Valenciano, Catalan, Mallorquin, Manorquin and Ibizenco are all dialects of the same language people! i.e. Catalan

While Castellano is a seperate language. There are only five distinct languages in Spain; Castellano, Catalan, Basque, Gallego and Asturian/Leones, although the last is not an official language. All other languages spoken are dialects of these five parent languages

I totally agree with cricketman and found really sad what others have said. I'm not Catalan, I don't speak Catalan and I don't have family there. But still. I especially find quite annoying the argument about how useful a language is. It seems that the only reason to speak a language has to be based on the number of speakers. Catalan is the language of Cataluña, it's only logical that they want to speak it, promote it and try others to learn it, even if it's just the basics. Spanish has more speakers? Yeah...so what? Are you saying that people from Sweden shouldn't learn their language because afterall it's only spoken there? A language is much more than that. I understand that sometimes Catalans are a bit arrogant, etc but pain-in-spain's comment are just a bit too much, in my opinion.

I don't even want to get started with Galician though. Catalan and Basque...I assume we're just el culo del mundo. It's funny though, because speaking Galician, I can go to Portugal, Brazil, etc.

Really, can you point me in the direction of something that substantiates this please.

I used to run an international localization (translation) company and it was made VERY clear to me that Valencian was not a dialect but a separate language as was Catalan.

I think that if Catalan and Valencian are considered different languages is for political reasons.

Just look in wikipedia if you like

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_language#Dialects

My OH has a degree in philology (the study of languages) and she agrees with me and wikipedia

Wow, thanks. Wish I'd known that then.

aaaaah. what would this forum do without Wikki and Google Turns us all into appearing intelligent

I was asked for evidence on what I has written, what would you prefer I do?

Heh! Don't worry, you may be the one person spared this ordeal!

Only joking, you're obviously richer than most of us, it takes sense to hold onto money.

ah but you're not in the Valencia region

the locals here feel VERY strongly about this - especially those old enough to remember when it was banned under Franco

it's not the dominant language in my town, but it is in some smaller towns nearby

having said that, at prize-giving at school last night the only time they spoke Spanish was when the English teacher presented some prizes & decided to show off in Valenciano, Spanish & English - the entire evening was in Valenciano

possibly - speaking as a non Valencian


there are definitely differences though - my dd was given a set book in Catalan to read - she reads & speaks Valenciano fluently (all her education in ESO is in Valenciano) & the differences were enough that it caused her problems

she did mention this to the teacher & to other local Spanish students - who speak Valenciano at home & it seems that they too had the same problems

This is a good tool for translating regional languages .

http://www.opentrad.org/index.php?idioma=ca

Having a nosey and translating a few simple sentences in Galego, Valencisno, and Catty lan, apart from a few little differences you can get the jist of it, OK the finer points of grammer would differ, but it is noticable it is all based on Spanish. but VASCO looks like and is a SOD of a language, and where the heck did that come from!!!!!

Thank your lucky stars that your children dont have to learn that......

faras vi pensas ke lernanta fremda lingvo estas facile?


Please give your opinions

dd could get the gist of the Catalan book OK - but was worried that wouldn't be enough to pass an exam about it

which one is that!!??


Bai - aldietan mendeko da



in English below