Language Barrier

Language barrier dispositions occur in U.S. surveys when a household member or the sampled respondent does not speak or read English (or another target language) well enough to complete the interview. The language barrier disposition is used in all surveys, regardless of the mode (telephone, in-person, mail, and Internet). Language barrier dispositions in surveys in the United States are not common, but their frequency is growing. Approximately 20% of the U.S. population in 2005 spoke a language other than English in their home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Furthermore, the 2005 U.S. Census estimates show upwards of 5 million residents being "linguistically isolated," in that they can speak little or no English. Language barriers are more likely to occur when data collection is conducted ...