Names of Catalan language
Encyclopedia
The first names, or glossonyms, of the Catalan language
formed in a dialect
al relation with Latin
, in which Catalan existed as a variety
. These names already expressed the relationship between the two languages (Tours Concilium, 813). New names that related Catalan to Rome
(llengua romanana, romanç, nostre llatí) came about to dignify the Catalan language in the thirteenth century, though Latinists called it vulgar and most people, pla ('plain', 'understandable').
With the language expanding beyond Catalonia
, names that indicated its place of origin were favored: catalanesc, català, llengua catalana. Likewise, the monarchy became associated with the language, which neutralized the political divisions of its territory. By the end of Middle Ages
, Latin was less of a universal language, provoking Catalan to receive other names that remarked a local character and the political divisions of the time: llengua materna, mallorquí (in the Kingdom of Majorca
), valencià (in the Kingdom of Valencia
). Similarly, when Castile and Aragon were united in the fifteenth century, the range of the Catalan name was reduced to simply mean "from Catalonia" and confusion about the origin of the language led to the apparition of names such as llemosí (Limousin). Before the Renaixença
, which revitalized Catalan-language culture, some unpopular terms such as llemosí-català, català i valencià, and bacavès (after balear-català-valencià) were created.
In the twentieth century, after two dictatorship
s (those of Miguel Primo de Rivera
and Francisco Franco
) persecuted the Catalan language, some attempted to boycott language normalization in Valencia and the Balearic Islands by creating a naming conflict. In Valencia, the violent pressure made it possible for the name llengua valenciana entered the Statute of Autonomy
.
The negative consequences of the conflict for the linguistic normalization were intended to be solved by the end of the twentieth century with a new mixed name: català-valencià, and català-valencià-balear.
Since the persistence of the conflict, the universities of Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands have defended the name llengua catalana along with the legal synonym name of valencià.
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
formed in a dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
al relation with Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, in which Catalan existed as a variety
Variety (linguistics)
In sociolinguistics a variety, also called a lect, is a specific form of a language or language cluster. This may include languages, dialects, accents, registers, styles or other sociolinguistic variation, as well as the standard variety itself...
. These names already expressed the relationship between the two languages (Tours Concilium, 813). New names that related Catalan to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(llengua romanana, romanç, nostre llatí) came about to dignify the Catalan language in the thirteenth century, though Latinists called it vulgar and most people, pla ('plain', 'understandable').
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, names that indicated its place of origin were favored: catalanesc, català, llengua catalana. Likewise, the monarchy became associated with the language, which neutralized the political divisions of its territory. By the end of Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Latin was less of a universal language, provoking Catalan to receive other names that remarked a local character and the political divisions of the time: llengua materna, mallorquí (in the Kingdom of Majorca
Kingdom of Majorca
The Kingdom of Majorca was founded by James I of Aragon, also known as James The Conqueror. After the death of his first-born son Alfonso, a will was written in 1262 which created the kingdom in order to cede it to his son James...
), valencià (in the Kingdom of Valencia
Kingdom of Valencia
The Kingdom of Valencia , located in the eastern shore of the Iberian Peninsula, was one of the component realms of the Crown of Aragon. When the Crown of Aragon merged by dynastic union with the Crown of Castile to form the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Valencia became a component realm of the...
). Similarly, when Castile and Aragon were united in the fifteenth century, the range of the Catalan name was reduced to simply mean "from Catalonia" and confusion about the origin of the language led to the apparition of names such as llemosí (Limousin). Before the Renaixença
Renaixença
The Renaixença was an early 19th century late romantic revivalist movement in Catalan language and culture, akin to the Galician Rexurdimento or the Occitan Félibrige movements. The first stimuli of the movement date of the 1830s and 1840s, but the Renaixença stretches up into the 1880s, until it...
, which revitalized Catalan-language culture, some unpopular terms such as llemosí-català, català i valencià, and bacavès (after balear-català-valencià) were created.
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
s (those of Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquis of Estella, 22nd Count of Sobremonte, Knight of Calatrava was a Spanish dictator, aristocrat, and a military official who was appointed Prime Minister by the King and who for seven years was a dictator, ending the turno system of alternating...
and Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
) persecuted the Catalan language, some attempted to boycott language normalization in Valencia and the Balearic Islands by creating a naming conflict. In Valencia, the violent pressure made it possible for the name llengua valenciana entered the Statute of Autonomy
Statute of Autonomy
Nominally, a Statute of Autonomy is a law hierarchically located under the constitution of a country, and over any other form of legislation...
.
The negative consequences of the conflict for the linguistic normalization were intended to be solved by the end of the twentieth century with a new mixed name: català-valencià, and català-valencià-balear.
Since the persistence of the conflict, the universities of Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands have defended the name llengua catalana along with the legal synonym name of valencià.
External links
- Zarko Muljačić, "Perché i glottonimi linguaggio italiano, lingua italiana (e sim.) appaiono per indicare «oggetti» reali e non soltanto auspicati moho piú tardi di altri termini analoghi che si riferiscono a vane lingue gallo e ibero-romanze?"
- Sobre la llengua dels valencians. informes i documents, Universitat de Valencia, Valènciam, 1998
- Llengua i cultura dels Borja a Roma. Els "catalani"
- A.Vila Francés i A. Vila Moreno, El nom històric de la llengua valenciana
- August Rafanell, El misteriós llemosí de la festa d'Elx: constants d'un discurs perifèric
- Josep Ballester, El feixisme i la cultura catalana al País Valencià a la postguerra: a propòsit d'un procés de folclorització i d'eliminació
- Joan Fuster, Qüestió de noms
- Documental "Del roig al blau"
- 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
- Organització pel Multilingüisme. Nosaltres que podem, dialoguem.
- Buidatge d’articles de l’Estat de la qüestió : La polèmica català/valencià
Further reading
- Antoni I. Alomar, «La llengua catalana com a patrimoni de les Balears des del punt de vista del passat», dins Societat Arqueològica Lul·liana, Actes del IV Congrés El nostre patrimoni cultural: El català, patrimoni de Mallorca, Palma, 1997, pàgs. 17-56.
- Josep Amengual i Batle, "La llengua del poble dins els sínodes mallorquins", Randa 6.
- Germà Colón i Domènech, La llengua catalana en els seus textos I, Curial Ed., Barcelona, 1978. p. 39-59, 60-71. ISBN: 84-7256-158-5.
- Germà Colón i Domènech, El español y el catalán, juntos y en contraste, Editorial Ariel , Barcelona, 1989, p. 19-32. ISBN: 84-344-8208-8.
- Germà Colón i Domènech, Estudis de filologia catalana i romànica, Institut Interuniversiari de Filologia Valenciana - Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, València/Barcelona, 1997, p. 185-194. ISBN: 84-7826-833-2.
- Germà Colón i Domènech, De Ramon Llull al Diccionari de Fabra. Acostament a les lletres catalanes, Fundació Germà Colón, Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, Barcelona, 2003, p. 229-242. ISBN: 84-8415-541-2.
- Antoni Ferrando, Consciència idiomàtica i nacional dels valencians, València, Universitat de València, València, 1980. ISBN: 8437001625
- Antoni Ferrando i Miquel Nicolás, Panorama d'història de la llengua, Tàndem Edicions, València, 1993. ISBN: 84-8131-038-7.
- Antoni Ferrando i Miquel Nicolás, Història de la llengua catalana, Universitat Oberta,Ed. Pòrtic, Barcelona, 2005, p. 105-107, 165-169, 251.254. ISBN: 84-9788-149-4.
- Rosalia Guilleumas, La llengua catalana segons Antoni Rubió i Lluch, Ed. Barcino, Barcelona, 1957. ISBN: 84-7226-475-0.
- Antoni Mas i Forners, «De nationes seu linguae a cuius regio eius lingua. Les demominacions gentilícies de la llengua a Mallorca durant l’edat mitjana», Homenatge a Guillem Rosselló Bordoy, Volum II, Palma, 2002. p. 585-606. ISBN: 84-95871-14-9.
- Josep Massot i Muntaner, «La consciència lingüística als segles XV-XVIII», Lluc, desembre de 1969, pàgs. 6-8; recollit dins Els mallorquins i la llengua autòctona, Curial, Barcelona, 11972, pàgs. 13-25. ISBN:
- Josep Massot i Muntaner, "Antoni M. Alcover i la llengua catalana", II Congrés Internacional de la Llengua Catalana, Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, Barcelona, 1985, p. 118-127.
- Manuel Sanchis Guarner, "La llengua dels valencians", Ed. Tres i Quatre, València, 1972. p. 2144.
- Pere Oliver i Domenge, La catalanitat de les Mallorques. Conferència llegida en la vetlla del 23 de març de 1916, en el Casal Catalanista de Sants «Els Segadors», Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya – Illes Balears i Pitiüses, Mallorca, 1993.
- Antonio Planas Rosselló, El proceso penal en el Reino de Mallorca, Miquel Font Ed., Palma, 1998. ISBN: 84-7967-067-3.
- August Rafanell (ed.), Un nom per a la llengua. El concepte de llemosí en la història del català, Vic/Girona, EUMO Editorial/Universitat de Girona, 1991. ISBN: 84-7602-804-0.
- August Rafanell Vall-llosera, El llemosinisme. Un estudi de les idees sobre la variació lingüística en la història de la llengua catalana, Publicacions de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Tesi Doctoral (microfitxa), Bellaterra: UAB, 1991.
- Mila Segarra, "Llengua i escriptura en la societat catalana medieval" dins Història de la cultura catalana I, Ed. 62, Barcelona, 1999, p.125-150. ISBN: 84-297-4544-0.
- Sobre la llengua els valencians. informes i documents, Universitat de Valencia, València, 1998.