User:Tedrickja/Catalan language

Syntax[edit]
Main article: Catalan syntax

The grammar of Catalan follows the general pattern of Western Romance languages. The primary word order is subject–verb–object. However, word order is very flexible. Commonly, verb-subject constructions are used to achieve a semantic effect. The sentence "The train has arrived" could be translated as Ha arribat el tren or El tren ha arribat. Both sentences mean "the train has arrived", but the former puts a focus on the train, while the latter puts a focus on the arrival. This subtle distinction is described as "what you might say while waiting in the station" versus "what you might say on the train."

 EDIT #1:  In contrast to the other Romance languages, excepting for the Portuguese language, in Catalan, a definite article is employed before stating the name of an individual.

Spain: 18th to 20th centuries[edit]
See also: Nueva Planta decrees, Language politics in Spain under Franco, and Anti-Catalanism

The decline of Catalan continued in the 16th and 17th centuries. The defeat of the pro-Habsburg coalition in the War of Spanish Succession (1714) initiated a series of laws which, among other centralizing measures, imposed the use of Spanish in legal documentation all over Spain.

However, the 19th century saw a Catalan literary revival (Renaixença), which has continued up to the present day. This period starts with Aribau's Ode to the Homeland (1833); followed in the second half of the 19th century, and the early 20th by the work of Verdaguer (poetry), Oller (realist novel), and Guimerà (drama).

In the 19th century, the region of Carche, in the province of Murcia was repopulated with Catalan speakers from the Land of Valencia. The Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939) saw a brief period of tolerance, with most restrictions against Catalan being lifted. Despite orthographic standardization in 1913 and the official status of the language during the Second Spanish Republic, the Francoist dictatorship banned the use of Catalan in schools and in the public administration between 1939 and 1975. Franco's desire for a homogenous Spanish population resonated with some Catalonians in favor of his regime, primarily members of the upper class, who began to reject the use of Catalan. In addition to the loss of prestige for Catalan and the prohibition of its use in schools, migration during the 1950s into Catalonia from other parts of Spain also contributed to the diminished use of the language. These migrants were often unaware of the existence of Catalan, and thus felt no need to learn or use it.

 Edit #2:  These migrations continue to occur, Catalonia being the economic powerhouse of Spain, drawing in migrants from all corners of the country. This has historically affected employment opportunities for those who are not bilingual. Despite all of these hardships, Catalan continued to be used privately within households, and was able to survive after the end of Francisco Franco's dictatorship. The Spanish Civil War and following decades in Francoist Catalonia saw suppression of the Catalan language and culture. Several prominent Catalan authors resisted this suppression through their literature. Oppression of the Catalan language and identity during the Francoist regime was carried out in schools, through governmental bodies, and in religious centers.