An Extended Update
The prestigious publishing house Moll has launched a new, expanded edition of the study ‘Knowing (and recognizing) the Catalan language and culture’ by the author Isidor Marí. This new edition, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of its original publication in Spanish in 1993, offers an updated and complete view of the Catalan language and culture.
A Current Affairs Study
Marí’s study addresses several current issues related to the Catalan language. Among these issues are the linguistic denials towards the unity of the language, the consideration of the Catalan language within the scope of the Spanish State, educational policies and the recognition of Catalan in the European Union.
A work intended for the Spanish-speaking public
The study, originally titled ‘Knowing the Catalan language and culture’, was conceived as a work intended for the Spanish-speaking public in order to make known the language and culture of the Catalan-speaking area. The author acknowledges the difficulty of this task due to the lack of knowledge, prejudices and political interests that still today affect the outside world’s view of the Catalan language and culture.
A New Double Edition
The new edition of the study is presented in a double edition. A Catalan version with a foreword by Joan Veny and a Spanish version with a foreword by Ramón d’Andrés. This double edition allows readers to access the study in their preferred language.
A Historical and Current Vision
Marí’s study offers an enjoyable and detailed overview of the formation, historical evolution and current situation of the Catalan language and culture. The author summarizes the origins and historical trajectory, the culture developed in the different areas, the social use of the language, the prohibitions and its recovery in the various territories.
An Opportunity to Overcome Prejudices
Joan Veny, in the prologue of the Catalan edition, expresses the wish that reading this study will help to overcome prejudices based on ignorance of historical facts. The aim is to provide readers with comprehensive and objective information about the linguistic and cultural reality, encouraging understanding rather than hostility.
The author: Isidor Marí Mayans
Isidor Marí Mayans, born in Ibiza in 1948, is a recognized expert in Catalan sociolinguistics. He obtained his degree in Catalan Philology at the University of Barcelona in 1972 and has dedicated his career to the study and promotion of the Catalan language. He has been a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the Balearic Islands and has had a fundamental role in the incorporation of the Catalan language into the education system of the Balearic Islands. He has been recognized with several awards and has held important positions in institutions related to the Catalan language.
