Catalan, Valencian, Balearic: Independent Languages or Dialects?

Introduction

• Controversy: Are Catalan, Valencian, and Balearic the same language or different?
• Objective: To approach the question in a scientific, linguistic manner.

Defining Language

• No Fixed Definition: Requires unlearning preconceived notions about language.
• Dialect Continuum: Difficulty in distinguishing where one language ends and another begins.
• Diasystems: Groupings based on linguistic phenomena.

Language vs. Dialect

• RAE Definition: Language as a verbal communication system with writing.
• Language for Thinking: Some linguists argue language’s primary function is for thought, not communication.
• Writing Not Essential: Many languages exist without a written form.
• Language as a System: Structured, functional whole.
• Criteria for Language: Number of speakers, literature, political will, legality, social awareness.

Catalan-Valencian-Balearic (CVB) System

• Dialects vs. Languages: CVB classified as a dialect system due to grammatical and lexical similarities.
• Naming Controversy: Names (Catalan, Valencian, Balearic) are arbitrary and subject to political and social influences.
• Geographical Spread: Spoken in regions from Pyrenees to Murcia, Andorra, Alghero in Sardinia, and eastern Aragon.
• Local Varieties: Significant internal variations, especially in pronunciation and verb conjugations.

Linguistic Differences

• Unstressed [e] Pronunciation: Different in Western and Eastern Catalan.
• Valencian Peculiarities: Use of labiodental [v], “apitxat” phenomenon.
• Balearic Peculiarities: Use of “article salat”.
• Demonstrative Adjectives: Valencian has three forms, Catalan has two.
• Internal Variation: Differences within each region, yet unified written standard.

Subjective Arguments Against CVB Unity

• Distinct Literature: Mislead by author’s origin vs. language used.
• Historical Presence: No documentation of Valencian before Catalan speakers arrived.
• Pompeu Fabra: Standardized Catalan, did not “invent” it, pushed against Castilian influence.
• Political Influences: Arguments often stem from social/political motivations, not linguistic facts.

Historical Spread

• Origin: Catalan developed in Old Catalonia, spread north and south over time.
• Crown of Aragon: Expansion brought Catalan to Valencia and Balearic Islands.
• Repopulation: Complex mix of settlers in Valencian region, predominantly Catalan-speaking.

Final Thoughts

• Linguistic Study: Essential to differentiate scientific linguistics from socio-political debates.
• Max Weinreich’s Quote: “A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.”