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 xisting
socially but devoid of legal use, Catalan has persisted only
spontaneously in French territory unlike in the other Catalan
regions. Since the establishment of democracy in Spain in 1978
Catalan has been legally recognised in South Catalonia (Barcelona),
Valencia and in the Baléares Islands. In Andorra Catalan
is the only official language and in Alguer, the Catalan town
on Sardinia, the residents hold the right to use their language.
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| Catalan
language excluded from local
school of Aiguatèbia (region of the Conflent). |
In
North Catalonia the Catalan language is merely tolerated in
community life and its knowledge and usage are essentially through
familial lines. In the public arena a number of communities
have adopted the language with concerns about their identity
and authentic heritage. The schools La Bressola and Arrels,
which immerse their students in the language, have met with
great success since their creation at the end of the 1970s.
Colleges and high schools have developed bilingual courses since
the 1990s. Adult language courses in Catalan are popular in
Perpignan and in the communities throughout North Catalonia.
Between understanding its roots, and concerns about the adaptation
of Catalan across borders, the demands on the Catalan language
are a reality. It is passed on through the will of associations
and individuals – more timidly by the organizations in rural
areas. The image of cultural identity, Catalan has survived
the royal prohibition of 1700 and the crusade against regional
languages by the Abbot Grégoire in 1790. Although weakened
by history Catalan remains a free language – and its perseverance
indicates that it retain its value eternally.
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