has a missing value in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, is native born (CITIZEN), is Hispanic, and has no direct relatives in the household has a non-missing value for the checkbox, the reference person's value will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another reference person, who is the same broad race (RACE) and ethnicity (HISPAN), similar age (AGE), and same status of whether or not they have relatives in the household.
If the reference person still has a missing value in the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, is native born (CITIZEN), is non-Hispanic, and has no direct relatives in the household has a non-missing value for the checkbox, the reference person's value will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another person, who is the same broad ancestry (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2) and same status of whether or not they have relatives in the household.
If a relative of the reference person (husband/wife, son/daughter, brother/sister, father/mother, grandchild, in-law, or other relative) has a missing value for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English it will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another person with the same value of RELATE, same foreign born status (CITIZEN), similar broad race (RACE) as the person with the missing value and also who is in a household with a reference person who has the same foreign born status (CITIZEN), similar age, and value on the checkbox as the reference person in the household of the person with the missing value.
If a foreign-born non-relative (roomer/boarder, housemate/roommate, unmarried partner, foster child, or other non-relative) has a missing value for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English it will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another person with a similar value for if they have other relatives in the household, when they arrived in the U.S. (YRIMMIG), age (AGE), and country of birth (BPL).
If a native-born non-relative or reference person still has a missing value for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English it will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another person with a similar value for if they have other relatives in the household, race (RACE) and ethnicity (HISPAN) or ancestry (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), and age (AGE).
If a person answers "No" for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, both English ability and language spoken will be made "Not in universe"
If a person answers "Yes" for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, but the language spoken is missing, if there is a relative in the household who does report their language spoken, the relative's language will replace the missing value. For this step, a relative is any pair of people on the following list: reference person, brother/sister, father/mother, son/daughter, husband/wife, grandchild, in-law, other relative.
If a person answers "Yes" for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English, but the language spoken is still missing it will be allocated. The allocated value is drawn from another person with a similar race (RACE) and ethnicity (HISPAN) or ancestry (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2), foreign born status (CITIZEN), and place of birth (BPL). For native-born people without an ancestry value, the allocated value will be based on age and race.
If a person answers "Yes" for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English and indicated they speak "Indian," further steps will be used to parse this answer. First, if there is another person in the household who reports speaking "India," the answer of "Indian" will replaced with "India." If there is another person in the household who reports speaking "American Indian," the answer of "Indian" will be replaced with "American Indian." Second, race (RACE) will be used - if the person or someone in their household reports their race as "Asian Indian," the language spoken will be replaced with "India." If the person or someone in their household reports their race as "American Indian," the language spoken will be replaced with "American Indian." Third, if the place of birth is India or reported ancestry (ANCESTR1, ANCESTR2) of the person or a household member is any type of Asian Indian, language will be replaced with "India." If ancestry of the person or a household member is "American Indian," language will be replaced with "American Indian." If after these steps, language remains "Indian," it will be allocated from another person with a similar age (AGE), place of birth (BPL), and race (RACE).
If a person answers "Yes" for the checkbox when asked if they speak a language other than English but do not report their English language ability, it will be allocated from another person with a similar age (AGE), ethnicity (HISPAN), foreign born status (CITIZEN), year of immigration (YRIMMIG), and language group (LANGUAGE).
The flag variables will indicate values of LANGUAGE and SPEAKENG were allocated (QSPEAKEN, QLANGUAG)
Internal ACS variable : LANX LAN ENG