Catalan is, from a linguistic point of view, a language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and academia, rather than a dialect of French or Spanish. This is the standpoint unanimously agreed on by qualified linguists and academic institutions in Catalunia as well as Valencia.
In this article we are going to explain the origins of Catalan, where it is spoken nowadays, and the differences between its regoinal dialects, such as Valencian or Balearic Catalan. We will also look at the differences between Catalan and Castilian Spanish, from a purely linguistic and historical perspective, without falling into discussions about identity, which almost always accompany this subject.
Is Catalan a language or a dialect? The linguistic answer
The question “Is Catalan a language or a dialect?” has a clear linguistic answer. Catalan is a romance language, with its own evolutionary journey from Vulgar Latin, its own grammar rules, and its own literary tradition which spans back to the Middle Ages. A dialect is, by definition, a version of a language which already exists; Catalan does not derive from Castillian Spanish, French, or from Occitan, but rather evolved in parallel with these from their shared Latin roots.
The organisation which regulates the Catalan language is the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC). , which is officially recognised by the Spanish government, in Royal Decree 3118/1976, as the official academy of Catalan. The existence of an independent language academy, with its own vocabulary and grammar rules, is in and of itself one of the clearest signs that we are dealing with a language rather than the dialect of another language. No “dialect” internationally recognised as such has its own academy, regulated vocabulary, and eight century long literary tradition, as is the case with Catalan.
What’s the difference between a language and a dialect?
A language has its own grammar system and vocabulary, a continuous written tradition, and usually, an academy which regulates it. A dialect is an internal variation of a language, with different pronunciation and vocabulary but without its own independent rules. Catalan meets all the requirements of a language, it has its own standard grammar, its own dictionary, and a literary tradition which goes back to the 12th century, featuring authors such as Ramon Llull who wrote philosophical and literary works in Catalan as early as the 13th century.
How many Catalan speakers are there?
According to data which is routinely handled by the Insitut d’Estudis Catalans itself, and other regulatory linguistic organisations in Catalan speaking regions, there are over nine million people who understand Catalan, and four million who use the language regularly, which place it far above (by quantity of speakers) other European languages which do have official status in their respective countries. This number alone dismantles the idea that Catalan is a minority variation or marginal dialect amongst the romance languages.
Origins of Catalan: from Vulgar Latin to a Romance Language in its Own Right
The origins of Catalan come from, like all other romance languages, the Vulgar Latin spoken in the Iberian peninsula and the South of what is now France following the collapse of the Roman Empire. After the 9th century, this Latin starting point evolved amongst the Catalan counts of the Spanish March until it was consolidated as its own language between the 11th and 12th century.
Catalan has an especially close relationship with Occitan, the romance language spoken in the South of France, with which it shared literary and cultural spaces, especially in medieval troubadour poetry. This closeness to Occitan, and as a result with the gallo-romanic languages, explains why some of Catalan’s phonetic features have more in common with French and Occitan than with Castilian Spanish, despite the latter’s geographical proximity.
Where is Catalan spoken? Regions and Current Statistics
“Where is Catalan spoken?” is a question with a much broader answer than most people expect, as the Catalan language is spoken far beyond the territory of Catalunia. Understanding these territories is especially relevant for businesses which need to translate or localise content for these markets.
- Catalunia, where Catalan is co-official with Castillian Spanish, and the main language used for administration and education.
- The Valencian Community, where the exact same language is referred to as ‘Valencian’, for historical and regional identity purposes.
- The Balearic Islands, with a Balearic dialect (Mallorcan, Menorcan, Ibizan)
- Andorra, the only country where Catalan is the only official state language.
- The Strip of Aragon, the French Roussillon (Northern Catalunia), and the city of Alghero in Cerdeña, Italy, each with their historic Catalan-speaking communities.
Catalan, Castillian Spanish, and Valencian/Balearic: Linguistic Comparison
In order to understand the relationship between these varieties, its more helpful to compare specific features than to attempt abstract discussions. This table summarises the most important differences between central Catalan, Castillian Spanish, and the Valencian and Balearic dialects.
| Language/ Dialect | Central Catalan | Castillian | Valencian / Balearic |
| Origin | Vulgar Latin, own evolution | Vulgar Latin, own evolution | Catalan, regional variety |
| Definite Article | el, la, els, les | el, la, los, las | el, la, els/es, les (balearic also includes “es” and “sa”) |
| Characteristic Pronunciation | Atonal neutral vowels | No atonal neutral vowels | Valencian: more open vowels; balearic: “salat” articles which were once common throughout Catalan |
| Official Status | Co-official in Catalunia | Official throughout Spain | Co-official in the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands |
| Regulatory Academy | Institut d’Estudis Catalans | Real Academia Española | Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (Valencian) |
Is Valencian Catalan?
From a linguistic point of view, yes: Valencian is the same language as Catalan, with some regional variation and its own name, for historic and regional identity reasons. This is how the official organisation for the regulation of Valencian, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llenguadefines it, in its 2005 statement concerning the principles and criteria for the defense and designation of Valencian. The statement recognises the unity of the language, and at the same time emphasises the validity of the dual naming thereof as Catalan and Valencian.
Does Catalan originate from Spanish?
No. This is one of the most common misconceptions about the origins of Catalan. Catalan and Castillian are closely related languages, they both originate independently from Vulgar Latin, not from one another. They have the same type of relationship as French does with Italian, or Portuguese with Castillian: they share a common origin, but they evolved in parallel, not in consequence.
Translating Catalan professionally: why regional variation matters
For companies that need to adapt their websites, official documents, or campaigns for Catalan-speaking territories, regional variation is not to be overlooked. Treating Catalan, Valencian, and Balearic as though they were interchangeable without any distinguishing nuances is one of the most common causes for mistakes which need to then be corrected in localisation projects.
The professional point of view: The most common mistake we see clients from other companies making is applying central Catalan to a campaign directed specifically towards the Valencian Community, or vice-versa. Although there is a high level of mutual intelligibility, certain terms, phrases, and even formal registers change enough for the target audience to know that the content doesn’t sound “local”. For that reason, before translating, we always ask which region the content is aimed towards, rather than asking if it’s “Catalan” in general.
How we carry out Catalan translation and localisation at Translinguo Global
A well-planned Catalan translation combines linguistic precision with awareness of the relevant regional variety. This is the proce
- Identifying the target region: Catalunia, The Valencian Community, The Balearic Islands, or another Catalan-speaking region.
- Choosing a native translator of the specific regional variety, not just of “Catalan” in general.
- Following the relevant guidelines of IEC or the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua, depending on the region.
- Reviewing terminological consistency against published institutional or corporate content in the relevant market..
- Sworn certification, if the document needs to be shown to an official body.
This process upholds our Catalan translation service and, if the document needs legal validity, our sworn Catalan translation service.. If you’d like to find out more about the language, you can also check our article about the Catalan language, and to know more about another linguistic debate in Spain, you can read our article about the difference between Spanish and Castillian.
A romance language with it’s own identity
The Catalan language is a romance language with its own history, grammar, and academy, as well as regional dialects such as Valencian, Balearic, and others. They’re part of the same linguistic system, and are recognised as such in the official academic institutions of each region.
Understanding the difference between the linguistic criteria, beyond the debate about identity, is the basis for any translation, localisation, or communicative project directed towards Catalan-speaking regions.
If your company needs to adapt official content, websites, or campaigns in Catalunia, the Valencian Community, or the Balearic Islands, consult our Catalan translation service and request a quote for an assessment adapted to your target region.
Suscríbete a nuestro boletín
Recibe contenidos sobre traducción profesional, localización web, SEO multilingüe e internacionalización para empresas.
