A glossary under construction
Recently, an innovative work has been presented that analyzes the terminology of the castellar world, which has been recognized with the VII CEPAC Award. This work, created by Elisenda Plana Armengol, is her final degree project at Pompeu Fabra University and offers a unique view of the language that surrounds this Catalan tradition.
The cultural wealth of the castles
Castles represent one of the most emblematic traditions of Catalonia, with a notable impact both locally and internationally. Over the years, they have become a symbol of Catalan identity, reflecting its evolution and adaptation to different contexts. This has given rise to a rich and diverse vocabulary, which is now sought to be systematized.
Translation as a cultural bridge
Despite the fact that Catalan is the main language of the Castilians, its presence in other languages, especially Spanish, cannot be ignored. This linguistic duality has been driven by several factors, including the need to communicate this tradition to a wider audience and the influence of castellers of Spanish-speaking origin.
Challenges in translation
One of the great debates within the casteller community is whether the language should be translated or not. There are voices that argue that the genuine nature of some expressions requires that they remain in Catalan, without translation. On the other hand, Plana Armengol’s work argues that everything is translatable, as long as cultural nuances are respected.
Building a Catalan-Spanish glossary
The project has been based on the Catalan-English glossary of the Casteller Dictionary of TERMCAT, with the aim of expanding and enriching the existing terminology. The criteria include the preservation of exclusively Castellerian terms and the translation of terms of wider use, thus reflecting the diversity of the Castellerian phenomenon.
Linguistic variants and diversity
The Casteller world is not homogeneous; there are multiple linguistic variants that testify to its rich tradition. Each group and region brings a unique perspective, and the glossary seeks to capture this diversity, avoiding a uniformity that could detract from the authenticity of the tradition.
Final reflections on the work
Through the analysis carried out, it has been made clear that the casteller tradition is a living phenomenon, which is nourished by multiple influences and interpretations. The work does not aim to establish rigid rules, but to offer a resource that reflects the richness of the Castilian language and its translations, thus contributing to its preservation and dissemination.
Glossary examples
Below, we present a table with some examples from the glossary, classified according to their translation into Spanish, which illustrate the complexity and diversity of Spanish vocabulary.
