Valencian () or the Valencian language () is the official, historical and traditional name used in the Valencian Community to refer to the Romance language also known as Catalan,«Otra sentencia equipara valenciano y catalán en las oposiciones, y ya van 13.» 20 minutos, 7 January 2008.Decreto 84/2008, de 6 de junio, del Consell, por el que se ejecuta la sentencia de 20 de junio de 2005, de la Sala de lo Contencioso-Administrativo del Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la Comunitat Valenciana . either as a whole or in its Valencia-specific linguistic forms. The Valencian Community's 1982 Statute of Autonomy officially recognises Valencian as the name of the native language.
Valencian displays transitional features between Ibero-Romance languages and Gallo-Romance languages. According to philological studies, the varieties of this language spoken in the Valencian Community and Carche cannot be considered a single dialect restricted to these borders: the several dialects of Valencian (Alacantí, Southern Valencian, Central Valencian or , Northern Valencian or Castellonenc and Transitional Valencian) belong to the Western group of Catalan dialects.
There is a political and cultural controversy within the Valencian Community regarding whether it is a glottonym or an independent language. Valencian is regulated by the (AVL), following the legacy established by the Castelló Norms, which adapt Catalan orthography to Valencian idiosyncrasies.
Some of the most important works of Valencian literature experienced a Golden Age during the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Important works include Joanot Martorell's chivalric romance , and Ausiàs March's poetry. The first book produced with movable type in the Iberian Peninsula was printed in the Valencian variety. ("Poems of praise of the Virgin Mary") 1474. The earliest recorded chess game with modern rules for moves of the queen and bishop was in the Valencian poem (1475).
History The Valencian language is usually assumed to have spread in the Kingdom of Valencia when Catalan and Aragonese colonists settled the territory after the conquests carried out by James the Conqueror. A new resettlement in the 17th century, after the expulsion of the Moriscos, largely led by Castilians, defined the Spanish language varieties of inland Valencia. However, Valencian has historically been the predominant and administrative language in the kingdom.
The first documental reference to the usage of the term to refer to the spoken language of the Valencians is found in a judicial process of Minorca against Gil de Lozano, dated between 1343 and 1346, in which it is said that the mother of the indicted, Sibila, speaks because she was from Orihuela (formerly Oriola).
The concept of Valencian language appeared in the second half of the 14th century and it was progressively consolidated at the same time that its meaning changed due to events of a diverse nature (political, social, economic). In the previous centuries the Catalan spoken in the territory of the Kingdom of Valencia was called in different ways: (13th century) and (during the 14th century, for the medieval concept of nation as a linguistic community). The concept of the Valencian language appeared with a particularistic character due to the reinforced nature of the legal entity of the Kingdom of Valencia for being the Mediterranean commercial power during the 14th and 15th centuries, becoming in the cultural and literary centre of the Crown of Aragon. Thus, the Valencians, together with the Majorcans, presented themselves to other peoples as Catalans while they referred to themselves as Valencians and Majorcans to themselves to emphasise the different legal citizenship of each kingdom.
By the 15th century, the so-called Valencian Golden Age, the name "Valencian" was already the usual name of the predominant language of the Kingdom of Valencia, and the names of , or had fallen into disuse. Joanot Martorell, author of the novel Tirant lo Blanch, said: "" ("I dare to express myself: not only from English to Portuguese. But even so from Portuguese to vulgar Valencian: for that the nation I am from born can rejoice").
Since the Spanish democratic transition, the autonomy or heteronomy of Valencian with respect to the rest of the Valencian-Catalan linguistic system has been the subject of debate and controversy among Valencians, usually with a political background. Although in the academic field (universities and institutions of recognised prestige) of linguists the unity of the language has never been questioned since studies of the Romance languages, part of Valencian public opinion believes and affirms that Valencian and Catalan are different languages, an idea that began to spread during the turbulent Valencian transition by sectors of the regionalist right and by the so-called (Blaverism). There is an alternative secessionist linguistic regulation, the Normes del Puig (Norms of El Puig), drawn up by the Royal Academy of Valencian Culture (, RACV), an institution founded in 1915 by the Deputation of Valencia, but its use is very marginal.
Official status The official status of Valencian is regulated by the Spanish Constitution and the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, together with the Law on the Use and Teaching of Valencian (ca).
Article 6 of the Valencian Statute of Autonomy sets the legal status of Valencian, establishing that: The native language of the Valencian Community is Valencian. Valencian is the official language in the Valencian Community, along with Spanish, which is the official language of Spain. Everyone shall have the right to know and use them, and to receive education on Valencian and in Valencian. No one can be discriminated against by reason of their language. Special protection and respect shall be given to the recuperation of Valencian. The shall be the normative institution of the Valencian language.
Passed in 1983, the Law on the Use and Teaching of Valencian develops this framework, providing for the implementation of a bilingual educational system, regulating the use of Valencian in the public administration and judiciary system, where citizens can freely use it when acting before both, or establishing the right to be informed by media in Valencian among others.
Valencian is also protected under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, ratified by Spain. However, the Committee of Experts of the Charter has pointed out a considerable number of deficiencies in the application of the Charter by the Spanish and Valencian governments.
Distribution and usage
Distribution
Unlike in other bilingual autonomous communities, Valencian has not historically been spoken to the same extent throughout the Valencian Community. Slightly more than a quarter of its territory, equivalent to 10-15% of the population (its inland and southernmost areas), is Spanish-speaking since the Middle Ages. Additionally, it is also spoken by a small number of people in the Carche comarca, a rural area in the Region of Murcia adjoining the Valencian Community. Nevertheless, Valencian does not have any official recognition in this area. Nowadays about 600 people are able to speak Valencian in Carche.
The Valencian language is traditionally spoken along the coast and in some inland areas in the provinces of Alicante and Castellon, from Vinaròs (northernmost point of the extension of Valencian on the coast of the Valencian Community) to Guardamar (southernmost point of Valencian). It is spoken by approximately 2 million people (2008). citing Vilajoana, Jordi, and Damià Pons. 2001. Catalan, Language of Europe. Generalitat de Catalunya, Department de Cultura. Govern de les Illes Balears, Conselleria d'Educació i Cultura.
Knowledge and usage
In 2010 the Generalitat Valenciana, or Valencian government, published a study, (Knowledge and Social Use of Valencian), which included a survey sampling more than 6,600 people in the provinces of Castellon, Valencia, and Alicante. The survey simply collected the answers of respondents and did not include any testing or verification. The results were:
Valencian was the language "always, generally, or most commonly used": at home: 31.6% with friends: 28.0% in internal business relations: 24.7% For ability: 48.5% answered they can speak Valencian "perfectly" or "quite well" (54.3% in the Valencian-speaking areas and 10% in the Spanish-speaking areas) 26.2% answered they can write Valencian "perfectly" or "quite well" (29.5% in the Valencian-speaking areas and 5.8% in the Spanish-speaking areas)
The survey shows that, although Valencian is still the common language in many areas in the Valencian Community, where slightly more than half of the Valencian population are able to speak it, most Valencians do not usually use Valencian in their social relations.
Moreover, according to the most recent survey in 2021, there is a downward trend in everyday Valencian users. The lowest numbers are in the major cities of Valencia and Alicante, where the percentage of everyday speakers is at single-digit numbers. However, the percentage of residents who claim to be able to understand and read Valencian seems to have increased since 2015.
+ Knowledge of Valencian in the Valencian Community (2021) Valencian-speaking zone Spanish-speaking zoneTotal Understands it79.4%54%75.8% Can speak it54.9%24.2%50.6% Can read it60.9%35%57.2% Can write it44.4%19.5%40.8%
Due to a number of political and social factors, including repression, immigration and lack of formal instruction in Valencian, the number of speakers has severely decreased, and the influence of Spanish has led to the appearance of a number of barbarisms.
Features of Valencian
This is a list of features of the main forms of Valencian. There is a great deal of variety within the Valencian Community, and by no means do the features below apply to every local version. For more general information about other linguistic varieties, see Catalan language.
The (AVL) specifies Standard Valencian as having some specific syntax, vocabulary, verb conjugations and accent marks compared to Standard Catalan.
Phonology
Vowels
+ . Front Back Close Open
Notes:
The stressed vowel system of Valencian is the same as that of Eastern Catalan: , , , , , , and (with and being considerably lower than in Central Catalan).
Close (and close-mid) vowels The vowels (pronounced like GA free) and (like GA boot) are more open and centralised than in Spanish. This effect is more pronounced in unstressed syllables, where the phones are best transcribed (e.g., 'boy'). (Due to the proximity of unstressed close and/or close-mid/mid vowels, non-standard colloquial Valencian may feature further lowerings producing vowel alterations or metathesis; e.g., → * 'pool'). The vowel (pronounced like GA they, but without the final -y sounding) is somewhat retracted and (like RP yawn, but shorter) is somewhat advanced both in stressed and unstressed syllables: ('subway/underground', also a colloquial substitution for metre 'meter'). Note this is mostly ignored in most transcriptions. - and -centralisation can be more noticeable in unstressed position (). and can be realised as mid vowels in some cases. This occurs more often with (e.g., 'love'). (For simplicity, this is ignored in most transcriptions).
Open vowels The so-called "open vowels" (i.e., near-open), and , are generally as low as in most Valencian dialects. The phonetic realisations of approaches (similar to GA lad) and is nearly as open as (as in traditional RP dog). This feature is also found in Balearic. For a list showing the frequency of these vowels, see cases where /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ are found in Valencian. is slightly more open and centralised before liquids (e.g., 'universe') and in monosyllabics ( 'seven'). is most often a back vowel ( 'clog', 'bull'). In some dialects (including Balearic) can be unrounded (, ).