Northern Catalonia ( Cat. Catalunya del Nord or Catalunya Nord , French Catalogne Nord ) is a term introduced in the 1930s by Catalan nationalist . This term is commonly used in Catalonia and by some French adherents of Catalanism to refer to the territory that Spain ceded to France in 1659, in accordance with the conditions of the Iberian world . The territory designated by this term corresponds to the current French department of the Eastern Pyrenees . Historically, it included 5 mosquitoes (regions) of Catalonia: Alta Cerdanya , Valespira , Kapsir , Conflans and Roussillon .
The name Northern Catalonia is used less in France than Roussillon. The first term is systematically used by Catalan nationalists, who use it as a confirmation of the connection of the territory with Spanish Catalonia [1] . The terms “ Catalan lands ”, “French Catalonia” or “Catalan Pyrenees” are also used in relation to this region [2] .
The official recognition of the name “Northern Catalonia” took place at the session of the on December 10, 2007, where it approved the “Letter in favor of the Catalan language”, the preamble of which says: “The Catalan language was born more than a thousand years ago, is one of pillars of our identity, heritage and wealth of the department of the Eastern Pyrenees (Northern Catalonia) ” [3] .
“Northern Catalonia” is a term commonly used in Catalonia and used by government agencies of the Government of Catalonia to refer to parts of the Pyrenees where Catalan is spoken. On the other hand, the term “South Catalonia” is sometimes used in the Eastern Pyrenees to refer to the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain [4] .
Since French is the only official language in the Eastern Pyrenees, as part of France, the Catalan language is in a dangerous situation here: it is only spoken in the countryside, and language transfer in families has been interrupted for thirty years. In 2009, only 13.9% of students in the department’s primary or secondary schools studied in the Catalan language [5] .
See also
- Pancatalonism
Notes
- ↑ In addition to the Catalans, it is used in local media and various public organizations: social, cultural, tourist, historical, etc.
- ↑ For example, in the title “Natural Park of the Catalan Pyrenees”
- ↑ Charte en faveur du Catalan on the website of the General Council of the Eastern Pyrenees
- ↑ L'indépendant de Perpiñán
- ↑ Ferrando Francés, Miquel Nicolà s. Història de la llengua catalana (Catalan.) // Editorial UOC. - 2011 .-- P. 452-453 . - ISSN 978-84-9788-380-1 .