Catalan language 5282 224653418 2008-07-09T20:45:47Z Dúnadan 266662 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 224578137 by [[Special:Contributions/88.1.186.115|88.1.186.115]] ([[User talk:88.1.186.115|talk]]) {{Infobox Language |name=Catalan, Valencian |rank=93 |nativename=Català, Valencià |familycolor=Indo-European |states=Spain<br>France<br>Italy<br>Andorra |region='''In [[Spain]]:'''</br>the [[Balearic Islands]], [[Catalonia]], [[Valencian Community|Valencia]], [[Aragon]] (in [[La Franja]]), [[Murcia]] (in [[El Carxe]]).</br>'''In [[France]]:'''</br>[[Pyrénées-Orientales]] ([[Northern Catalonia]]).</br>'''In [[Italy]] ([[Sardinia]]):'''</br>The [[city]] of [[Alghero]].</br>'''In [[Andorra]].''' |speakers=9.1 million<!-- see sources (and links) in the section [[#Number of Catalan speakers]] below --> |fam2=[[Italic languages|Italic]] |fam3=[[Romance languages|Romance]] |fam4=[[Italo-Western languages|Italo-Western]] |fam5=[[Western Italo-Western languages|Western]] |fam6=[[Gallo-Iberian]] |fam7=[[Ibero-Romance languages|Ibero-Romance]] |fam8=[[East-Iberian languages|East-Iberian]] <!-- Name used by the Ethnologue, whose classification (NB which is already at the 'splitters' extreme of linguistics) is the one used across Wikipedia. Although the most frequent scientific denomination is, by far, the one of ''Catalan'', this the most spread syncretic denomination in the academic world. Josep Calveras used it for the first time in 1925, in his work ''La reconstrucció del llenguatge literari català'': «"Catalan-Valencian-Balear" would be the proper name that would satisfy everyone, if it were not because it is too long and the philologists are used to say briefly: Catalan language». The official dictionary of the Institut d'Estudis Catalans has the title ''Diccionari Català-valencià-balear''.--[[User:Periku|Periku]] 10:04, [[27 October]] [[2005]] (UTC)--> |nation='''In [[Spain]]:'''</br>[[Catalonia]], [[Valencian Community]], [[Balearic Islands]].</br>'''In [[Italy]]:'''</br>[[Alghero]].</br>'''In [[Andorra]].''' |agency=[[Institut d'Estudis Catalans]]<br>[[Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua]] |iso1=ca|iso2=cat|lc1=cat|ld1=Catalan|ll1=Catalan language|map=[[Image:Domini lingüístic català.png|290px|center]]}} {{Catalan-speaking world|align=right}} '''Catalan''' {{PronEng|ˈkætəˌlæn}} (''català'' {{IPA2|kətəˈla}} or {{IPA|[kataˈla]}}) is a [[Romance languages|Romance language]], the [[national language]] of [[Andorra]], and a [[official language|co-official language]] in the [[Autonomous Communities of Spain|Spanish autonomous communities]] of the [[Balearic Islands]], [[Catalonia]] and [[Valencia (Autonomous Community)|Valencia]]—where it is known as '''''[[Valencian]]'''''— and in the [[city]] of [[Alghero]] in the [[Italy|Italian]] [[List of islands in the Mediterranean|island]] of [[Sardinia]]. It is also spoken, although with no official recognition, in the [[Autonomous Communities of Spain|autonomous communities]] of [[Aragon]] (in [[La Franja]]) and [[Murcia]] (in [[El Carxe]]) in [[Spain]], and in the historic [[Roussillon]] region of southern [[France]], roughly equivalent to the current ''[[Departments of France|département]]'' of the [[Pyrénées-Orientales]] ([[Northern Catalonia]]). ==History== Catalan language developed by the [[9th century]] from [[Vulgar Latin]] on both sides of the eastern part of [[Pyrenees]] mountains (counties of [[Roussillon]], [[Empúries]], [[Besalú]], [[Cerdanya]], [[Urgell]], [[Pallars]] and [[Ribagorça]]). It shares features with Gallo-romance and Ibero-romance, and it could be said to be in its beginnings no more than an eccentric dialect of [[Occitan language|Occitan]] (or of Western Romance). As a consequence of the Catalan [[Reconquista|conquests from Al-Andalus]] to the south and to the west, it spread to all present-day [[Catalonia]], [[Balearic Islands]] and most of [[Valencia (Autonomous Community)|Valencia]]. During the [[15th century]], during the [[Valencian Golden Age]], the Catalan language reached its highest cultural splendor, which was not matched again until [[Renaixença|La Renaixença]], 4 centuries later. : ''See also [[History of Catalonia]]'' After the [[Treaty of the Pyrenees]], a [[royal decree]] by [[Louis XIV of France]] on April 2, 1700 prohibited the use of Catalan language in present-day [[Northern Catalonia]] in all official documents under the threat of being invalidated.<ref>[http://www.crdp-montpellier.fr/cd66/artscult/fichesVauban/cdvauban/PERIODES/moyenagetempsmodernes/chateaucollioureinterdictioncatalan.pdf L'interdiction de la langue catalane en Roussillon par Louis XIV; taken from the website "CRDP de l'académie de Montpellier"]</ref> Since then, Catalan language has lacked official status in that Catalan-speaking region in France. On [[December 10]], [[2007]], the [[General Council of Pyrénées-Orientales]] officially recognized Catalan language as own one of the department<ref>[http://www.cg66.fr/culture/patrimoine_catalanite/catalanite/charte.html Charte en faveur du Catalan]</ref>, and searches to further promote it in public life and education. : ''See also [[Language policy in France]]'' After [[Nueva Planta Decrees]], administrative use and education in Catalan was also banned in the territories of the Spanish Kingdom. It was not until [[Renaixença]] period, that Catalan language started to recover. In [[Francoist Spain]] (1939&ndash;1975), the use of [[Spanish language|Spanish]] over Catalan was promoted, and public use of Catalan was discouraged by official propaganda campaigns. The use of Catalan in government-run institutions and in public events was banned. During later stages of the Francoist regime, certain folkloric or religious celebrations in Catalan were resumed and tolerated. Use of Catalan in the [[mass media]] was forbidden, but was permitted from the early 1950s<ref>Marc Howard Ross, [http://books.google.com/books?id=Oe4popSDfW0C&printsec=frontcover&hl=en#PPA139,M1 "Cultural Contestation in Ethnic Conflict"], page 139. Cambridge University Press, 2007.</ref> in the theatre. Publishing in Catalan continued throughout the dictatorship.<ref>The Resurgence of Catalan Earl W. Thomas Hispania, Vol. 45, No. 1 (Mar., 1962), pp. 43&ndash;48 doi:10.2307/337523</ref> There was no official prohibition of speaking Catalan in public or in commerce, but all advertising and signage had to be in Spanish alone, as did all written communication in business.<ref>Orden del Excmo. Sr. Gobernador Civil de Barcelona. EL USO DEL IDIOMA NACIONAL EN TODOS LOS SERVICIOS PÚBLICOS. 1940.</ref> : ''See also [[Language politics in Spain under Franco]]'' Following the death of Franco in 1975 and the restoration of democracy, the use of Catalan increased partly because of new affirmative action and subsidy policies and the Catalan language is now used in politics, education and the Catalan media, including the newspapers ''Avui'' ("Today"), ''El Punt'' ("The Point") and ''El Periódico de Catalunya'' (sharing content with its Spanish release and with ''El Periòdic d'Andorra'', printed in [[Andorra]]; and the [[television]] channels of ''Televisió de Catalunya'' (TVC): TV3, the main channel, and Canal 33/K3 (culture and cartoons channel) as well as a 24-hour news channel 3/24 and the TV series channel 300; there are also many local channels available in region in Catalan, such as BTV and Td8 (in the metropolitan area of Barcelona), Canal L'Hospitalet (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat), Canal Terrassa (Terrassa), Televisió de Sant Cugat TDSC (Sant Cugat del Vallès), Televisió de Mataró TVM (Mataró). ==Classification== The ascription of [[Catalan language|Catalan]] to the [[Occitano-Romance languages|Occitano-Romance]] branch of [[Gallo-Romance languages]] is not shared by all linguists. According to the [[Ethnologue]], its specific classification is as follows:<ref>[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=cat Ethnologue Report]</ref> *[[Indo-European languages]] **[[Italic languages]] ***[[Romance languages]] ****[[Italo-Western languages]] *****[[Western Italo-Western languages]] ******[[Gallo-Iberian languages]] *******[[Ibero-Romance languages]] ********East Iberian languages [[Catalan language|Catalan]] is very similar to [[Occitan language|Occitan]]. (See also [[Occitan#Differences between Occitan and Catalan|Occitan language: Differences between Occitan and Catalan]] and [[Gallo-Romance languages]].) Catalan shares several similarities with other Romance languages as well. ==Geographic distribution== {{main|Catalan countries}} Catalan is spoken in: *[[Catalonia]] (''Catalunya''), in [[Spain]]. *Most of the [[Valencian Community]] (''Comunitat Valenciana''), in Spain, where it's called [[Valencian]]. *[[La Franja|An adjacent strip]] (''Franja de Ponent'') of [[Aragon]], [[Spain]], in particular the ''[[Comarcas of Aragon|comarques]]'' of [[Ribagorça]], [[Llitera]], [[Baix Cinca]], and [[Matarranya]]. *[[Balearic Islands]] (''Illes Balears i Pitiüses''), in Spain. *[[Andorra]] (''Principat d'Andorra''). *[[Northern Catalonia]] (''Catalunya Nord'') (unofficial names), in [[France]]. *The city of [[Alghero]] (''l'Alguer'') on [[Sardinia]]. *A small region in [[Region of Murcia|Murcia]], Spain, known as [[Carxe]] in Catalan. All these areas are referred to by some as "[[Catalan Countries]]" (Catalan: ''Països Catalans''), a denomination based on cultural affinity and common heritage, that have also had a subsequent political interpretation but no official status. ===Number of Catalan speakers=== ====Territories where Catalan is official==== {| style="margin: 0 0 0.5em 1.4em; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; float: center;" border=1 |- style="font-size:110%; color: black; background-color: lawngreen;" |Region |Understands |Can speak |- style="background-color:#CCCCCC;" |[[Catalonia]] | align="right" |6,949,195 | align="right" |6,043,088 |- style="background-color:#E4E4E4;" |[[Balearic Islands]] | align="right" |931,989 | align="right" |746,792 |- style="background-color:#E4E4E4;" |[[Valencian Community]] (as ''Valencian'') | align="right" |3,648,443 | align="right" |2,547,661 |- style="background-color:#E4E4E4;" |[[Andorra]] | align="right" |75,407 | align="right" |61,975 |- style="background-color:#E4E4E4;" |'''TOTAL''' | align="right" |'''11,605,034''' | align="right" |'''9,399,516''' |} Figures relate to all self-declared speakers, not just native speakers. ====Other territories==== {| style="margin: 0 0 0.5em 1.4em; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; float: center;" border=1 |- style="font-size:110%; color: black; background-color: lawngreen;" |Region |Understands |Can speak |- style="background-color:#CCCCCC;" |[[Alghero]] ([[Sardinia]], [[Italy]]) | align="right" |20,000 | align="right" |17,625 |- style="background-color:#E4E4E4;" |[[Northern Catalonia]] ([[France]]) | align="right" |203,121 | align="right" |125,622 |- style="background-color:#CCCCCC;" |[[Franja de Ponent]] | align="right" |47,250 | align="right" |45,000 |- style="background-color:#E4E4E4;" |[[Carxe]] ([[Murcia]]) | align="right" |No data | align="right" |No data |- style="background-color:#CCCCCC;" |Rest of World | align="right" |No data | align="right" |350,000 |- style="background-color:#FFFFFF;" |'''TOTAL''' | align="right" |'''270,371''' | align="right" |'''538,247''' |} Figures relate to all self-declared speakers, not just native speakers. ====World==== {| style="margin: 0 0 0.5em 1.4em; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; float: center;" border=1 |- style="font-size:110%; color: black; background-color: lawngreen;" |Region |Understands |Can speak |- style="background-color:#CCCCCC;" |[[Catalan-speaking territories]] ([[Europe]]) | align="right" |11,875,405 | align="right" |9,587,763 |- style="background-color:#E4E4E4;" |Rest of World | align="right" |No data | align="right" |350,000 |- |'''TOTAL''' | align="right" |'''12,225,405''' | align="right" |'''9,937,763''' |} <small>'''''Notes:''''' The number of people who understand Catalan includes those who can speak it.</small> <small>'''''Sources:''''' '''Catalonia''': Statistic data of 2001 census, from ''Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya'' [http://www.idescat.net/territ/BasicTerr?TC=5&V0=3&V1=3&V3=876&V4=17&ALLINFO=TRUE&PARENT=1&CTX=B]. '''Land of Valencia''': Statistical data from 2001 census, from ''Institut Valencià d'Estadística, Generalitat Valenciana'' [http://ive.infocentre.gva.es/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/IVE_PEGV/CONTENTS/cvcifras/2004/val/cvx2004_02.pdf]. '''Balearic Islands''': Statistical data from 2001 census, from ''Institut Balear d'Estadística, Govern de les Illes Balears'' [http://www.caib.es/ibae/demo/catala/t2.htm]. '''Northern Catalonia''': ''Media Pluriel'' Survey commissioned by Prefecture of [[Languedoc-Roussillon Region]] done in October 1997 and published in January 1998 [http://www.linmiter.net/information_catalan.html]. '''Andorra''': Sociolinguistic data from Andorran Government, 1999. '''Aragon''': Sociolinguistic data from Euromosaic [http://www.uoc.edu/euromosaic/web/document/catala/an/e19/e19.html]. '''Alguer''': Sociolinguistic data from Euromosaic [http://www.uoc.edu/euromosaic/web/homect/index2.html]. '''Rest of World''': Estimate for 1999 by the ''Federació d'Entitats Catalanes'' outside the Catalan Countries.</small> ==Dialects== [[Image:Mapa dialectal del català-valencià.png|thumb|right|250px|Dialectal Map of Catalan Language <br>'''Eastern dialects:''' <br><font color= #FFC7C7>█</font> [[Northern Catalan]] <br><font color= #C75B5A>█</font> [[Central Catalan]] <br><font color= #902929>█</font> [[Balearic]] and [[Alguerese]] <br>'''Western dialects:''' <br><font color= #C7C7FF>█</font> [[North-Western Catalan]] <br><font color= #5B5BC7>█</font> [[Ebrenc Catalan]] <br><font color= #292990>█</font> [[Valencian language|Valencian]]]]In 1861, [[Manuel Milà i Fontanals]] proposed a division of Catalan into two major dialect blocks: Eastern Catalan and Western Catalan. Each dialect also encompasses several regional varieties. There is no precise linguistic border between one dialect and another because there is nearly always a transition zone of some size between pairs of geographically separated dialects (except for dialects specific to an island).{{Fact|date=March 2008}} The main difference between the two blocks is their treatment of unstressed vowels, in addition to a few other features: *'''Western Catalan''' (''Bloc o Branca del Català Occidental''): **Unstressed vowels: {{IPA|[a e i o u]}}. Distinctions between ''e'' and ''a'' and ''o'' and ''u''. **Initial or post-consonantal ''x'' is an affricate {{IPA|/tɕ/}} (there are exceptions in Xàtiva, xarxa, Xavier, xenofòbia... these are pronounced with{{IPA|/ɕ/}}). Between vowels or when final and preceded by ''i'', it is {{IPA|/jɕ/}}. **1st person present indicative is -e or -o. **Latin long {{IPA|/eː/}} and short {{IPA|/i/}} have become {{IPA|/e/}}. **Inchoative in -ix, -ixen, -isca **Maintenance of medieval nasal plural in proparoxytone words: hòmens, jóvens **Specific vocabulary: espill, xiquet, granera, melic... *'''Eastern Catalan''' (''Bloc o Branca del Català Oriental''): **The vowels {{IPA|/e/}}, {{IPA|/ɛ/}} and {{IPA|/a/}} become /ə/ when unstressed and {{IPA|/o/}}, {{IPA|/ɔ/}} and {{IPA|/u/}} become {{IPA|[u]}}. **Initial or post-consonantal ''x'' is the fricative {{IPA|/ɕ/}}. Between vowels or when final and preceded by ''i'' it is also {{IPA|/ɕ/}}. **1st person present indicative is -o, -i or there is no marker. **Latin long {{IPA|/eː/}} and short {{IPA|/i/}} have become {{IPA|/ɛ/}} (In most of Balearic Catalan they are pronounced {{IPA|[ə]}} and in Alguerese {{IPA|[e]}}). **Inchoative in -eix, -eixen, -eixi. **The -n- of medieval nasal plural is dropped in proparoxytone words: homes, joves. **Specific Vocabulary: mirall, noi, escombra, llombrígol... In addition, neither [[dialect]] is completely homogeneous: any dialect can be subdivided into several sub-dialects. Catalan can be subdivided into two major dialect blocks and those blocks into individual dialects: {| border=0 cellspacing=10 cellpadding=10 | width="50%" valign=top bgcolor="#E7E7FF" | '''Western Catalan''' * ''North-Western Catalan'' ** ''[[Ribagorçà]]'' (from [[Ribagorça]], a region of Catalonia) ** ''Pallarès'' (from [[Pallars]]) ** ''Lleidatà'' (from [[Lleida (province)|Lleida province]]) * ''Transitional Valencian'' or ''Ebrenc'' ** ''Ampostí'' (from [[Amposta]]) ** ''Tortosí'' (from [[Tortosa]]) ** Catalan from [[Matarranya]] ** ''Vinarossenc'' (from [[Vinaròs]]) ** Valencian from [[Maestrat]] (a region of Valencia) * ''[[Valencian]]'' ** ''Castellonenc'' (from region of [[Castelló de la Plana|Plana]]) ** ''Apitxat'', or Central Valencian ** Southern Valencian ** ''Alacantí'' (from the Alicante's metropolitan area and most of Vinalopó valley) ** Majorcan from Tàrbena and la Vall de Gallinera Valencian municipalities | width="50%" valign=top bgcolor="#E7E7FF" | '''Eastern Catalan''' * ''[[Northern Catalan]], or ''rossellonès'' (from [[Roussillon]])'' * ''[[Central Catalan]]'' ** ''Salat'' (from the [[Costa Brava]]) ** ''Barceloní'' (from [[Barcelona]]) ** ''Tarragoní'' (from [[Tarragona]]) ** ''Xipella'' * ''[[Balearic]]'' ** ''Mallorquí'' (from [[Majorca]], ''Mallorca'' in Catalan) ** ''Menorquí'' (from [[Minorca]], ''Menorca'' in Catalan) ** ''Eivissenc'' (from [[Ibiza]], ''Eivissa'' in Catalan) * ''[[Alguerese]]'' (from the Italian city of [[Alghero]]) |} == Standards of Catalan language== There are two main standards for Catalan language, one regulated by '''[[Institut d'Estudis Catalans]]''', general standard, with [[Pompeu Fabra]]'s orthography as axis, keeping features from Central Catalan, and the other regulated by '''[[Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua]]''', restricted scale standard, focused on Valencian standardization on the basis of [[Normes de Castelló]], that is, [[Pompeu Fabra]]'s orthography but more adapted to [[Western Catalan]] pronunciation and features of Valencian dialects. IEC's Standard, apart from the basis of Central Catalan features, takes also other dialects features considering as standard. Despite this, the most notable difference between both standards is some tonic "e" accentuation, for instance: ''francès, anglès'' (IEC) - ''francés, anglés'' (AVL) (French, English), ''cafè'' (IEC) - ''café'' (AVL) (coffee), ''conèixer'' (IEC) - ''conéixer'' (to know), ''comprèn'' (IEC) - ''comprén'' (AVL) (he understands). This is because of the different pronunciation of some tonic "e", especially tonic Ē (long "e") and Ǐ (breves "i") from Latin, in both Catalan blocks ({{IPA|[ɛ]}} in Eastern Catalan and [e] in Western Catalan). Despite this, AVL's standard keeps grave accent "è", without pronouncing this "e" {{IPA|[ɛ]}}, in some words like: ''què'' (what), ''València'', ''èter'' (ether), ''sèsam'' (sesame), ''sèrie'' (series) and ''època'' (age). There are also some other divergences like the '''tl''' use by AVL in some words instead of '''tll''' like in ''ametla''/''ametlla'' (almond), ''espatla''/''espatlla'' (back) or ''butla''/''butlla'' (bull), the use of elided demonstratives (''este'' this, ''eixe'' that (near)) in the same level as reinforced ones (aquest, aqueix) or the use of many verbal forms common in Valencian, and some of these common in the rest of Western Catalan too, like subjunctive mood or inchoative conjugation in '''-ix-''' at the same level as '''-eix-''' or the priority use of '''-e''' morpheme in 1st person singular in present indicative (-ar verbs): "jo compre" (I buy) instead of "jo compro". In [[Balearic Islands]], IEC's standard is used but adapted into Balearic dialect by [[University of the Balearic Islands]]'s philological section, [[Govern de les Illes Balears]]'s consultative organ. In this way, for instance, IEC says it is correct writing "cantam" as much as "cantem" (we sing) and University says that priority form in Balearic Islands must be "cantam" in all fields. Another feature of Balearic standard is the non-ending in 1st person singular in present indicative: "jo cant" (I sing), "jo tem" (I fear), jo "dorm" (I sleep). In [[Alghero]], IEC has adapted his standard into [[Alguerese|Alguerese dialect]]. In this standard one can find, among other features: the '''lo''' article instead of ''el'', special possessive pronouns and determinants '''la mia''' (my), '''lo sou/la sua''' (his/her), '''lo tou/la tua''' (your), and so on, the use of '''-v- in the imperfect tense''' in all conjugations: ''cantava'', ''creixiva'', ''llegiva''; the use of many archaic words, usual words in Alguerese: ''manco'' instead of ''menys'' (less), ''calqui u'' instead of ''algú'' (someone), ''qual/quala'' instead of ''quin/quina'' (which), and so on; and the adaptation of [[weak pronouns in Catalan|weak pronouns]]. ==The status of Valencian== {{Main|Valencian}} The official language academy of the [[Valencian Community]] (the [[Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua]]) considers ''Catalan'' and ''Valencian'' simply to be two names for the same language<ref>[http://www.avl.gva.es/img/EdicionsPublicacions/AcordsGenerals/NOMENTITAT.pdf Dictamen de l'Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua sobre els principis i criteris per a la defensa de la denominació i l'entitat del valencià] - Report from Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua about denomination and identity of Valencian.</ref>. All universities teaching Romance languages, and virtually all linguists, consider these all to be linguistic variants of the same language (similar to [[Canadian French]] versus Metropolitan French). There is a roughly continuous set of [[dialect]]s covering the various regional forms of Catalan/Valencian, with no break at the border between Catalonia and the Valencian Community (i.e. villages contiguous to both sides of the border speak exactly the same), and the various forms of Catalan language, among them, the Valencian ones, are basically mutually intelligible. This is so even though in some cases only educated speakers may have real [[linguistic competence]], like it is the case when the most divergent Eastern dialects such as the one from Alghero or from the Balearics are confronted to Valencian or other Western varieties. All in all, differences do exist: Valencian accent is recognisable, there are differences in subjunctive terminations, and there are a large number of words unique to Valencian varieties; but those differences are not any wider than among North-Western Catalan and Eastern Catalan. In fact, Northern Valencian (spoken in the Castelló province and Matarranya valley, a strip of [[Aragon]]) is more similar to the Catalan of the lower [[Ebro]] [[drainage basin|basin]] (spoken in southern half of [[Tarragona province]] and another strip of Aragon) than to ''apitxat'' Valencian (spoken in the area of [[L'Horta]], in the province of Valencia). The [[Valencian|Valencian language]] has often been seen as a dialect of Catalan due to their basic mutual intelligibility. However, the issue of ''language'' versus ''dialect'' is as much a matter of politics as of linguistics. By the criterion of mutual intelligibility, Valencian and other varieties of Catalan are dialects of a single language; but according to this criterion, [[Galician language|Galician]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] are also dialects of a single language, as are [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] and [[Danish language|Danish]], a contentious conclusion in either case. What gets called a ''language'' is defined in part by mutual comprehensibility, but also by political and cultural factors. In this case, the perceived status of Valencian as a "dialect of Catalan" has historically had important political implications including [[Catalan nationalism]] and the idea of the ''Països Catalans'' or "[[Catalan countries]]." [[Catalonia]] and the [[Valencian Community]] are two different [[Autonomous Communities]] of Spain, but were the feeling of a common Catalan identity to become strong enough, some believe, or fear, that there could develop into a political will for a single large Catalan region which might wish to become independent of Spain. The language(s) debate is part of this. Some Valencians who advocate distinguishing two Catalan languages do so to resist a perceived Catalan nationalist agenda aimed at absorbing Valencian language and identity, and incorporating Valencians into what they feel is a "constructed" nationality centered on Barcelona. This idea is promoted by organisations opposed to a union between Catalonia and Valencia. Similarly to [[Serbian language|Serbian]] and [[Croatian language|Croatian]], the issue of whether Catalan and Valencian constitute different languages or merely dialects has been the subject of political agitation several times since the end of the Franco era. The latest political controversy regarding Valencian occurred on the occasion of the drafting of the [[European Constitution]] in 2004. The Spanish government supplied the [[European Union|EU]] with translations of the text into [[Basque language|Basque]], Galician, Catalan, and Valencian, but the Catalan and Valencian versions were identical. While professing the unity of the Catalan language, the Spanish government claimed to be constitutionally bound to produce distinct Catalan and Valencian versions because the Statute of Autonomy of the Valencian Community refers to the language as "Valencian". In practice, the Catalan, Valencian, and Balearic versions of the EU constitution are identical: the government of Catalonia accepted the Valencian translation without any changes under the premise that the Valencian standard is accepted by the norms set forth by the IEC. Valencian and [[Central Catalan]] have fewer differences from one another than do [[American English]] and [[British English]], although this is partially because the English [[phonetics|phonetic]] system is much more complex than that of Catalan. The differences between British English and American English can roughly be compared to those between Valencian and Catalan. For example, British English and American English have a different vowel system, as do Valencian and Catalan. In Valencia, as in America, the language is generally [[Rhotic and non-rhotic accents|rhotic]] (that is, final "r" is pronounced); in Catalonia, as in England, it generally is not. There are pairs of words similar to "truck"/"lorry" or "cookie"/"biscuit", for example ''"mirall"''/''"espill"'' (meaning "mirror") or ''"rentar"''/''"llavar"'' ("to wash"). There are different spellings for the same word à la ''"color"''/''"colour"'', for example ''"seva"''/''"seua"'' ("his"); although in this case the pronunciation is not the same, it is a common feature in dialectal and not-so-old Catalan to turn intervocalic "u" into "v", so ''"seva"'' and ''"seua"'' are phonologically identical (/'seua/), although phonetically different ({{IPA|[ˈsevə]}} ''vs.'' {{IPA|[ˈsewa]}}.) There are differences in conjugation just like "lit"/"lighted", for example, ''"acomplix"''/''"acompleix"'' ("accomplishes"). There are verbal forms which are not frequently used in either dialect - "aní"/"vaig anar", just like "I advise that he come"/"I advise him to come". In short, much like English, Catalan is a multi-centric language - there exist two standards, one for Oriental Catalan, regulated by the IEC, which is centered around Central Catalan (with slight variations to include Balearic verb flexion) and one for Occidental, regulated by the AVL, centered around Valencian. The AVL accepts the conventions set forth in the [[Normes de Castelló]] as the normative spelling, shared with the IEC that allows for the diverse idiosyncrasies of the different language dialects and varieties. As the normative spelling, these conventions are used in education, and most contemporary Valencian writers make use of them. Nonetheless, a small minority mainly of those who advocate for the recognition of Valencian as a separate language, use in a non-normative manner an alternative spelling convention known as the [[Normes del Puig]]. ==Sounds and writing system== {{Main|Catalan phonology|Catalan orthography}} ==Grammar== {{main|Catalan grammar}} The first descriptive and normative grammar book of modern Catalan was written by [[Pompeu Fabra]] in 1918. In 1995 a new grammar by Antoni M. Badía i Margarit was published, which also documents the Valencian and Balearic varieties. The grammar of Catalan mostly follows the general pattern of Western Romance languages. Substantives and adjectives are not declined by case, as in Classical Latin. There are two [[grammatical gender]]s—masculine and feminine. Grammatical [[article (grammar)|article]]s originally developed from Latin [[demonstrative]]s. The actual form of the article depends on the gender and the number and the first sounds of the word and can be combined with prepositions that precede them. A unique feature of Catalan is a definite article that may precede [[personal names]] in certain contexts. Its basic form is ''en'' and it can change according to its environment (the word "en" has also other lexical meanings). One of the common usages of this article is in the word ''can'', a combination of "casa" shortened to ''ca'' (house) and ''en'', which means "The house of." For example "Can Sergi" means "Sergi's house". Verbs are conjugated according to tense and mood similarly to other Western Romance languages—present and simple preterite are based on Classical Latin, future is formed from infinitive followed by the present form of the auxiliary verb ''haver'' (written together and not considered periphrastic), and periphrastic tenses are formed from the conjugated auxiliary verbs ''haver'' and ''ésser'' followed by the past participle. A unique tense in Catalan is the ''periphrastic simple preterite,'' which is formed from the conjugated present form of the verb ''anar'' (to go) which is followed by the infinitive of the verb. Thus, "Jo vaig parlar" (or more simply "Vaig parlar") means "I spoke." Nominative pronouns are often omitted, as the person can be usually derived from the conjugated verb. The Catalan rules for combination of the object pronoun [[clitic]]s with verbs, articles and other pronouns are significantly more complex than in most other Romance languages; see [[Weak pronouns in Catalan]]. == Catalan names == [[Spanish naming customs#Catalan-Valencian names|Catalan naming customs]] are similar to those of Spain. Although it is not mandatory, according to tradition a person often receives two last names—his father's and his mother's. The two last names are usually separated by the particle "i", meaning "and". (In Spanish the last names are sometimes separated by the equivalent word "y", but usually they are not separated at all.) For example, the full name of the architect [[Antoni Gaudí]] is Antoni ''Gaudí i Cornet'' after his parents: Francesc ''Gaudí'' i Serra and Antònia ''Cornet'' i Bertran. ==Examples== {{IPA notice}} Some common '''Catalan''' phrases (pronounced as in the [[Central Catalan|Central dialect]] -Barcelona and outskirts-): * Catalan: ''Català'' {{IPA|[kətəˈla]}} * Hello: ''hola'' {{IPA|[ˈɔlə]}} * Good-bye: ''adéu'' {{IPA|[əˈðew]}}; ''adéu siau'' {{IPA|[əˈðew siˈaw]}} * Please: ''si us plau'' {{IPA|[sisˈplaw]}} * Thank you: ''gràcies'' {{IPA|[ˈgɾasiəs]}}; ''mercès'' {{IPA|[məɾˈsɛs]}} * Sorry: ''perdó'' {{IPA|[pəɾˈðo]}}, ''ho sento'' {{IPA|[u ˈsentu]}} * This one: ''aquest'' {{IPA|[əˈkɛt]}} (masc.); ''aquesta'' {{IPA|[əˈkɛstə]}} (fem.) * How much?: ''quant val?'' {{IPA|[ˈkwamˈbal]}}; ''quant és?'' {{IPA|[ˈkwaˈnes]}} * Yes: ''sí'' {{IPA|[ˈsi]}} * No: ''no'' {{IPA|[ˈno]}} * I don't understand: ''No ho entenc'' {{IPA|[ˈno wənˈteŋ]}} *where's the bathroom?: ''on és el bany?'' {{IPA|[ˈoˈnezəlˈβaɲ]}}; ''on és el lavabo?'' {{IPA|[ˈoˈnezəlˈləˈβaβu]}} * Generic toast: ''salut!'' {{IPA|[səˈlut]}}; * Do you speak Catalan?: '' Parles català?'' {{IPA|[kə ˈpaɾləl kətəˈla]}} Some useful '''Valencian''' phrases (pronounced as in the ''[[standard]] Valencian''): *Valencian: ''valencià'' {{IPA|[valensiˈa]}} *Hello: ''hola'' {{IPA|[ˈɔla]}} *Good-bye: ''adéu'' {{IPA|[aˈðew]}} *Please: ''per favor'' {{IPA|[peɾ faˈvoɾ]}} *Thank you: ''gràcies'' {{IPA|[ˈgɾasies]}} *Sorry: ''perdó'' {{IPA|[peɾˈðo]}}; ''ho sent'' {{IPA|[uˈsent]}} or {{IPA|[uˈseŋk]}}; ''ho lamente'' {{IPA|[ˈu laˈmente]}} *How much?: ''quant val?'' {{IPA|[ˈkwanˈval]}}; ''quant és?'' {{IPA|[ˈkwanˈtes]}} *Yes: ''sí'' {{IPA|[si]}} *No: ''no'' {{IPA|[no]}} *I don't understand: ''no ho entenc'' {{IPA|[ˈnowanˈteŋ]}} *Where's the bathroom?: ''on està el bany?'' {{IPA|[ˈon esˈtalˈβaɲ]}} *Generic toast: ''Jesús'' {{IPA|[dʑeˈzus]}}; ''salut'' {{IPA|[saˈlut]}} *Do you speak Valencian?: ''parla valencià?'' {{IPA|[ˈpaɾla valensiˈa]}} ==Learning Catalan== * ''Digui, digui... Curs de català per a estrangers''. A Catalan Handbook. &mdash; Alan Yates and Toni Ibarz. &mdash; Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament de Cultura, 1993. -- ISBN 84-393-2579-7. * ''Teach Yourself Catalan''. &mdash; Alan Yates. &mdash; McGraw-Hill, 1993. &mdash; ISBN 0-8442-3755-8. * ''Colloquial Catalan''. &mdash; Toni Ibarz and Alexander Ibarz. &mdash; Routledge, 2005. &mdash; ISBN 0-415-23412-3. * ''speakcat'' On-line basic course http://intercat.cesca.es/speakcat/ Catalan courses are offered at a number of universities in Europe and North America. ==English words of Catalan origin== *[[Aioli|Allioli]], from ''all i oli'', a typical sauce made by mixing [[olive oil]] and [[garlic]] with a [[mortar and pestle]]. *[[Aubergine]], from Catalan ''albergínia'' *[[Barracks]], from old Catalan ''barraca'' ([[hut]]) through [[French language|French]] ''baraque''.<ref name="Collins">{{cite book | title=Collins English Dictionary | publisher=HarperCollins Publishers | location= | year=1991 | editor= | id=ISBN 0-00-433286-5 | url=}}</ref> *[[Barracoon]], from Catalan ''barraca'' ([[hut]]) through [[Spanish language|Spanish]] ''barracón''.<ref name="Collins"/> ==See also== {{InterWiki|code=ca}} * [[Catalan orthography]] * [[Institut d'Estudis Catalans]] (Catalan Studies Institute) * [[Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua]] (Valencian Academy of the Language) * [[Pompeu Fabra]] * [[Catalan literature]] * [[Languages of France]] * [[Languages of Italy]] * [[Languages of Spain]] * [[Spanish naming customs#Catalan-Valencian names|Catalan names]] * [[.cat]] - The first [[top-level domain]] based on language and culture * [[Alguerese]] * [[Balearic]] * [[Valencian]] * [[Keyboard layout#Spanish (Spain)|Spanish (Spain) keyboard layout]], used to type Catalan ==References== {{reflist}} *{{Harvard reference |last=Wheeler |first=Max |last2=Yates |first2=Alan |last3=Dols |first3=Nicolau |year=1999 |title=Catalan: A Comprehensive Grammar |place=London |publisher=Routledge }} ==External links== ===Institutions=== * [http://www.iec.cat/ Institut d'Estudis Catalans] * [http://avl.gva.es/ Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua] * [http://www.gencat.net/presidencia/llengcat/ Secretaria de Política Lingüística de la Generalitat de Catalunya] ===About the Catalan language=== * [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=cat Ethnologue report for Catalan] * [http://www.spinnoff.com/zbb/viewtopic.php?t=7983&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 GRAMÀTICA CATALANA] A Catalan grammar ===Monolingual Dictionaries=== * [http://dlc.iec.cat/ Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana] from the Institut d'Estudis Catalans * [http://ec.grec.net/cgi-bin/AppDLC3.exe?APP=CERCADLC&GECART= Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana] from Enciclopèdia Catalana * [http://dcvb.iecat.net/ Diccionari Català-Valencià-Balear d'Alcover i Moll] * [http://www.trobat.com/servicis/dvo.php Diccionari valencià online] * [http://www.dilc.org/ Diccionari Invers de la Llengua Catalana] Dictionary of Catalan words spelled backwards ===Bilingual and Multilingual Dictionaries=== * [http://www.grec.cat/cgibin/mlt00.pgm Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana Multilingüe] from Enciclopèdia Catalana (Catalan < > Spanish, English, French and German) * [http://www.catalandictionary.org/ DACCO]. Open source, collaborative dictionary (Catalan < > English) * [http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/Catalan-english/ Dictionary] from [http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org Webster's Online Dictionary] - the Rosetta Edition (Catalan < > English) ===Automated translation systems=== * [http://traductor.gencat.net/text.do Traductor] Automated, on-line translations of text and web pages (Catalan < > English, French and Spanish) * [http://sishitra.iti.upv.es/ SisHiTra] Automated, on-line translations of text and web pages (Catalan < > Spanish) ===Phrasebooks=== * [[wikitravel:Catalan phrasebook|Catalan phrasebook]] on [[wikitravel:Main Page|Wikitravel]] * [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzZnBRdl2qQ YouTube] phrasebook ===Learning resources=== * [http://www.parlacatala.org/ Learn Catalan Online with Volunteers] * [http://www.intercat.gencat.net/eng/index.html Interc@t]. Set of electronic resources for learning the Catalan language and culture. * [http://www.geocities.com/learn_catalan/ Learn Catalan!]. An introduction for the Catalonia-bound traveler. * [http://catalunya-lliure.com/recursos.html On-line Catalan resources] ===Catalan-language media=== * [http://www.tvcatalunya.cat/ ''Televisió de Catalunya''] * [http://www.rtvv.es/ ''Radiotelevisió valenciana''] * [http://www.catradio.cat/ ''Catalunya Ràdio''] * [http://www.radio4.rne.es/ ''RNE Ràdio 4 Catalunya''] * [http://www.elperiodico.cat/ El Periódico] * [http://www.elpunt.cat/ Diari ''El Punt''] &mdash; Catalan-language daily newspaper * [http://www.vilaweb.cat/ ''VilaWeb''] The main Catalan online newspaper * [http://wikibooks.org/wiki/P%C3%A0gina_principal Catalan Wikibooks] ===Catalan-language web searching=== * [http://www.google.com/intl/ca/ Google Català] * [http://ct.yahoo.com/ Yahoo! Català] * [http://www.nosaltres.cat/www Nosaltres.com] ===Catalan-language online encyclopedia=== * {{ca icon}} [http://www.enciclopedia.cat/ Enciclopèdia Catalana] {{Romance languages}} [[Category:Catalan language| ]] [[Category:Languages of France]] [[Category:Languages of Italy]] [[Category:Languages of Spain]] [[Category:Languages of Andorra]] [[af:Katalaans]] [[als:Katalanische Sprache]] [[ar:لغة كتلانية]] [[an:Idioma catalán]] [[frp:Catalan]] [[ast:Catalán]] [[az:Katalan dili]] [[bn:কাতালান ভাষা]] [[zh-min-nan:Catalunya-gí]] [[be-x-old:Каталянская мова]] [[bs:Katalonski jezik]] [[br:Katalaneg]] [[bg:Каталонски език]] [[ca:Català]] [[ceb:Kinatalan]] [[cs:Katalánština]] [[co:Lingua catalana]] [[cy:Catalaneg]] [[da:Catalansk (sprog)]] [[de:Katalanische Sprache]] [[et:Katalaani keel]] [[el:Καταλανική γλώσσα]] [[es:Idioma catalán]] [[eo:Kataluna lingvo]] [[eu:Katalan]] [[fa:کاتالان]] [[fo:Katalanskt (mál)]] [[fr:Catalan]] [[fy:Katalaansk]] [[fur:Lenghe catalane]] [[ga:Catalóinis]] [[gv:Catalonish]] [[gl:Lingua catalá]] [[ko:카탈루냐어]] [[hy:Կատալաներեն]] [[hr:Katalonski jezik]] [[io:Kataluniana linguo]] [[id:Bahasa Katalan]] [[ia:Lingua catalan]] [[is:Katalónska]] [[it:Lingua catalana]] [[he:קטלאנית]] [[ka:კატალანური ენა]] [[kw:Katalanek]] [[ku:Zimanê katalonî]] [[la:Lingua Catalana]] [[lv:Katalāņu valoda]] [[lt:Katalonų kalba]] [[lij:Lengua catalann-a]] [[li:Catalaans]] [[hu:Katalán nyelv]] [[mk:Каталонски јазик]] [[mr:कातालान भाषा]] [[ms:Bahasa Catalonia]] [[nah:Catalantlahtōlli]] [[nl:Catalaans (taal)]] [[nds-nl:Kattelaans]] [[ja:カタルーニャ語]] [[no:Katalansk]] [[nn:Katalansk språk]] [[nrm:Catalan]] [[nov:Katalanum]] [[oc:Lenga catalana]] [[pms:Lenga catalan-a]] [[nds:Katalaansch]] [[pl:Język kataloński]] [[pt:Língua catalã]] [[crh:Katalan tili]] [[ty:Reo Tatarūnia]] [[ksh:Katalonisch (Shprooch)]] [[ro:Limba catalană]] [[rm:Lingua catalana]] [[ru:Каталанский язык]] [[se:Katalánagiella]] [[sc:Limba catalana]] [[sco:Catalan leid]] [[simple:Catalan language]] [[sk:Katalánčina]] [[sl:Katalonščina]] [[sr:Каталонски језик]] [[sh:Katalonski jezik]] [[fi:Katalaani]] [[sv:Katalanska]] [[tl:Wikang Katalan]] [[th:ภาษาคาตาลัน]] [[tr:Katalanca]] [[uk:Каталонська мова]] [[vec:Łéngoa catałana]] [[wa:Catalan]] [[zh:加泰罗尼亚语]]