Language attitudes in Catalonia: A contemporary perspective seen from pro-independence sociopolitical organizations

Abstract

In a context of increasing linguistic diversity and political uncertainty in Catalonia, this article reports on a research project which set out to explore the attitudes of members of six pro-independence sociopolitical organizations operating in the city of Girona toward Catalan and Spanish. On the basis of six focus groups and ten narrative interviews, this article analyses the respondents’ language attitudes using Ruiz’s framework of language-as-a-problem and language-as-a-resource. Four themes emerge in the informants’ discussion of Catalan and Spanish: ‘Marker of Difference’, ‘(Potential) Social Cohesion’, ‘Imposition’ and ‘Multilingualism as-a-resource’. The comments of the respondents indicate that Catalan and Spanish continue to be mobilized in diverse and varied combinations for a wide range of purposes in Catalonia.