The monograph provides a critical analysis of international and domestic experience in using questions about language in general and specialized censuses and monitoring the use of languages ​ ​ conducted in different states over the past two centuries. Based on this analysis, the authors determined the optimal sets and formulations of questions about the language and propose projects for two monitoring (monitoring the use of the Russian language and other languages ​ ​ of the peoples of the Russian Federation and monitoring the transgenerational transmission of languages), the annual holding of which is provided for by Order of the President of the Russian Federation of 04.07.2015 No. Pr-1310, formed following a joint meeting of the Presidential Council on Interethnic Relations and the Presidential Council on the Russian Language on May 19, 2015.