Rafael RibóSíndic de Greuges de Catalunya

Dublin, May 24th 2013

1. Sociological data and legal frame for its recognition

2. Extension in Educational, mass media and cultural life

3. Consumers, Market services

4. Public Sector, civil servants in general, and Health system,

Courts

5. Language, daily life and community sense

6. Complains and resolutions

7. Conclusions. Threats and advantages. Sindic’s role

Catalan language rights

1. Sociological data and legal frame for its recognition

1.1. Spain’s linguistic composition

Galician 2,8 m. 6%

Basque 2,3 m 4,5 %

Catalan 13,5 m. 35 %

Total population 47,27 million

Catalan Language area:

• 13 and a half million inhabitants

• 9th linguistic area in EU

• More speakers than Danish,

Finish, Slovakian, Greek,

Portuguese, etc.

• But not official language in EU: It’s

not recognized as such. Cultural or

political fact?

1. Sociological data and legal frame for its recognition

LEGAL FRAME: Spanish 1978 Constitution:

Art 3 languages and cultures: 1. Castilian is the official Spanish language of the State. All Spaniards have the duty to know it and the right to use it.2. The other Spanish languages shall also be official in the respective Self-governing Communities in accordance with their Statutes3. The wealth of the different linguistic forms of Spain is a cultural heritage which shall be especially respected and protected.

Art 20.3 TV system: The law shall regulate the organization and parliamentary control of the mass communication media under the control of the State or any public agency and shall guarantee access to such media by the significant social land political groups, respecting the pluralism of society and of the various languages of Spain.

Art 149.2 Autonomous communities knowledge and change: Without prejudice to the competences that may be assumed by the Self-governing Communities, the State shall consider the promotion of culture a duty and an essential function and shall facilitate cultural communication among the Self-governing Communities, in cooperation with them.

2. Extension in Educational, mass media and cultural life

School immersion:• Pedagogical model• Preventing separation• Social opportunities for

promotion in equal terms

• Skillfulness in Spanish equal or

better than in other communities

(Pisa and Spanish government

results)• Validated by Constitutional Court

Administrative decisions

The Spanish Education Minister: “Our interest is to ‘Spanishise’ Catalan students”

2. Extension in Educational, mass media and cultural life

Mass Media:

• TV: over 3,5 million viewers watching

television in Catalan in Catalonia

• Radio: more than 2 million Catalan

radio listeners

• Newspaper: more than 1 million

people read newspapers in Catalan

• Social networks: Catalan, the 19th

most used language on Twitter

400.000 articles published in Catalan on Wikipedia, and the Catalan version is 15th place in the number of articles published

2. Extension in Educational, mass media and cultural life

Cultural production:

• Movies growing

• Music: Catalan music group in

the top list at iTunes Spanish

market 2 weeks ago

• Theatre (2010):

Over 161 universities all over the world offer courses in Catalan language and culture.

Num. %

Catalan 2.436 53,3

Castilian 762 16,7

Other languages 247 5,4

Multilingual 161 3,5

Mute 968 21,1

TOTAL 4.574 100

3. Consumers, Market services

Consumer rights and linguistic norms

in Catalan Statute 2006

Market and guarantees for selling

State norms prevention:

Big brand

Big services deliveries:

Call centres abroad

Billing

• 94% of products do not meet the legal requirements

4. Public sector, civil servants in general, Health system, courts

• Only 8% of lawsuits are in Catalan• Only 13% of judgments are drafted in Catalan

Health as universal service: public system doctors recruitment.

• Civil servants inheritance and progressive requirement.

• Catalan as normal language

Courts:

• Rotation

• Lack of autochthonous personnel

• Lowering level of Catalan. Fear of translation and understanding

5. Language, daily life and community sense

• Right to live in your own language

• Right and respect to live together with other speaking communities

• Learning other languages and cultures. Openness

• 120 languages

Nowadays it is impossible to meet young people in Catalonia with whom you cannot speak Catalan.

6. Complaints and resolutions

• Very low percentage

• In front of State apparatus in Catalonia

• Spanish Police and Civil Guard

• Tax agency

• Big services as Social security on retirement Pensions

7. Conclusions

• Linguistic conflict as a political strategy from outside Catalonia

• Attempts to divide Catalan language unity. Harming rights.

• Catalan demands for self determination

• Some Spanish answers for cleavages

• A clear, fruitful and positive language inheritance and mandate

• Catalan and Castilian speaking civil unity

Buíochas a ghabháil leat!

Thank you!

Gràcies!

Merci!

Diolch i chi!

Kiitos!