Catalan Countries

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The term Catalan Countries (Catalan: Països Catalans) includes all territories where the Catalan language is spoken. This concept first appeared at the end of the 19th century and later was popularized by the Valencian writer Joan Fuster, in his book Nosaltres els valencians ("We, the Valencians") (1962) with a very strong sense of Catalan identity. Nowadays, the term is politically charged, and also tends to be closely associated with Catalan nationalism and Catalan independentism. But nowadays, as well as in the past, the vast majority of Valencian and Balear people do not support the existence of this virtual country.^{[citation needed]} The idea of building this country is supported by political parties like ERC (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya).

The "Catalan Countries" are sometimes referred to by Catalan nationalists el pi de les tres branques (the three-branched pine, in Catalan), for its territory can be roughly divided in three parts:

• The former Principality of Catalonia, comprising:
  • the current Spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya or Catalunya del Sud)
  • Northern Catalonia (or Pays Catalan), in France (Catalan: Catalunya (del) Nord)
• The former kingdom of Majorca : the Balearic Islands (Catalan: Illes Balears i Pitiüsses)
• The former kingdom of Valencia: Land of Valencia (Catalan: País Valencià)

All of these were constituent parts of the historical Crown of Aragon.

In addition, the term also often embraces

• La Franja in Aragon (a Catalan-speaking region that is part of Aragon proper)
• Andorra (geographically adjacent, linked by language, but never under the same political dominion in the period where a distinct Catalan language has existed.)

This territory does not coincide exactly with the places where Catalan is the native language. For example, in the north-western region of Catalonia known as Val d'Aran, a dialect of Occitan, Aranese, is spoken and considered the native language, although Spanish and Catalan are also spoken. In western and south-western areas of Valencia, only Spanish is spoken. There are also some Catalan-speaking places outside the "Catalan Countries", such as El Carxe in Murcia and the city of Alghero (L'Alguer) on the island of Sardinia.

[edit] Different meanings and controversy

When the term is used in a strictly cultural/linguistic rather than nationalistic sense —analogously to La Francophonie— places such as Alghero are usually included within this definition. Conversely, when used in this sense, the non-Catalan-speaking areas of Valencia are excluded; the Val d'Aran may or may not be included.

The term is inevitably controversial. On the one hand, the concept of the Catalan Countries is seen as regional exceptionalism, counterposed to a centralizing Spanish national identity; on the other hand, some see it as an attempt by a nationalism centered in Catalonia proper to lay a hegemonic claim to Valencia, the Balearics, and the historically Catalan regions of France, whereas these three territories present a much less successful political Catalan nationalist sentiment than Catalonia proper itself. Thus, in several parts of the territories designated by some as "Catalan Countries", Catalan nationalist sentiment is actually very minoritary or not present at all.^{[citation needed]}

Still, this is not as hot a topic today as it was in the 1970s and '80s. The polemic against this are probably harshest in the Land of Valencia, where the language has been called "Valencian" ("valencià") by native speakers and in historic documents dating almost from the dawn of the Kingdom of Valencia in the 14th century; thus, many locals may feel offended to be included within the concept of "Catalan" Countries. In this regard, present-day usage of the expression "Catalan Countries" by nationalists in Catalonia proper is mostly rhetorical, since it is known to be a concept that is rejected by many of the people it claims to include.^{[citation needed]} Thus, the concept is only advocated today by a minority of Catalan independentists^{[citation needed]} and is not part of even most Catalan nationalists' current political agenda.

In the strictly cultural/linguistic dimension of the concept, the consensus of the Romance languages experts in general and the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua in particular, all accept the philological unity of the Catalan language, despite the fact that in the Land of Valencia it is known by a different name; however, by so doing, the Acadèmia does not necessarily endorse the project of a common cultural identity embracing these areas.

[edit] See also

• Euskal Herria, a political-cultural concept covering the Basque areas of Spain and France.
• Nationalities in Spain

[edit] External links

• "Catalan Countries" in the English version of the Catalan Hiperencyclopedia.
• Lletra. Catalan Literature Online