I picked up a Spanish language dictionary a while back and a friend of mine in Madrid informed me that much of it wasnt even spoken there, because in Madrid predominately catalan is spoken. I asked what the difference was between catalan and castillian and was told Catalan is the real way to pronounce it and Castilian is just the way we English say it. I have since seen that there are two seperate, would it be "languages"? And what is what? As far as the major language spoken there. Catalan or Castilian? I would appreciate it.
jonzrqlz
Posts: 92 | Location: central Missouri, USA | Registered: 03 October 2002
I lived in Madrid for 2 months in 2001 and never heard any Catalan in Madrid. I'm sure there are people who speak it there but definately not a majority. In Madrid they speak perfect castillian Spanish. If you know Spanish, you'll have no trouble there. Joel
Posts: 4 | Location: Michigan, USA | Registered: 16 May 2003
LJ, I bet the person that told you that bit of misinformation was from Catalonia! :jeje: What arrogance!
The official language of Madrid and of Spain is castellano o espa�ol, Castilian or Spanish. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian.
While it is true that there are several other languages found and spoken by many people in several regions of Spain: Galego in Galicia; Catal�n and Aran�s in Catalunya; Esukara in Pais Vasco; Aragon�s in Arag�n; Asturian and Bable in Astur�as; Cal� by the Gitano community; Extreme�o and Fala in Extremadura.
Then there are two deaf languages the Catalonian sign language and the Spanish sign language, also known as M�mica.
Spain also has two extinct languages: Guanche in the Canary Islands and Mozarabic in the territories once held by the Moors.
So...it's Spanish in Madrid for sure!
Posts: 697 | Location: Florida | Registered: 24 August 2001
jolega, Although Castellano is the langugae of Madrid, I think most would agree that it is not the purest form of this beautiful language. When you mention purity, you have to look at the melodic Castellano spoken by the warm humble people of Valladolid. Camino de la Lengua (Valladolid)
Saludos
Posts: 62 | Location: About 8,000 miles from my heart | Registered: 25 May 2002
They were 'taking the hair', the only way you would hear Catalan being spoken in Madrid would be to go an obscure late night art house screening of something. I speak English when I go to Catelandia. :cheers:
Posts: 222 | Location: madrid,spain | Registered: 21 July 2002
i hate to be pedantic and i was also very impressed by Booklady's post, esp. her inclusion of the 2 sign languages (neither of which are officially recognised, by the way) BUT
where would you include Valenciano?
i lived in Valencia for a while, and while the 'political' line is that it's a separate language, i was emphatically told by a number of Valenci� speakers (incl. a friend of mine who is doing his PhD on the impact of globalisation on minority cultures!) that it is a dialect of Catal�.
opinions?
harmless
"when you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned"<br />L. Cohen
Asturias has its own language variety, Asturianu (also called Bable, which is the official name of the language according to the Statute of Autonomy). Asturianu belongs to the Romance language group. Since it is linguistically very close to Spanish, some regard it as a dialect (both as a Spanish language dialect or as a language with many dialects but with no unity). Asturian is mostly spoken in the Principality of Asturias (except for the most western part where Galician-Asturian is spoken), but also in northern Castilla y Le�n. The language has three dialects: Western Asturian, Central Asturian and Eastern Asturian. Intelligibility among the three dialects is adequate. Central Asturian has the most speakers and has been taken as the basis for normative Asturian: the first Asturian grammar is soon going to be published and it will be institutionally backed. A normative dictionary is also being prepared.
And Roe, it truly is Bable, my maternal grandparents used to speak it, and I could not understand a word they said. :jeje:
Posts: 697 | Location: Florida | Registered: 24 August 2001
Will you be in Madrid in August? If so, I'd be glad to buy you a ca�a. I promise to limit my Valladolid banter to a minimum, I can't help myself. :cheers: :cheers:
Saludos
Posts: 62 | Location: About 8,000 miles from my heart | Registered: 25 May 2002
