Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Knowledge of official languages

Definition

Knowledge of official languages refers to whether the person can conduct a conversation in English only, French only, in both or in neither language. For a child who has not yet learned to speak, this includes languages that the child is learning to speak at home.

Statistical unit(s)

• Person

Classification(s)

• Knowledge of Official Languages

Reported in

2021, 2016 and 2011 (100% data); 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986 and 1981 (20% sample). For availability prior to 1981, please refer to Appendix 2.1.

Reported for

Total population

Question number(s)

Direct variable: Question 8

Responses

Response categories included a mark‑in circle for "English only," "French only," "Both English and French" and "Neither English nor French."

Remarks

In the 2021 Census of Population, the question about knowledge of official languages asked "Can this person speak English or French well enough to conduct a conversation?"

The following additional instructions on how to complete the 2021 question on knowledge of official languages were provided to respondents via a help button accessible in the electronic questionnaire:

• Select "English only," "French only" or "Both English and French" only if the person can carry on a conversation of some length on various topics in one or both of these languages.
• Respondents who are deaf or respondents who have a speech impairment should report knowledge of English, French, both or neither, by selecting the appropriate option.

For more information on language variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Languages Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021.

Related 2021 data products

• Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population (98-316-X2021001)
• Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population (98-404-X2021001)
• Census Program Data Viewer (CPDV) (98-507-X2021001)
• All languages spoken at home by mother tongue, knowledge of official languages and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0617-01)
• First official language spoken by knowledge of languages, place of birth (including provinces) and immigrant status and period of immigration: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts (98-10-0616-01)
• First official language spoken by language spoken most often at home, other language(s) spoken regularly at home, and knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0191-01)
• Knowledge of languages by age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0216-01)
• Knowledge of languages by age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0217-01)
• Knowledge of official languages by age: Canada, provinces and territories (98-10-0222-01)
• Knowledge of official languages by age: Canada, provinces and territories and census divisions (98-10-0224-01)
• Knowledge of official languages by age: Canada, provinces and territories and census subdivisions with a population 5,000 or more (98-10-0225-01)
• Knowledge of official languages by age: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0223-01)
• Knowledge of official languages by income statistics, age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0202-01)
• Knowledge of official languages by income statistics, highest level of education, immigrant status and period of immigration and work activity during the reference year: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0365-01)
• Languages used at work by employment income statistics, immigrant status and highest certificate, diploma or degree: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0530-01)
• Languages used at work by industry groups and knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0531-01)
• Languages used at work by knowledge of official languages and highest certificate, diploma or degree: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts (98-10-0519-01)
• Languages used at work by mother tongue and knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts (98-10-0533-01)
• Languages used at work by occupation and knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts (98-10-0532-01)
• Mother tongue by first official language spoken and knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0170-01)
• Mother tongue by first official language spoken and knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0188-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages for children in couple families: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts (98-10-0211-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages, language spoken most often at home and other language(s) spoken regularly at home: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0172-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages, language spoken most often at home and other language(s) spoken regularly at home: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0171-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Canada and forward sortation areas © (98-10-0177-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories and economic regions (98-10-0178-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories and federal electoral districts (2013 Representation Order) (98-10-0179-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0173-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions, census subdivisions and dissemination areas (98-10-0174-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0175-01)
• Mother tongue by knowledge of official languages: Census metropolitan areas, tracted census agglomerations and census tracts (98-10-0176-01)
• Mother tongue by language spoken most often at home, other language(s) spoken regularly at home and knowledge of official languages: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0184-01)
• Mother tongue by language spoken most often at home, other language(s) spoken regularly at home, knowledge of official languages and first official language spoken: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0183-01)