Catalan

Catalan is a Romance language spoken in parts of the Iberian Peninsula and the Pyrenees, including Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands in Spain; the eastern fringe of Aragon; the region of Roussillon in southern France; and the city of Alghero in Sardinia. It is also the official language of Andorra. In addition, Catalan is used by diaspora communities around the world.

It is classified as Western Romance, closely related to Occitan, and together with other varieties forms the Occitano-Romance subgroup. The standard written form is regulated by the Institute of Catalan Studies (Institut d'Estudis Catalans).

Catalan began to emerge as a distinct Romance language in the medieval Crown of Aragon, with written texts dating from the 12th century. It reached a high literary and cultural profile in the 14th and 15th centuries, then declined under suppression during various periods, and experienced revival after the late 20th century, aided by regional autonomy and education policies.

Dialects are commonly grouped into Eastern Catalan (including Central Catalan, Valencian and Balearic varieties) and Western Catalan. The standard written norm draws chiefly on Central Catalan, while Valencian and Balearic forms are recognized as varieties of Catalan.

Status and use: Catalan has official status in Andorra, and co-official status in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community in Spain. It is used in schooling, government, media, and public life, and has a published body of literature and academic research. It is promoted by language policy and cultural institutions.

Writing system: Catalan uses the Latin alphabet with diacritics to reflect phonology; it shares conventions with other Romance languages and is standardized by the IEC. It includes punctuation and orthographic features distinguishing it from Spanish and French varieties.