Catalan is not Spanish
and Barcelona is not Spain

How many of us can actually point out Spain, Cataluña or Barcelona on the map?

How many of us think that the primary language in these areas is Spanish?

It's not surprising that many people throughout the world think that these areas of the world speak Spanish as the primary language. We also assume that French is spoken in France and Italian in Italy. However, you might be surprised to find that an estimated 6.7 million people in portions of Spain, France and Italy speak Catalan, a romance language of the Indo-European family.

An additional five million people carry Catalan as a second language. You may also be surprised to find out that although Catalan has many similarities with Spanish, Catalan is not Spanish or any derivative of that language. A visit to Barcelona underlines this point; signs are in Catalan, then in Spanish, and then in English.

Why is Catalan special?

Catalan has roots in Vulgar Latin, not unlike many other languages spoken today. History tells us that the Catalan language first appeared during the 10th century. Catalan developed from Vulgar Latin on both sides of the eastern Pyrenees Mountains, a range of mountains in southwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain. Conquests in the 13th century brought Catalan to regions of what is now southern Spain; including Barcelona and Valencia. Catalan suffered several periods of prohibition and repression in the 18th century and use of the language was banned for many years during different political struggles. A period of economic, cultural and national renaissance began during the 19th century and Catalan became the "language of literary culture". The language was then standardized by the publication of spelling rules and grammar in the early 20th century. The use of Catalan was once again banned during the Spanish Civil War and did not return until democracy was restored to these areas in 1975. Since that time Catalan has returned as the official language and has been promoted in business and education by local governments.

History tells us that this language represents much more than just a foreign tongue. Catalan was the language of an oppressed people and of political struggle. Speaking Catalan is now a matter of historic pride and a special tradition for millions of people throughout southwest Europe.

Catalan Today

Catalan is presently the primary regional European language used in politics, education and the media throughout much of southwest Europe. The traditions, the food and the culture all have a different flair than the rest of southwest Europe. The people of Barcelona even take offense when we refer to them as Spaniards.

The table below displays some of the obvious differences between Catalan and Spanish:

Catalan	Spanish	English
noi	muchacho	boy
sostre	techo	ceiling
cadira	silla	chair
net	limpio	clean
brut	sucio	dirty
got	vaso	drinking glass
terra	piso	ground
nebot	sobrino	nephew
taula	mesa	table
finestra	ventana	window
dona	mujer	woman

As you can see, Catalan varies greatly from Spanish. At times word similarities can be recognized in German, Portuguese, Spanish or even English. We all share Latin as the root to many of our words.

Catalan in Business

Barcelona lies in Cataluña, an autonomous region of Spain. Valencia, the Basque Country, and Galicia are also autonomous regions where Catalan is spoken or understood. Since most of the autonomous regions are promoting the use of Catalan in business markets and schools, businesses that offer products and services in Catalan are growing rapidly. These market sectors include biotechnology, information technologies and logistical services.

Even though 11.7 million is an impressive number of possible customers for any business, thousands of products target only the Spanish, French or Italian speaking audiences. Due to the autonomous nature of the Catalan speaking cultures, they distance themselves at every opportunity from everything that might be related to their oppressors. No matter how wonderful your products or services might be, if your products are only presented in Spanish, French or Italian, you may find that these areas of Spain, France and Italy are ignoring you and your products while the competition is taking over these market sectors by offering products in Catalan.

Even the entertainment industry feels the pressure to conform. A popular movie was recently dubbed in Spanish and released to areas where Catalan is spoken. It didn't go as well as the movie producers planned. Had they taken the time to consider the possible 11.7 million customers speaking Catalan and disliking anything Spanish, perhaps they would have invested in a version dubbed in Catalan. Knowledge in this case is truly power. Meeting the expectations of niche clients is playing an increasing role as a driving force in market competition. Understanding that this is a strong and proud audience, it is a good idea to start doing business with Catalonia.

New technologies and business sectors are emerging worldwide. As communication improves, millions of prospective customers are brought closer to you and your business. To bridge the communication gap, your products should be targeted towards the audience. If it is your intention to reach millions of Catalan speaking customers, you should invest the time and energy to market your products or services accordingly.

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