This indicator provides information on the regular use of none, one or more national languages. It therefore highlights Switzerland's multilingualism.
From an integration perspective, the aim is to increase the use of one or more national languages.
Main results
Trends over time
The population without a migration background is more likely to have a national language in their linguistic repertoire than the population with a migration background. People belonging to the first generation were more likely not to mention a national language in their linguistic repertoire, while regular use of at least two national languages is more common in people from second or subsequent generations.
Since 2010, the percentage of people from the first generation not indicating a national language in their linguistic repertoire has increased. The percentage of people indicating a national language in their linguistic repertoire has not significantly changed in this group, although it has increased in all the other population groups. Conversely, the percentage of people mentioning two or three national languages in their linguistic repertoire has declined across all population groups studied, but particularly among the second and subsequent generations.
Definitions
Linguistic repertoire: comprises the main language, the language(s) usually spoken at home/with relatives and the language(s) usually spoken at work/in school.
Main language: This variable is based on the following question from the Structural Survey: "What is your main language, i.e. the language you think in and know best)?". Possible answers are: German (or Swiss German), French (or Swiss French patois), Italian (or Ticino or Grisons Italian dialect), Rhaeto-Romansh, Serbian or Croatian, Albanian, Portuguese, Spanish, English, other language(s). Respondents may indicate several languages; up to three languages can be taken into account.
Methodologies
This indicator shows the percentage of people among the permanent resident population aged 15 and over that indicated one, two, three or no national language(s) (French, German, Italian and Romansh) in their linguistic repertoire.
Dialects were not listed separately when indicated as main language: Swiss German with German, Swiss French patois with French, Ticino or Grisons Italian dialect with Italian. For the languages usually spoken at home and at work, however, they were listed separately. Respondents were able to indicate several main languages for each question. Up to three languages were considered as main language; there was no limit for the other two questions.
Links
Sources
Contact
Federal Statistical Office Section Demography and MigrationEspace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland