CAMPAIGN TO HELP VISITORS LEARN CATALAN

By Humphrey Carter MOST holidaymakers like to pick up some of the local language while abroad and yesterday the Council of Majorca re-launched its campaign to draw visitors' attention to the fact that the language of Majorca is Catalan and encourage them to learn a bit of the language during their stay. The initiative, aimed at Spanish mainlanders as well as foreign visitors, was first launched a few years ago and this year the free Catalan lessons, which come in the form of a specially designed souvenir postcard are being mounted across the island. Yesterday the campaign was kicked off outside Palma cathedral with volunteers from the Association of Youngsters for Catalan. The postcards, which have been designed by artist Guillem March are entitled “The fourth lesson in the language of Majorca, Catalan” and have been printed in Spanish, French, English and German. The souvenir postcards feature some basic Catalan words such as ice cream, hat, child, bathing suit, t-shirt, palm tree, bottle, cooler bag, towel and post card etc. Over the summer the postcards will not only be distributed in key tourists resorts and at the main attractions but they will also be available from tourist offices. The Council of Majorca maintains that the initiative has proved increasingly successful over the past few years and that, in general, the response from visitors has been good, especially from foreign holidaymakers as many are not aware that the language of the Balearics is Catalan. Research carried out by the Council into the campaign's success has discovered that many visitors are prepared to have a go at using the words they have learnt from the postcard and, in the event of a misunderstanding, can always point to the item they mean on the card.