English was imposed in England, through a process of standardisation that led to the elimination of a series of dialects which, had they survived into the late 20th century, would have been labelled as languages. They were certainly mas different from standard English than “Leones” or Asturian are from standard Spanish. This imposition was part of a political program of unification and nation-building.

Places don’t have natural languages, the Spanish influenced variant of Occitan now official in Catalonia is the home language of some of its people, and the first language of a minority of them.

The Catalan establishment is now trying to extend this dialect’s use to the majority of Catalans, and with some success. They are also attempting to impose the standard (just read the “aixo no es catala” letters in Avui) to the detriment of regional varieties and varieties spoken in other regions of Spain. Spanish influence which, ironically is the thing that distinguished the literary dialect from Occitan to begin with, is mercilessly purged. I wonder what the project might be here?

What it is bizarre in your analysis of Catalan politics is your dettachment from reality, not to mention some of the “perls” you wrote in comment #10:

- “emerging nationalist-socialist state”
Beg you pardon, what? What state do you refer to? This smacks of self-induced paranoia fed by reading Libertad Digital too often.

- “imposition of an invented dialect”
Straight out from the Spanish nationalist rethoric. Catalan is neither an “invented dialect” nor “imposed”. It is the natural language of Catalonia. You cannot impose Catalan in Catalonia more than you can impose English in England. What a bizarre claim. On the other hand, Spanish language has been imposed in Catalonia, Valencia, Balearics, etc, officially by the Spanish State since the “Decretos de Nueva Planta”, and now by the Spanish Constitution. Funny how you ignore this little fact. But never mind.

- “‘Spanish’ fascists at one stage saw Francesc Macià as Spain’s salvation precisely because of his wholesale adoption of the Italian agenda”.

A rather bizarre interpretation of history I must say, considering the Spanish Fascists hated ERC, executed Companys, abolished the Republic, etc. I have never read anything in any history book about Spanish fascists admiring Macia, or Macia “wholesale adoption of the Italian agenda” but hey how cares. Do you read Pio Moa? Unbelievable.

- [Spanish Fascists I guess you refer to] “They have more or less disappeared”
You choose to ignore them, and use their rethoric and vocabulary when you comment about Catalan/Spanish politics.

Unless everyone finally works out that Spanish houses are overvalued by 300%, and that they have no possibility of paying off there mortgages. Credit-card keynesianism can only last so long….

“a vote for PP is the quickest way to break Spain”
On this one I agree: a PP government in Madrid will tilt the silent majority in Catalonia towards CiU or ERC.

PP are loathsome reptiles who seem intent on driving the regions away from the centre. Forget the C (Ni de Izquierdas, ni Republicanos, pero Catalanes, si que lo son!), a vote for PP is the quickest way to break Spain.

“Rab’s politics are obviously right wing, but he votes for a party that toys with Socialism merely because they are the most nationalist.”

Neither I am “obviously right-wing”, whatever that means, nor ERC toys with Socialism.
I have all my finances in a mutual, co-operative society, drive a small car and try to shop in ethical businesses; and ERC is a social democrat party. So you are wrong in both counts.

I vote for ERC because it is the only mainstream party which supports independence from Spain –even if they are finding it quite a challenge to influence policy in this direction.

Do Spanish nationalists do your head in? Or do you reserve your prejudices only for one side?

The problem with Catalonia is that you can only vote for flavours of nationalism (with the possible exception of Ciutadans), Rab’s politics are obviously right wing, but he votes for a party that toys with Socialism merely because they are the most nationalist.

Bloody catafatxas do my head in.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m thinking of joining a corps of grallers

First, I politely disagree with your description of my blog as “from a Catalan nationalist perspective, he whinges about the Spanish, the English, ungrateful immigrants and stuff.”
I describe the policies of the Spanish State and criticise ungrateful immigrants who make no effort to integrate into the host nation, whether they are from Almería or Alger. I don’t whinge about the English, quite the opposite; I admire the English and their free-market, dynamic economy. I am not sure Catalan nationalist is accurate either. Yes, I am in favour of Catalan independence from Spain but that does not make one a nationalist. I don’t think nationalism and support for the right of self-determination are the same, but that’s another debate.

Secondly, there have been changes at home:

I have to report that my mum is thinking about not voting at the next elections as she feels let down by ERC, does not trust IC-V anymore and does not want to vote for any of the other parties. I will probably vote ERC again, despite being extremely pissed off with the current strategy. My dad apparently is a bit fed up with the extremism and Catalonophobia of the PP and is seriously considering going back to CiU or not voting at all either. At least he is not listening to COPE anymore and I caught him watching TV3 news one night during my last holiday.
My brother has realised the futility of voting for Ciudadanos and is either going to vote PSOE or PP next time.

But this is nothing compared to what this family must have gone through:

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/mujeres/odio/elpepuesp/20070211elpepinac_17/Tes or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%C3%B1aki_de_Juana_Chaos

Yep, de Juana Chaos is the son of a Falangista, and he was placed on detention temporarily at Donostia Hospital where his sister, married to the son of an Army officer killed by ETA, works as a paramedic.

It reminds me of Yates, the son of an English landlord in Ireland who became a supporter of Irish home rule, who fell in love with the daughter of a British army officer; the daughter though fell in love with an IRA officer and rejected Yates.
Sometimes we refuse to toe the line, and that’s what makes life interesting.