Use of Languages by Valencian Business-to-Consumer Service Companies in their Telematic Communications

Lluis Català-Oltra,Clemente Penalva-Verdù

doi:10.7146/hjlcb.vi61.127913

Lluis Català-Oltra, Clemente Penalva-Verdù

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.7146/hjlcb.vi61.127913

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Abstract

This study analyses the languages used by companies in their telematic means (website, social media, etc.) in a specific geographical area, the Valencian Community (Spain), where two official languages (Catalan and Spanish) coexist and where there is a large influx of foreign tourists (mainly British). More specifically, the aim of the study is to understand the weight each language has in companies’ telematic communication. The theoretical approach used for the analysis is the centre-periphery model, which is used to analyse national identity and language. Different techniques (use of secondary sources, mystery shopping, content analysis and direct observation) have been used in the quantitative empirical study to obtain a statistically disaggregated data matrix. The results strongly emphasize the peripheral and marginal position of Catalan in this region, and, on an international scale, the resistance of Spanish, which clearly maintains its hegemonic position over English in the telematic communications of these companies.

Highlights

Studying the languages used by companies in their telematic meansEspecially since the emergence of the Internet, communication between companies and customers, just as between the government and its citizens, is increasingly being carried out using different electronic channels, such as for example websites and social media
This is the reason why this research focuses on this type of telematic communication and, in addition, it provides us with a delimited view of how companies behave in a specific field
Bearing in mind that Spanish is present in practically all the telematic means of Valencian companies, this compilation table only includes the results for Valencian which is the official language of the Valencian Community in which a variation of behaviour was observed

Summary

Introduction

Studying the languages used by companies in their telematic meansEspecially since the emergence of the Internet, communication between companies and customers, just as between the government and its citizens, is increasingly being carried out using different electronic channels, such as for example websites and social media. With regards to the demand side, that of customers, the access to Information and Communication technology (ICT), for a large majority of the population (91% of the Spanish population between 16 and 74 years are Internet users), emphasizes the importance of the virtual domain. This is the reason why this research focuses on this type of telematic communication and, in addition, it provides us with a delimited view of how companies behave in a specific field (with regard to language). Telematic communication will be carried out with one of these means

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