The Spanish love their statistics and numbers. Sometimes I feel that there is some “pen pusher” somewhere who has come to the conclusion that there has been an increase in the number of people who wear red shoes or who water their gardens on a Sunday night. Now, I usually take all these figures with a pinch of salt but one figure caught my attention today: 58 per cent of foreign residents in the Balearics speak Catalan. The report has been compiled by InformeCat for the Platform for Language. It goes on to state that 37 per cent can actually read it. I find the figures totally amazing. My parents were typical expats, lived in Majorca for 30 years and didn't speak a word of Spanish let alone Catalan. Everyone readily admits the fact that foreign residents are not great when it comes to speaking Spanish or Catalan. There are a small number of foreign residents who have a high level of both Catalan and Spanish, but you can count them on a single hand. I think for once I can say with hand on heart that I find it very unlikely that 60 per cent of the foreign community speak Catalan. I sincerely doubt that 60 per cent of foreign residents speak Castillan Spanish let alone Catalan. I think that one of the joys of living on the island is that you do not need to speak Spanish or Catalan if you don't want to. You can “get by” with zero Spanish and many expats of all nationalities do so. 60 per cent of foreigners speak Catalan ... I don't think so.
Talking your language
05/05/2016 00:00
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7 comments
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Mick, the "teachers" couldn't care less. They have a well paid job, can't be sacked, long holidays and a good pension when they retire. Of course the ones that are able to and have a few more brain cells than their fellow activists, send their kids to private schools where lessons are generally in Spanish and English. Diane Abbott would applaud their initiative.
The PP had the right idea. Children here should only be taught in Spanish and a heavy dose of German and English. The problem is the Unions and not allowing in foreign teachers unless they are Catalan trained. An entire generation has lost a fabulous opportunity.
The PP had the right idea. Children here should only be taught in Spanish and a heavy dose of German and English. The problem is the Unions and not allowing in foreign teachers unless they are Catalan trained. An entire generation has lost a fabulous opportunity.
It´s the MaJorca Daily Bulletin´s fault. Just imagine the thousands and thousands of ex-pats who would now be saying bon dia instead of good morning if they hadn´t of had a cheap english newspaper at their disposal. I say ban the MDB and the percentage wouldl go up to 100% or even more.
It depends on whether the statistics include foreign children resident in the Balearics. If so they could well be correct since the children will be doing most of their studying in Catalan. The same applies to those who are no longer children but who have studied here.I am one of those you say you can 'count on your single hand' but then after 50 years in Spain, of which almost 30 in Catalunya and 10 in Mallorca it would be a disgrace if I weren't fluent in both Spanish and Catalan plus a good level of Mallorquí. I think it's a great pity that so many foreign residents choose to just 'get by' in their own language.
Párrafos, por amor de Dios, párrafos!
Do those studies by the University in Palma cost us taxpayers money? Or is it just practice for the students? I agree Jason - I don't know many British residents at least who speak Catalan and even less who speak Mallorquin. My wife and I attended Catalan at day & night classes here, but it wasn't Catalan - but Mallorquin. I studied and taught Castellano in UK but find as you do that nowadays it is not really necessary and that there isn't much interest in the language apart from foreigners learning the basics. Get up to the past & subjunctive tenses and you have lost them! It is sad of course - but that is the changing world. Even more need for children here to concentrate on English or German - the only way to guarantee them a job. Abandoning the P.P's 3 language teaching in the schools will set this island back years.