Languages > Learning Catalan

Learning Catalan

Catalan is the rightful language of Catalan universities and, consequently, the language used in normal and routine university activities. Catalan and Spanish are both official languages of Catalan universities. The use of the official languages in university activities is governed by Law 1/1998, of 7 January, governing language policies. The Government and the universities, in their respective areas of competence, have a duty to stimulate knowledge and use of Catalan in all areas of university life and to promote learning of the language among all members of the university community.

The Government is also required by law to ensure that the admission and incorporation of new members in the university community does not alter normal language use in the teaching context or interfere with the process of language normalisation at universities.

Accordingly, the Catalan Government Department of Education and Universities, and Catalan universities have taken every possible measure to provide language support to foreign students, researchers and instructors who come to Catalonia. A wide range of materials, both in paper format and online, is available for newcomers to understand the language situation in Catalonia and to facilitate learning of the official language of the Catalan Autonomous Community.

Where can I obtain further information on Catalan?

Lingca www.intercat.gencat.net/lingcat/index_an_1024.htm

Aims. This presentation on the Catalan language is intended to resolve the main doubts that participants in university exchange programmes may have concerning the sociolinguistic reality of Catalonia (and other areas where Catalan is spoken) and how that reality is reflected in university life. Lingcat forms part of the Interc@t linguistic support programme offered by Catalan universities to students from outside the region.

Content. Key content is as follows:

- A critical look at the principles governing bilingualism in Catalonia, focusing on the difficulties experienced by Catalans in achieving full linguistic competence (in Catalan and Spanish), and on the fact that the Catalan language is absent from certain contexts (for example, in the mass media).

- A review of the definition of 'minority language', so as to place Catalan on an equal footing with other European languages (for example, Danish, Finnish, etc.).

- A brief description of certain aspects of the Catalan language, including the areas where it is spoken, demography, dialects, the history of the language, current use and status, etc.

 

Website for the Catalan language www6.gencat.net/llengcat/mapll_other.htm#eng

Information on learning Catalan, obtaining Catalan language certificates, language professionals, translators and interpreters, language support, etc.

Where can I learn Catalan?

 

Intercat intercat.gencat.cat/en/index.jsp

This website offers a multimedia training system aimed at facilitating autonomous distance study of Catalan for instructors and students from outside Catalonia who are planning stays at Catalan universities. The site also offers visitors an opportunity to start to get to know Catalonia's linguistic and cultural reality. Students from outside the region can learn about Catalan customs and Catalan society, so that they will feel at home from their first day in a Catalan university, and also so that can make the most of of their time with us, academically, culturally, and on a personal level.

 

 

Speakcat. Curs de català de supervivència intercat.gencat.cat/speakcat/indexeng.html

Aims
- To provide users with the resources they need to activate their various language skills, particularly passive skills, in basic everyday communicative situations.
- To integrate social customs in the learning process, based on the view that they are closely linked to the language, and to increase communicative competence.
- To describe Catalan universities to students from outside the Catalan language area.

Sisplau intercat.gencat.cat/en/sisplau.jsp

Catalan language exercises at the beginner level for university students.  

Aims

- To make beginner level Catalan language exercises available to university students, particularly exchange programme students on short stays at Catalan universities or commencing educational programmes.

- Sisplau supplements other more complete communicative methods, by reinforcing basic language knowledge while also providing exercises (mainly oral) that more closely reflect the way students will have to use the language in the university environment.

- The course is based on a book and a cassette.

Guia de conversa universitària www.ub.edu/guiaconversa/angles/

The aim of this guide is to provide foreign students with resources for communicating in Catalan and making the most of university services. Whatever the user's knowledge of Catalan, the phrasebook will equip him/her with the most effective phrases for all the main communicative situations encountered at the university.

Ajuda'm www2.upc.edu/slt/ajudam/

A range of materials aimed at providing a cultural insight to foreign students who come to study at Catalan universities.

Aims

- To provide those who receive and assist with the integration of foreign students with resources that facilitate their task.

- To raise awareness among students from outside of Catalonia in relation to Catalan customs and Catalan society (opening hours, punctuality, greetings, etc.), given that for anyone outside their own country knowledge of these matters is as important as knowledge of the language.

- To demonstrate, from a straightforward, youth-orientated perspective, the reality that is Catalonia to those involved in the university community.

 

UNIVERSITIES & OTHER LANGUAGE BODIES

Institut Ramon Llull
www.llull.cat/llull/estatic/eng/quisom/lectorats-mapa.shtm
Diputació 279, baixos
08007 Barcelona
Tel. 93 467 80 00 Fax 93 467 80 06

University of Barcelona.
www.ub.edu/slc/en/enindex.htm
Melcior de Palau, 140 planta baixa
08014 Barcelona
Tel. 93 403 54 78 Fax 93 403 54 84
serveislinguistics@ub.edu

Autonomous University of Barcelona.
si.uab.es/suab244w/indexgb.html
Edifici M1 Campus de la UAB
08193 Bellaterra
Tel. 93 581 13 25 o 93 581 29 28 Fax: 93 581 27 36 
s.llengues.info@uab.cat

Gabinet de Llengua Catalana
antalya.uab.es/gab-llengua-catalana/www/eng/index.html
Edifici A (Rectorat) 2n pis
08193 Bellaterra
Tel. 93 581 20 55
g.llengua.catalana@uab.es

Language and Terminology Service. Technical University of Catalonia.
www.upc.edu/slt/
Jordi Girona 31
Edifici TG, planta baixa
08034 Barcelona
Tel. 93 401 77 69 

Language Teaching Programme. Pompeu Fabra University.
www.upf.edu/serveis/en/idiomes/
Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27
08005 Barcelona
Tel. 93 542 19 21 
pei@fun.upf.es

Modern Languages Service. University of Girona.
www.udg.edu/Novetats/tabid/7037/language/en-US/Default.aspx 
Edifici de Dret, nivell 0
Campus de Montilivi
17071 Girona 
Tel. 972 41 82 64  Fax 972 41 81 21 
llengues@udg.edu

Linguistics Service. University of Lleida
www.udl.cat/serveis/sl/voluntariat/exchange.html#inici
Centre de Cultures Transfronterer
Jaume II, 67
25001 Lleida
Tel. i Fax 973 00 35 42
sl@sl.udl.cat

Linguistics Service. Rovira i Virgili University
www.urv.net/a_mes_estudiar/aprendre_idiomes/index.html
Campus Centre
Av. Catalunya, 35
43002 Tarragona
Tel. 977 55 83 59 Fax 977 55 83 93 
infosl@urv.net

Virtual Languages School. EVIU
www.uoc.edu/humfil/articles/eng/coe0303/coe0303.html
Tel. 902 121 214 
ncoe@eviu.com

Language Service. International University of Catalonia
www.unica.edu/en/languatges-services?set=S

Language School. University of Vic
www.uvic.cat/ei/ca/inici.html
Sagrada Família, 7
Edifici F, planta baixa
08500 Vic
Tel. 93881 55 16 Fax 93 886 12 22
ei@uvic.cat

Language Service. Ramon Llull University
www.url.es/en/cont/url/languageservice.php

 

FURTHER INFORMATION

.

Language Normalisation Service. Subdirectorate General for Language Policy.
www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/Llengcat/?newLang=en_GB

Enquiries and Suggestions Service
spl.presidencia@gencat.net
Tel. 93 567 10 10

Specific inquiries
Learning Catalan: splgabinet.presidencia@gencat.cat
Language-related support and inquiries: splconsultes.presidencia@gencat.cat
Catalan language certificates: splcertificat.presidencia@gencat.cat
IT and new technologies: sptlic.presidencia@gencat.cat
Linguistic Guarantee Office: oglbarcelona.presidencia@gencat.cat
Language legislation: spllegislació.presidencia@gencat.cat
Sociolinguistics: splisc.presidencia@gencat.cat

Updated August 2008