Language can be defined as mother tongue (the language usually spoken in early childhood), the usual language most often spoken at home at the current time, or the ability to speak one or more designated languages. Each of these definitions of language serves a different analytical purpose and the decision as to which one to adopt in a survey on violence against women will depend on the local population and on the survey objectives. With respect to data on mother tongue or usual language, it is recommended that each language that is numerically important in country, not just the dominant language, should be shown.