Cultural diversity
Use of foreign languages

Use of foreign language by occasion and country (CH 2006, EU 2000)

Definitions/comments: Linguistic region: assignment by majority language of the political community in which the respondent lives.

Question wording: ‘When do you regularly use … (first and second foreign language)? Communication at work, either face-to-face or on the telephone. Reading at work. Writing e-mails/letters at work. Travelling to other linguistic regions in Switzerland on business. Travelling abroad on business. While studying languages. While studying something else. Communicating with members of your family. Communicating with friends. On holidays in other linguistic regions in Switzerland. On holidays abroad. Watching films/ television/ listening to the radio. Reading books/ newspapers/ magazines. On the Internet. Other situations. None of these’. Percentages correspond to respondents using the first or second foreign language on the respective occasion.

Sample size: linguadult.ch: 1200; Eurobarometer 54Lan: 1000–2000.

Source: linguadult.ch University of Berne 2006; Eurobarometer 54Lan 2000.

Data for the indicator or in excel.

Description and explanation in the corresponding chapter of the Social Report 2008.