The evolution of professional language uses in Catalonia between 1997 and 2008

Abstract

This paper analyses the evolution of professional language uses in Catalonia from 1997 to 2008. To do so, it begins by clarifying what is meant by the term professional uses. The observation of oral uses in dealings with neighbours, shops and banks allows it to be affirmed that there has been a percent decrease in the use of Catalan in the first two cases. However, this reduction has been due above all to the arrival of immigrants with languages other than Catalan in this period of a little over ten years, and not to a defection in the use of Catalan by persons who were already living in Catalonia in 1997. The Catalan language offering provided by organisations is analysed by using Ofercat, a tool developed by the Catalan Government’s Directorate-General for Language Policy jointly with the Consortium for Linguistic Normalisation to allow observation of the language offering in specific territories, usually entailing towns. In concluding, this paper makes some recommendations for improving the knowledge of the Catalan language and its uses.

Key words: professional language uses, evolution of language uses, language offering, Ofercat.