1 A call for European action ARAGONS ENDANGERED LANGUAGES.

11

A call for European action

ARAGON’S ENDANGERED LANGUAGES

22

A trilingual societyA trilingual society

33

A trilingual societyA trilingual society

Two vernacular languages (since Two vernacular languages (since the 9th century)the 9th century) ARAGONESE ARAGONESE CATALANCATALAN

One “imported” language (since One “imported” language (since the 15th century)the 15th century) CASTILIANCASTILIAN

44

A trilingual societyA trilingual society

Catalan Catalan was born was born also in also in territories territories that have that have always always belonged belonged to Aragonto Aragon

10th century

55

A trilingual societyA trilingual society

Aragonese Aragonese and Catalan and Catalan expanded expanded Southwards Southwards with the with the Aragonese Aragonese “Reconquest“Reconquest” to drive de ” to drive de Moors from Moors from the Iberian the Iberian peninsula peninsula

13th century

66

A trilingual societyA trilingual society

Aragonese Aragonese and Catalan and Catalan reached their reached their highest point highest point of of development development and prestige and prestige in Aragon as in Aragon as literary and literary and administrativadministrative languagese languages

14th century

77

A trilingual societyA trilingual society

The new kings The new kings only spoke only spoke Castilian, Castilian, which which replaced the replaced the Aragonese Aragonese and Catalan and Catalan languages as languages as a vehicle of a vehicle of culture and culture and social social promotionpromotion

15th to 21st century

88

Spoken only by 7% of the 1,300,000 total Aragonese

population

ARAGONESE CATALAN

TOTAL POPULATION OF THE AREAS WHERE EACH LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN

130,000 47,000

NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SPEAK IT DAILY 14,000

(9 %)34,000(73 %)

NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW IT BUT SCARCELY USE IT

24,000(18 %)

13,000(27 %)

99

Generational transmissionGenerational transmission

AragoneseAragonese CatalanCatalan

1010

Use of CatalanUse of Catalan

7361

3158

10 20

514

15

15

38

22 2554

27

8772

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

HomeSho

pBan

k

Colleag

ues

Perso

nal n

otesOth

er

Catalan Catalan and Castilian Castilian

1111

Use of AragoneseUse of Aragonese

18 14 4 5 5 4

3630

20 21 21 20

46 5676 74 74 76

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

HomeSho

pBan

k

Colleag

ues

Perso

nal n

otesOth

er

Aragonese Aragonese and Castilian Castilian

Aragonese is one of the endangered languages of the world, according to UNESCO Atlas of the World’s

Languages in Danger

1212

A 40 year-long claim

Aragonese is re-discovered in the early 70’s and NGOs start working for it

Catalan speakers demand their recognition and dignification in Aragon

1313

Aragonese self-government to no or little avail

The Statute of Autonomy (1982) and its reforms (in 1996 and 2007) always recognized Aragon’s linguistic diversity and provided for its legal protection...

...but little or nothing was ever done in 27 years!

1414

Statute of Autonomy of Statute of Autonomy of Aragon (1982)Aragon (1982)

Article 7:Article 7: The different linguistic modalities The different linguistic modalities of Aragon will be protected as integral of Aragon will be protected as integral parts of its cultural and historical heritage.parts of its cultural and historical heritage.

Article 35:Article 35: 1. The Autonomous Community of 1. The Autonomous Community of Aragon has exclusive competence in […] Aragon has exclusive competence in […] Culture, particularly in its traditional Culture, particularly in its traditional manifestations and linguistic modalities, manifestations and linguistic modalities, taking care of their preservation and study.taking care of their preservation and study.

1515

Statute of Autonomy of Statute of Autonomy of Aragon (1996)Aragon (1996)

Article 7:Article 7: The languages and linguistic The languages and linguistic modalities of Aragon will be modalities of Aragon will be protected. Their teaching and the protected. Their teaching and the rights of their speakers will be rights of their speakers will be guaranteed in the manner guaranteed in the manner established by an Act of Parliament established by an Act of Parliament of Aragon in the areas where they of Aragon in the areas where they are predominantly spoken.are predominantly spoken.

1616

Statute of Autonomy of Statute of Autonomy of Aragon (2007)Aragon (2007)

Article 7.-Article 7.- Own languages and linguistic modalitiesOwn languages and linguistic modalities

1. Aragon’s own languages and linguistic modalities are one of the 1. Aragon’s own languages and linguistic modalities are one of the most outstanding manifestations of the historical and cultural most outstanding manifestations of the historical and cultural Aragonese heritage and a social asset for respect, coexistence and Aragonese heritage and a social asset for respect, coexistence and understanding.understanding.

2. A Law of the Aragonese Parliament will define the areas of 2. A Law of the Aragonese Parliament will define the areas of predominant use of the Aragonese languages and linguistic predominant use of the Aragonese languages and linguistic modalities, regulate their status and the using rights of the modalities, regulate their status and the using rights of the speakers of these territores, promote their protection, restitution, speakers of these territores, promote their protection, restitution, teaching, development and the dissemination of the Aragonese teaching, development and the dissemination of the Aragonese linguistic heritage, and will foster –in the areas of predominant linguistic heritage, and will foster –in the areas of predominant use- the employment of our own languages in relations between use- the employment of our own languages in relations between citizens and the Aragonese public administrations.citizens and the Aragonese public administrations.

3. No one shall be discriminated on grounds of language.3. No one shall be discriminated on grounds of language.

1717

Law of Languages of Aragon (2009)

Passed in Dec. 2009, after two evaluation reports by the Council of Europe (2005 and 2008) calling for its adoption and campaigns by NGOs

Amended by CHA during its discussion to make it abide by the provisions of the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages

1818

A fairly good first step... They are recognized by their names as original and historical languages of Aragon No official status, but the Law recognizes important rights to speakers (with no obligations to the rest) Public administrations must guarantee these rights:

a. To be known and used in both private and public life

b. To be taught in the education system

c. To be published and broadcasted by the media

d. To be used in social and economic life

1919

...and NO MORE

TWO YEARS AND A HALF LOST The previous Aragonese government did not

apply it (with the sole exception of the setting up of the Aragonese Languages Council) during the year and a half left of the past legislature

The new government that took office in June 2011 declared its intention of “cutting” the law to wipe out its obligations (?) on the population and the “imposition” of the Catalan language

2020

The Law is not enforced

Linguistic territories still remain officially undefined

(articles 7 to 9)

2121

The Law is not enforced

No adequate administrative unit has been created for its implementation (articles 16 & 17, Second Additional Provision)

2222

The Law is not enforced

The official academies of the Aragonese and Catalan languages have not been created(arts. 15 & 16, Second Additional Provision)

2323

The Law is not enforced

Written and spoken use with public administrations is recognized, but nothing has been done to make it feasible(arts. 27 to 32)

2424

The Law is not enforced

Teaching in all educational levels as a curricular subject has not been introduced(arts. 22 to 26, Third Additional Provision)

2525

The Law is not enforced

NOTHING DONE ON... Dignifying measures Heritage

preservation Cultural promotion Social use Use by the media

2626

Only an Aragonese Languages Council was set up...

...but its President resigned two weeks ago because of the neglecting attitude of the

Government of Aragon

2727

The new government’s agenda

Non-recognition of the two languages -only “linguistic modalities” (of what?)

No Aragonese and Catalan language academies

No right to use them for administrative purposes

2828

We call for European action in favour of our threatened

languages To raise public awareness about the plight the

Aragonese and Catalan languages undergo in Aragon and the gloomy prospects for their future

To intercede before both the Aragonese and Spanish governments to ensure compliance with the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages in Aragon

To include the Aragonese and Catalan languages among the matters of concern for the European institutions when considering the degree of respect and protection granted to Europe’s linguistic minorities

2929

Thank you very muchThank you very muchMuitas graziasMuitas graziasMoltes gràciesMoltes gràcies

Chunta AragonesistaChunta [email protected]

www.chunta.org