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aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of aranese english the occitan of Catalonia

Aranese is the Val d’Aran’s own form of Occitan, a manifestation of this millenary language and culture. The exhibition presents Aranese as an Occitan cultural reality that is historically linked to Catalonia. It shows how the standardisation of Aranese has evolved since its recognition and official protection as a forward-looking living language.

ARANESE AND THE OCCITAN

Aran forms part of the Occitan linguistic and cultural This cultural area has managed to survive despite the territory called the Occitan region or . It emergence of new political entities – mainly the Kingdom covers an extensive area stretching from the Atlantic to of – that began to impose their respective the Mediterranean and from the to the , languages and cultures on it from the 16th century and is administered by four different States: France (32 onwards. and culture have also survived departments), (12 Alpine valleys), the Principality of thanks to the people, to the working classes, to the literary , and the Val d’Aran. renaissance of ’s Félibrige and to pro-Occitan movements, which have kept both alive. In the , Occitan language and culture gave rise to the first cultural manifestations in a European language Aran’s link to Catalonia since the treaty named Tractat after . Male and (Occitan female d’Emparança (1130), which was confirmed by the granting troubadours) developed a literature, the expression of a of a privilege called the Querimònia (1313), has allowed new culture and civilisation that spread everywhere and Aran to have its own institutions of government. These influenced other nascent cultures in . institutions have maintained the language’s prestige and use, and have turned Aranese into a specific case within the Occitan region.

Map of the linguistic The Occitan region covers a large area of Occitan, with its geographical area of more than main variants. Aranese 190,000 km2. Today it spreads forms part of the Gascon across four States: France, Italy, . Shown in red and Monaco. One of the is the Val d’Aran, the most valuable legacies of its territory where it is culture is the language, with all of spoken. its and variants, among which we find Aranese. aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of Catalonia

ARAN: A COUNTRY

Aran is the only north-oriented valley in Catalonia, whose Population of the Val d’Aran cultural and linguistic expression is Occitan. municipalities. 2018

Covering just 633 km2 and 33 history-filled villages, Aran 1 5.493 has been open to demographic changes while retaining 2 1.790 its authenticity and safeguarding its identity under all 3 Bossòst 1.110 circumstances. Thus, within a magnificent natural, cultural 4 Les 954 and sporting environment, it now welcomes thousands of 5 Es Bòrdes 266 visitors every year. 6 Vilamòs 159 7 Canejan 84 Aran is currently one of the preferred tourist destinations 8 64 in Catalonia. Thousands of people visit it, especially 9 63 in the winter, to make the most of its high-quality ski resorts, cuisine, hotels and shops. Population by place of birth. 2003-2018

ARAN FOR ITS LANGUAGE

Born in the Born elsewhere Born elsewhere Born Since 1993, the Aranese have met to take part in the fun run Val d’Aran in Catalonia in Spain abroad Aran per sa lengua organised by the group Lengua Viua. Every year, on the last Sunday in July, the participants set off 10,2% 15,7% 20,7% 25,0% 23,6% 22,8% 21,0% 21,0% 21,1% from the three ends of Aran – Montgarri, Pontaut and Pòrt 25,9% 24,4% de Vielha – and congregate in Vielha, on a day of sport and 22,7% 20,6% 20,5% 20,6% 20,8% 21,0% 21,1% demands for the social use of Aranese. It ends with a party 23,3% 20,5% 21,1% 21,2% 20,9% 22,5% 19,7% 20,3% and a concert performed by the group Nadau. 21,0%

40,5% 34,7% 35,6% 36,2% 3 7,1% 36,8% 36,8% 3 7,4% 35,6% Population 2018 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2018 9.983 inhabitants

BASIC FORMS OF ARANESE

Aranese is a variant of the great historical language spoken throughout the Occitan region. As part of the Gascon dialect, it has a number of outstanding linguistic features.

CONSONANTS AND VOWELS ARTICLES

· Shift from the initial Latin f to , which is aspirated · eth / er (masculine singular) depending on whether in some places a word begins with a consonant or a vowel

· Dropping of the intervocalic n · era (feminine singular)

· Evolution of the double l (ll) · es (masculine and feminine plural) Depending on its position within or at the end of a word, from the Latin l (ll) to th The intervocalic ll becomes r · Emergence of the initial a, and doubling of r · The digraphs lh, and in Aranese are equivalent to the · Shift from the final l of a to a semivowel u digraphs ll, ny and ix in Catalan aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of Catalonia

ARANESE IN FIGURES

Aranese is a very important part of the Val d’Aran’s identity. knowledge of Aranese. 2008-2018 Many public- and private-sector bodies encourage people Understands it Can speak it Can read it Can write it to use it and learn it, but what is Aran’s present-day 83,3% 73,5% 60% 45,8% linguistic reality?

The latest data collected by the Survey of Language Use Initial, identifying or usual by the Population (2018) conducted by the Government languages. 2018 of Catalonia’s Directorate General for Language Policy Other Other and the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (Idescat) show Aranese Catalan Spanish languages an increase in the general knowledge of Aranese across a 6,9% 8,7% 16,6% range of skills. 17,0% 11,7% 3,2%

The percentages of knowledge of Aranese have 37,7% 37,8% 44,9% increased by skill: reading (14 percentage points), writing 16,6% (11 percentage points), comprehension (2.5 percentage 16,3% 15,3% points) and speaking (3.2 percentage points). 21,4% 24,7% 19,7%

Eighty-three per cent of the population understands Initial language Identifying Usual language Aranese. That percentage gradually grew by 5 points language from 2008 to 2018.

In 2013, the presence of Aranese grew slightly at three Knowledge of Aranese by age. 2018 levels: as an initial language (nearly 2 percentage points), as an identifying language (3 percentage points) and as a Aged 15 to 29 Understands it Can speak it Can read it Can write it usual language (2 percentage points). 90,6% 75,2% 87,4% 72,2%

The biggest group surveyed – those aged 65 and Aged 30 to 44 over – had the second highest percentages in Aranese Understands it Can speak it Can read it Can write it comprehension, reading and speaking skills. 81,9% 55,3% 67,8% 48,6%

Aged 45 to 64 Among the youngest group surveyed – those aged Understands it Can speak it Can read it Can write it 15 to 29 – the increase in knowledge of Aranese was 79,9% 54,1% 70,5% 36,8% considerable, with more than 70% in all skills. Aged 65 and over A higher percentage of the population had Aranese as an Understands it Can speak it Can read it Can write it 86,7% 67,9% 78,0% 34,8% identifying language than as an initial language (24.7%).

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY KEY EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF ARANESE

Considering the general situation of Occitan, which has no 1175 The territory of Aran was 1915 Jusèp Condò published recognition in France, the vitality of Aranese is exceptional. linked to the Crown by Vocabulari aranès, the In 1979, exactly 40 years ago now, Aranese was officially the treaty named Tractat first work on the incipient d’Emparança, which was of the recognised for the first time, though it was calledparla reached by the Aranese and language of Aran. Condò aranesa (Aranese language) at that time. In 1991, thanks King Alfonso I. came into contact with the to the first Law on the special regime of Aran, Aranese Felibrists through his friend attained official status in Aran and became the language 1313 King James II recognised the Bernat Sarrieu, and he privileges and government became aware of Aranese used by the Conselh Generau d’Aran (General Council of of Aran by granting the so- belonging to Gascon, one of Aran) and village councils. In 2006, Occitan also became an called Querimònia that the the great Occitan dialects. official language throughout Catalonia. In Aran, where it is Aranese had requested. usually called Aranese, it is the public authorities’ own and The cultural identity and 1931 With his thesis entitled normally used language, and it is the vehicular language in language of Aran was Vocabulario aranés, Joan retained and respected. Coromines was awarded schools. a doctorate in Madrid. 1834 The Conselh Generau d’Aran Coromines’s work confirmed was abolished as a result the Occitan nature of Aran’s of the provincial division own language. By 1925, by Javier de Burgos (1833). he had already published Aran was then administered Etimologies Araneses. Much by Provincial Council. later on, he published El Spanish became the only parlar de la Val d’Aran: official language. gramàtica i estudis lexicals sobre el gascó. aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of Catalonia

1966 Occitània, the Barcelona- 1984 Aranese began to be taught territorial entity within 2014 As the academy of the based publishing house, as a matter of course in Catalonia, and it further Occitan language in published the book Estudio Aran’s schools. recognised its language as Catalonia, the Institute of sobre el dialecto aranés by being Occitan, which had Aranese Studies became Casimiro Ademà. 1991 Aranese was declared an official status throughout the Aranese linguistic official language in the Val Catalonia: authority. 1979 The Statute of Autonomy d’Aran. “The Occitan language, of Catalonia recognised known as Aranese in Aran, The 11th Congress of the Aranese for the first time The Petit Diccionari aranés- is Aran’s own language and International Association of in a legal text. It did so in castelhan-catalan-francés is official in Catalonia, as Occitan Studies took place. Article 3.4: “The Aranese by Frederic Vergés was established by this Statute language of the Val d’Aran published. and by the acts of linguistic 2015 Law 1/2015 of the will be taught and the normalisation.” object of special respect 1998 The Language Policy Law Statute of Autonomy of established Aran’s own and protection”. legally recognised Aranese Catalonia, Article 6.5. special regime. The as “the Val d’Aran’s own historical, geographical and 1983 The Government of of the Occitan 2007 The first Aranese grammar linguistic identity of Aran Catalonia approved the language”. of an academic nature was recognised as part of orthographical standards by Aitor Carrera was the Occitan national reality. of Aranese. Classic Occitan 2005 The Chair in Occitan published. orthography was adopted Studies was created at the as the orthographical University of Lleida. 2010 The Parliament of Catalonia standard for Aranese. approved the Law on The first Language 2006 The Statute of Autonomy Occitan, Aranese in Aran, Standardisation Law of Catalonia represented which regulated the official established Aranese as the a fundamental change. It status, use and teaching of Val d’Aran’s own language. recognised Aran as a unique the language.

INSTITUTIONAL IMPETUS

From the very beginning of the Government of Catalonia’s primary Catalan public television channel TV3 and the restoration, it worked hard to put in place the required Catalan public radio station Catalunya Ràdio are examples legal and regulatory framework and the basic language- of the latter. related instruments to protect and standardise Aranese as the expression of an Occitan language in Catalonia. Outside Aran, the Government of Catalonia (Government and Parliament) played an active role in the use and In 1983, the Government of Catalonia approved the Normes dissemination of knowledge of Aranese, the variety of ortogràfiques de l’aranès put forward by a committee of Occitan in Catalonia, in particular from the time Law experts created the year before. As the basis for Aranese 35/2010 was approved. Since then, all the Laws of the writing, the aforementioned standards adopted a classic Catalan Parliament have been published in Aranese and are Occitan orthography, which had already been recovered of an official nature. Moreover, the provisions, resolutions for the other Occitan dialects. and agreements of the institutions making up the Government of Catalonia and its institutional system must At the same time, Aranese was present in the work to draw be published in Aranese if they specifically affect Aran. up the first Language Standardisation Law (1983). In 1984, Aranese began to be taught as a matter of course in Aran. The Government of Catalonia and the Conselh Generau In 1986, the Government of Catalonia conducted the first d’Aran work in a coordinated manner to foster the study of Aranese entitled Realitat lingüística a la Val d’Aran language, its international projection and collaboration and, in 1987, the Centre for Language Standardisation of with others in the Occitan region. the Val d’Aran was created.

In 1991, the Conselh Generau d’Aran assumed responsibility Current legal and regulatory for providing institutional impetus to Aranese in Aran framework by organising courses for adults, literary competitions and publications. It also offered , proofreads · Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia (2006). and language advice. A prominent action of the Conselh · Law 35/2010, of 1 October, on Occitan, Aranese in Aran. Generau d’Aran was the publication of textbooks, stories · Law 1/2015, 5 February, on the special regime of Aran. and teaching materials for learning and standardising · Decree 12/2014, of 21 January, on the Institute Aranese in Aran’s schools. One example is the Petit of Aranese Studies. Diccionari. In Aran, people working for public authorities must Nevertheless, the Government of Catalonia continued to have knowledge of Aranese. In all selection processes, play an important role through the use of Aranese in the applicants must be able to prove that they have a level of provision of services that depended on it, as well as in the Aranese appropriate to the respective vacancies. education, health, safety and public media spheres. The aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of Catalonia

RESOURCES

To address the needs of disseminating and learning Aran’s downloadable publications, which provide considerable own language, as well as translating texts into Aranese, support for the standardisation of Aranese, particularly in the Government of Catalonia’s Directorate General the educational sphere. for Language Policy has a website section dedicated http://publicacions.conselharan.org/ specifically to Occitan: https://llengua.gencat.cat/ca/ occita/ institute of aranese studies The Conselh Generau d’Aran and the Institut d’Estudis As a new regulatory institution, the Institute of Aranese Aranesi also have online resources. Studies has online works of a linguistic and lexicographical nature. www.institutestudisaranesi.cat/ Machine engine Enables translation from Catalan and Spanish into the Aranese and reference variants of Occitan, and vice versa. More resources of interest

Online dictations · To learn about the legislation and regulations relating to Aranese, the Institute of Aranese Studies offers its Enables Occitan to be practised and learnt, also in the publications in a downloadable format Aranese and reference variants of the language, with www.institutestudisaranesi.cat self-correcting texts to enable work to be done on various orthographical aspects particular to Occitan. · To practice and learn Aranese online, the Institut Aranès’s Club aranès website (www.aranes.club) offers courses at Twitter account “occitan_aranes” various levels. Disseminates news and information, and provides updates · To learn about other variants of the Occitan language, the on institutional and social events, curious facts, etc., all of website of Lo Congrés Permanent de la lenga occitana which are related to the language of Aran and its cultural (The Permanent Congress of the Occitan Language) and creative expressions. (www.locongres.org) offers various online dictionaries, verb conjugators and other resources. Conselh Generau d’Aran · To find and listen to music from Aran and elsewhere The Conselh Generau d’Aran has a website section in Occitania, check out the Trobasons website (www. dedicated specifically to Aranese as well as numerous trobasons.com).

EDUCATION

Education is a key sector for imparting knowledge of Youngsters, the ones with the Aranese Occitan and for guaranteeing citizens’ rights to greatest knowledge use the language. In Aran, Occitan is taught in school and is the vehicular language. Thus, it also fulfils an important Schooling in Aranese is key for maintaining the good health function of social integration. When students finish their of the language, as are actions that not only promote its compulsory education in Aran, they all have knowledge of use among the youngest age groups, but also allow current Aranese. Aranese is present in the different educational uses to be extended. The Survey of Language Use (2018) stages, including: conducted by the Government of Catalonia’s Directorate General for Language Policy sheds light on this issue. Early childhood education: Aranese is the linguistic basis Among the youngest group of the population surveyed – of learning. Catalan and Spanish are also taught in schools, those aged 15 to 29 – in Val d’Aran, knowledge of Aranese at the speaking level. was considerable in all skills.

Primary education: Aranese, Catalan and Spanish are Aged 15 to 29 taught in schools and also used to teach the different subjects. Understands it Can read it

Compulsory secondary education: Each of the official 90,6% 87,5% languages is taught for two hours per week. Can speak it Can write it 75,5% 72,2% aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of Catalonia

Education figures. Aran, 2018-2019

Early childhood education (1st cycle; ages 0-3) Primary education (ages 6-12) 85 students 513 students 1.169 In the 2018/19 academic Early childhood education (2nd cycle; ages 3-6) Compulsory secondary education (ages 12-16) year, students received their in-school education 254 students 317 students in Aranese.

MEDIA

Today it is possible to access information and news in participation of its readers from all over the Occitan Aranese every day and in every format: radio, television, region, who also help to edit and fund it. magazines, online newspapers, websites and institutional accounts on social media. Aran TV A local channel in Aranese that has been broadcasting The offering of news content in Aranese by Catalan public since 2010 on the Internet and Lleida Televisió, on which media outlets (Catalunya Informació, Betevé, channels 3/24 short newscasts are offered. It organises debates on local and TV3) is now more visible than ever. Regarding private issues and an Aranese edition of the TV spelling bee Pica media outlets, the constancy of Lleida Televisió’s Aran TV lletres. It also has a news website, AuéTV (https://aue. channel is noteworthy. In the digital world, the freshness of cat). new news pages is perceptible. TV3 The presence and increase in content in Aranese is partly It broadcasts the programme TN comarques Vall d’Aran in due to institutional recognition of the language and to Aranese on Fridays via an opt-out. the language standardisation actions carried out in Aran. Nevertheless, it is necessary to go much further in order Ràdio Pirenèus consolidate these policies; increasing the use of Aranese It basically broadcasts in French, and also in Aranese for even more in new spheres and on new digital media. By the Val d’Aran and the neighbouring Occitan-speaking doing so, it can adapt to new times and new communication . technologies. AUÉ TV The new collaboration agreement between the Catalan It is a multimedia news internet portal of the Segre Broadcasting Corporation (CCMA) and the Conselh Communication Group, which broadcasts reports and Generau d’Aran (2019) is a further step towards news from the Val d’Aran, which has recently joined the strengthening content in Aranese and bringing the reality communicative offer in Aranese. of Aran to the whole of Catalonia: a greater presence of Aran-related news in Aranese on channel 3/24’s news round-ups; dubbing children’s programmes in Aranese; and SOME SIGNIFICANT DATES creating specific sections in Aranese on the websites ccma. cat and 324.cat. 1981 First broadcast of a 2010 Aran TV began broadcasting, programme in Occitan on under the name Hèm TV. Catalunya Informació French public television At 8am every day, it broadcasts – via an opt-out – two (). 2012 Launch of Jornalet hours of programmes in Aranese, namely Eth maitin www.jornalet.com. d’Aran and Catalonha Informacion. There is also a short 1983 First radio broadcast in Aranese on Ràdio Aran. 2019 The Twitter account @ Catalonia-wide newscast for the region’s news. occitan_aranes was opened 1988 First broadcast in Aranese on by the Directorate General Betevé Catalunya Ràdio. for Language Policy, via On Saturday mornings, it broadcasts the programme which it disseminates 1988 First television programme information and provides #Aranésòc, which includes news in Occitan about Aran in Aranese (Era Lucana) on updates on curious facts, and the Occitan world. It is subtitled in Catalan. Spanish public television events, and resources for (TVE) Aranese and the Occitan 3/24 language in general. From Monday to Friday, it offers an afternoon news 1990 First TV3 opt-out for the Val d’Aran. round-up in Aranese. 1999 Publication of Eth Diari, Jornalet the first publication of a Free online digital newspaper written entirely in Occitan. newspaper distributed by newsagents. It is a collaborative project supported by the active aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of Catalonia

ROOTED CULTURE, VIBRANT CULTURE

The creative output and cultural activity of associations, DANCE artists and private initiatives in Aran today find, in Aranese, their normal means of expression thanks to the Es Fradins de Vielha, Era Còlha de Santa Maria de Mijaran, standardisation and teaching of the language over the last Es Gripets de Naut Aran, Es Sautarèths de Bossòst and Es 40 years. High-quality cultural production is greater in the Corbilhuèrs are other dance groups that spread Aran’s Occitan region as a whole, and synergies to the benefit traditional choreographic and musical heritage. Aran of the language are developed between it and Aranese Dance, produced in 2010, is a 28-minute documentary creative output. in Aranese on the heritage recovery tasks undertaken by those groups. It was promoted by the Conselh Generau FOLK DANCE AND MUSIC d’Aran and directed by Axel Dettoni.

The tradition-rooted culture that we are able to enjoy CONTEMPORARY MUSIC today is the result of research into, and the recovery of, the intangible heritage of traditional local dance groups from Alidé Sans is currently the main point of reference in Aran’s different villages. Aranese contemporary music. In recent years, she A prominent group is Es Corbilhuèrs from Les, which has has become the artiste with the greatest international recovered songs and dances from the Gascon tradition. In projection. 1990, it published the album Aran cante Gasconha. In 2006, the band Bramatopin came on the scene. It is now THE ANTHEM called Sarabat and is the main point of reference for today’s Aranese folk music. The Val d’Aran’s anthem, Montanhes araneses is an Aranese In this process, the work by the ethnomusicologists Artur adaptation of the traditional version of , a love Blasco and Joan Francés Tisnèr has been outstanding. song that has several versions across the Occitan region that has been popularly adopted as the national anthem of THEATRE Occitania. In 2008, the Conselh Generau d’Aran adopted Montanhes araneses as Aran’s official anthem. Every year since 2006, the local theatre group Era Cabana from Les has put on a show in Aranese, with original plays written and directed by the Aranese author Manuela Ané. Some of the titles are Un pòble tara libertat, A grani problèmes, granes mentides and Un còp ère en ua tauèrna… Directed by Pax Dettoni, the theatre group De persones d’Aran entà toti emerged in 2010 with its theatre of consciousness, which explores emotional intelligence and awareness. She has premièred two plays, Qui sò jo? and Qui mane ací?.

ARAN’S LITERATURE

Aranese literature is currently one of the cultural universes Jusèp Condò Sambeat (1867-1919) creating social awareness in Aran; a tool that aims to support the language so that it can progress. Jusèp Condò, renowned for his and fiction, is the most prominent exponent of Aranese literature; a pioneer Aranese literature is the offspring of the rich and historical who single-handedly made way for Aranese by using it and Occitan literature; of the troubadours, the authors valuing it. The best-known title, Era isla des Diamants is a and the genius Frederic Mistral, the latter being one of utopian considered to be the first example of prose in most important writers of the 19th-century renaissance Aranese. of the Occitan language and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. In part, it is also the offspring of Jacint Pepita Caubet (1930-2007) Verdaguer, Joan Sales and other people among its celebrated translators, and of contemporary authors such A writer and poet, she was active in Aran’s cultural circles as , , Max Roqueta and and lived her entire life in Vielha. With Era darrèra fira de Robèrt Lafont. Vielha she won the first ever prize for literature in Aranese organised in 1976 by the Val d’Aran Ethnological Museum Foundation. Also outstanding are the book of poetry Varicauba and her last work, Jacinta, casa e pais. aranés, er occitan de Catalonha Aranese, the occitan of Catalonia

Jèp de Montoya (1959) Tòni Escala (1961) He is the author of the Vademecum aranense, which is a Antònia Escala, known as Tòni Escala, is an Aranese author compilation of literary, legal, folk and religious materials and winner of several Occitan-language prizes in Catalonia, that are examples of Aranese written heritage over a 900- Occitania and (an Occitan-speaking year period. He is also a writer of poetry and fiction. enclave in ). She has published and stories and is well-known for works such as Tanplan tornèc (2004), Paco Boya (1960) En vacances (2007), T’i maridaràs? (2007), Moria!... Èm perduts! (2009) and Hered (2010). She published the book Francés Xavier Boya, who is better known as Paco Boya, is an of poems 101 Pensades in 2019. Aranese writer and musician. He is the author of the literary guide Era Val d’Aran (1995), of the collection of short stories Xavi Gutiérrez (1971) L’alè del bosc (1997) and of the novel Presoèrs dera mar gelada (1999), for which he was awarded the Les Talúries prize in Historian, librarian and translator, Xavi Gutiérrez is 1998, the Vila de Luishon medal and the Stéphen Liégeard currently one of the most renowned Aranese poets. He medal (1999). His latest book is Ereus dera tèrra (2019). has received awards in Aran and elsewhere in the Occitan region. His latest publication was Bestiauuu! Amàs poetic de bèsties, bestiòtes e bestieses (2019), a work with an illustration and a poem for every animal of the Aranese fauna, together with the associated vocabulary. It has been distributed in Val d’Aran schools.

DAILY LIFE

Aranese is present in the Val d’Aran’s streets and daily life or, to use an authentic Occitan expression, in la vida vidanta. The linguistic landscape of Aran makes the country’s own language visible on signage, street name plates, signposting, adverts, shops, etc.

© Government of Catalonia. Ministry of Culture © Photographs General Direction of Linguistic Policy Government of Catalonia. Ministry of Culture (Galo Tobías); Zep Armentano; Teatre de Consciéncia of Pax Dettoni (Pep Caparrós) Graphic design Manuel Cuyàs and Berta Rosés Production and assembly Editing MAUD Gran Format Nuria Cicero Exhibition design Jordi Batalla and Anna Riba