Catalan dialects: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|Varieties of the Catalan language}}

The '''[[Catalan language|Catalan]] dialects''' (and restrictively also, '''Valencian dialects''') feature a relative uniformity, especially when compared to other Romance languages;{{sfn|Moll|2006|p=47}} both in terms of [[vocabulary]], [[semantics]], [[syntax]], [[Morphology (linguistics)|morphology]], and [[phonology]].{{sfn|Enciclopèdia Catalana|pp=634–635}} Mutual intelligibility between its dialects is very high,{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=1}}{{sfn|Costa Carreras|Yates|2009|p=5}}{{sfn|Feldhausen|2010|p=5}} estimates ranging from 90% to 95%.{{sfn|Ethnologue}}<ref name="ethnologue">Central Catalan has 90% to 95% inherent intelligibility for speakers of Valencian (1989 R. A. Hall, Jr. (1989), cited on [https://web.archive.org/web/20060517233258/http://www.ethnologue.org/show_language.asp?code=cat Ethnologue (archived)].</ref> The only exception is the isolated idiosyncratic [[Algherese dialect|Alguerese dialect]].{{sfn|Moll|2006|p=47}}

| '''[[Northwestern Catalan|North-Western]]''' || '''[[Valencian language|Valencian]]''' || '''[[Northern Catalan|Northern]]''' (Roussillonese) || '''[[Central Catalan|Central]]''' || '''[[Balearic dialect|Balearic]]''' || '''[[Algherese dialect|Alguerese]]''' (Algherese)

| [[Spain]] and [[Andorra]] || [[Spain]] || [[France]] || colspan="2" | [[Spain]] || [[Italy]]

In 1861, linguist [[Manuel Milà i Fontanals]] split Catalan into two main dialectsdialectal blocks: '''Western''' and '''Eastern'''.{{sfn|Feldhausen|2010|p=5}}{{sfn|Enciclopèdia Catalana|pp=634–635}} The most obvious phonetic difference lies in the treatment of unstressed a and e, which have merged to {{IPA|/ə/}} in Eastern dialects, but remain distinct as {{IPA|/a/}} and {{IPA|/e/}} in Western dialects.{{sfn|Moll|2006|p=47}}{{sfn|Feldhausen|2010|p=5}} There are a few other differences in pronunciation, verbal morphology, and vocabulary.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=1}}

Western Catalan comprises the two dialectsvarieties of [[Northwestern Catalan|North-Western Catalan]] and [[Valencian language|Valencian]]; the Eastern block comprises three to four dialectsvarieties (depending on their classification): [[Central Catalan|Central]], [[Northern Catalan|Roussillonese]] (Northern Catalan), and Insular ([[Balearic dialect|Balearic]] and [[Algherese dialect|Alguerese]]).{{sfn|Feldhausen|2010|p=5}} Each dialectvariety can be further subdivided into several subdialects.

* In the [[Valencian Community]] ({{abbr|a.k.a.|also known as}} Valencian Country), the ''[[Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua]]'' (AVL) adapts the [[Pompeu Fabra|Fabran guidelines]] to the Valencian variety, and regulates an alternative spoken standard based on the Southern Valencian subdialectdialect (especially Upper Southern Valencian). Despite having fewer speakers than the Central Valencian subdialectdialect,<ref name="a">{{sfn|Xarxa CruscatCRUSCAT de(IEC)}} l'InstitutSouthern d'EstudisValencian Catalans</ref>(except Southernthe Valenciansouthernmost subdialects) has been less influenced by Spanish. It is spoken in the South and North of the [[province of Valencia|Valencia]] and [[province of Alicante|Alicante]] provinces respectively, in cities such as [[Alcoi]], [[Dénia]], [[Gandia]] and [[Xàtiva]].

Valencians are only surpassed in number of Catalan-speakers by Catalans themselves, representing approximately a third of the whole Catalan-speaking population.<ref{{sfn|Xarxa name="a"CRUSCAT />(IEC)}} Therefore, in the context of [[Valencian language controversy|linguistic conflict]], recognition and respect towards the dual standard, as well as the dual Catalan–Valencian denomination,<ref>{{Citation sfn|title=Acord de l'Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (AVL), adoptat en la reunió plenària del 9 de febrer del |2005, pel qual s'aprova el dictamen sobre els principis i criteris per a la defensa de la denominació i l'entitat del valencià |url=http://www.avl.gva.es/va/acords-AVL/main/03/document/NOMENTITAT.pdf |access-date=28 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181117/http://www.avl.gva.es/va/acords-AVL/main/03/document/NOMENTITAT.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 September 2015 |via=avl.gva.es |mode=cs1}}</ref> pacifies the tense central–periphery relations between Catalonia and the Valencian Community.

*[[Northern Catalan|Northern]], [[Central Catalan|Central]] and [[Northwestern Catalan|North-Western Catalan]], all spoken in mainland [[Catalonia]] (and [[Roussillon]]), and [[Valencian language|Valencian]], spoken in the [[Valencian Community]]. Exceptions may include the Majorcan spoken by certain communities in the Valencian towns of [[Tàrbena]] and [[La Vall de Gallinera]] in the region of la Marina.<!-- The Valencian spoken in the Isle of Tabarca is directly connected to mainland Baix Vinalopó and Alacantí. -->

|+ Dialects of Valencian{{sfn|Saborit i Vilar|2009|p=123}}{{sfn|Veny i Clar|1983}}

In [[Western Catalan]], unstressed vowels reduce to five: {{IPA|/e, ɛ/}} → {{IPAblink|e}}; {{IPA|/o, ɔ/}} → {{IPAblink|o}}; {{IPA|/a, u, i/}} remain distinct.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=53}}{{sfn|Carbonell|Llisterri|1999|pp=54–55}} This reduction pattern, inherited from [[Proto-Romance]], is also found in Italian and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]].{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=53}} Some Western dialects present further reduction or [[vowel harmony]] in some cases.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=53}}{{sfn|Recasens i Vives|1996|pp=75–76,128–129}}

** ''[[wikt:au#Catalan|'''a'''u]]'' ('bird') vs. ''[[wikt:ou#Catalan|'''o'''u]]'' ('egg') - Southern Valencian (as {{IPA|/awa/}}).

** ''[[wikt:souset#Catalan|s'''oe'''ut]]'' ('salarythirst') vs. ''[[wikt:souset#Catalan|s'''oe'''ut]]'' ('you areseven') - AlguereseGeneral Catalan, NorthernCentral Catalan, (as {{IPA|/ɛ/}}). Northern ValencianCatalan, Alguerese (as {{IPA|/oe/}}).

** ''[[wikt:pelson#Catalan|ps'''eo'''ln]]'' ('for thesleep') vs. ''[[wikt:pèlsón#Catalan|ps'''èó'''ln]]'' ('hairthey are') - Alguerese, Northern Catalan, Alguerese (as {{IPA|/eo/}}).

** ''[[wikt:sol#Catalan|s'''o'''l]]'' ('sun, alone') vs. ''[[wikt:sòl#Catalan|s'''ò'''l]]'' ('floor, ground') - Alguerese, Northern Catalan, Alguerese (as {{IPA|/o/}}).

** ''[[wikt:espèciasou#Catalan|espècis'''ao'''u]]'' ('spicesalary') vs. ''[[wikt:espèciesou#Catalan|espècis'''eo'''u]]'' ('typeyou are') - CentralNorthern Catalan, NorthernAlguerese, Balearic,Northern Alguerese; incl. General CatalanValencian (as {{IPA|/əo/}}).

** ''[[wikt:fulletespècia#Catalan|fespèci'''ua'''llet]]'' ('pamphletspice') vs. ''[[wikt:folletespècie#Catalan|fespèci'''oe'''llet]]'' ('goblintype') - Central Catalan, Northern, Balearic (except most of Majorcan)Catalan, AlguereseBalearic; incl. General Catalan (as {{IPA|/uə/}}). Alguerese (as {{IPA|/a/}}).

Most Catalan and Valencian dialects are also renowned by the usage of ''[[dark l]]'' (i.e. [[velarisation]] of {{IPA|/l/}} → {{IPAblink|ɫ}}), which is especially noticeable in syllable [[syllabic coda|final]] position, in comparison to neighbouring languages, such as Spanish, Italian and French (that lack this pronunciation).

* The alternation of [[lenition]] vs. [[fortition]] (such as {{IPA|/blb/}} in {{lang|ca|po'''blb'''ele}} 'village, people' → {{IPA|[βlβ]}} vs. {{IPA|[blb]}} vs. {{IPA|[bːlbː]}} vs. {{IPA|[plp]}} vs. {{IPA|[pːlpː]}}).

Consonant mergers (betwenbetween dialects) include:

** ''[[wikt:cub#Catalan|cu'''b''']]'' ('cube') vs. ''[[wikt:cup#Catalan|cu'''p''']]'' ('vatwinepress') - as {{IPA|/p/}}.

** ''[[wikt:caçavida#Catalan|cavi'''çd'''a]]'' ('huntinglife') vs. ''[[wikt:casavila#Catalan|cavi'''sl'''a]]'' ('housetown') - Central ValencianAlguerese (both as {{IPA|/sɾ/}}).

** ''[[wikt:bojavals#Catalan|bova'''jl'''as]]'' ('crazycosts') vs. ''[[wikt:botjavalls#Catalan|bova'''tjll'''as]]'' (<nowiki>'</nowiki>valleys''[[Dorycnium]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>) - GeneralAlguerese and parts of Eastern ValencianAragon (as {{IPA|/d͡ʒl/}}).

** ''[[wikt:bojabans#Catalan|boba'''jn'''as]]'' ('crazybands') vs. ''[[wikt:botjabanys#Catalan|boba'''tjny'''as]]'' (<nowiki>'</nowiki>baths''[[Dorycnium]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>) vs.- ''[[wikt:botxa#Catalan|bo'''tx'''a]]''Alguerese ('[[bocce]]'sand ball')parts -of CentralEastern ValencianAragon (as {{IPA|/t͡ʃn/}}).

** ''[[wikt:raig#Catalan|ra'''ig''']]'' ('ray') vs. ''[[wikt:rai#Catalan|ra'''i''']]'' (type'raft, of intensive particle to express a fear or a moaninterj.') - some Catalan and Valencian speakers (as {{IPA|/j/}}).

** ''[[wikt:goig#Catalan|go'''ig''']]'' ('joy') vs. ''[[wikt:gots#Catalan|go'''ts''']]'' ('glass' [for drinking glass]) - Northern Valencian (as {{IPA|/t͡ʃ/}}). Partially in Central Valencian (as {{IPA|/t͡s/}}).

* {{cite book|last=SaboritRecasens Vilari Vives|first=JosepDaniel|year=20091996|title=MilloremFonètica descriptiva del català: assaig de caracterització de la pronúncia del vocalisme i el consonantisme català al segle XX|edition=2nd|place=Barcelona|publisher=AcadèmiaInstitut Valencianad'Estudis de la LlenguaCatalans|isbn=9788472833128}}