Significant Imbalance in Language Proficiency
According to the 12th annual ‘InformeCAT 2023’ report from the NGO Plataforma per la Llengua, in the three main Catalan-speaking territories—Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and the Balearic Islands—a high of 95% of residents believe they can speak Spanish (Castilian) “very well,” whereas the proportion who feel they can speak Catalan “very well” drops to 65.1%.
The report further notes that this gap persists even within Catalonia, where the percentage of the population self-rating their Catalan as fluent is 75%, the highest of the three regions. However, this figure falls to 59.5% in the Balearic Islands and is even lower in the Valencian Community at 51.6%. The organization states that this bilingual imbalance is concerning, as a lack of confidence in their spoken Catalan makes it difficult for residents to use the language frequently in daily life.
Widespread Public Support for the Language’s Official Status
Despite differences in personal language proficiency, survey data shows strong public support for the official status of Catalan. A vast majority of respondents believe that state civil servants providing public services in these regions should know Catalan. Support for this requirement is as high as 88.7% in Catalonia, 81.8% in the Valencian Community, and 67.6% in the Balearic Islands.
Plataforma per la Llengua considers this data “very positive” and was “pleasantly surprised” by the results in the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands. The report analyzes that, given that these two regions have historically been governed by parties aligned with Spanish nationalist stances, achieving such high levels of public support is particularly significant.
Contradiction Between Youth Usage and Value Perception
The report reveals a noteworthy contradiction: on one hand, the daily use of Catalan among young people is low. For instance, in Barcelona’s Nou Barris district, only 5.1% of young people use Catalan as their regular language, and in no district of Barcelona does this figure for young people exceed 50%.
On the other hand, there is widespread social recognition of the value and utility of Catalan. In Catalonia, 95.3% of residents believe the language is useful for young people; this figure is also high in the Valencian Community (86.5%) and the Balearic Islands (77.8%). Furthermore, 84% of Catalan speakers wish for it to become an official language of the European Union, further demonstrating the high regard in which the language is held.
Positive Signs in the Audiovisual Sector
There has also been positive progress in language promotion. The report specifically highlights that, within just a few months, major online streaming platforms have added over 600 films and series in Catalan. This move is seen as a significant step in enhancing the language’s vitality and visibility in the digital age, injecting new momentum into its preservation and development.
