Barcelona Metropolis

As the new century unfolds, the capital of Catalonia finds itself noticeably shedding the most defining aspect of its identity: its language. Increasingly ousted from public spaces (often met with unprecedented hostility since the Franco era) and marginalised in the global economic landscape, it now seeks refuge within the confines of select private realms. While possessing significant symbolic value, its communicative efficacy is limited. As the world reverts to oral traditions, living in Catalan within Barcelona appears increasingly improbable.

In La terra dura [The Hard Land], Anna Punsoda delves into the narrative of the county of La Segarra, beginning with the observation that “people are very resistant to change”, an age-old mindset that has significantly shaped the present circumstances of one of the country’s most rural areas, for both better and worse. Conversely, in metropolitan areas, the dynamics are reversed: they serve as catalysts for change, which can have both positive and negative repercussions. While the evolution of Barcelona into a global city may have pleased certain affluent individuals, for those of us who strive to preserve Catalan culture in its authenticity, the sentiment is quite the opposite. We are angry.

The Olympic impulse laid the groundwork for the perfect storm: a deluge of institutional messages proclaiming “Barcelona in constant transformation”, the success of the Erasmus programme, the widespread adoption of the internet, and the “mandatory” learning of languages (essentially English)… All of which created fertile ground for the spread of hegemonic languages.

Barcelona’s “rebirth” following the black and white era of Franco’s regime conceals a paradox. As linguist Rudolf Ortega puts it, “the twentieth-century concept of Catalonia as a city resurges strongly, envisioning a country with a macrocephaly in Barcelona and the metropolitan area, emitting economic activity, political initiative and cultural content”. But, unlike during the time of the Mancomunitat de Catalunya [Catalan institution created in 1914 which sought to achieve self-government for Catalonia], now the price to pay for this major operation of supposed modernisation was much steeper: the relinquishment of centuries-old identity. The traditional Catalan beret clashes with the big burger, and diversity, a cornerstone of modern life, invariably favours the strongest. The celebrated (and cynical) slogan “Be local, be global” simply does not fit Barcelona because to embrace supposed diversity, we should have first embraced the previous diversity (third, and even fourth, generations of still monolingual Spanish emigrants); sixty years of neglected work that cannot be rectified now, with the unassimilable influx of new immigrants.

In social terms, it’s like what reggaeton represents culturally: a machine for manufacturing Hispanic identity that has lured in countless young people from Catalan households. It’s no wonder it’s been pushed by the industry to unprecedented levels: a means to create a consumer base and cheap labour simultaneously. It’s all about vulgarisation, semi-literacy, primal instincts and a lack of critical thinking – the perfect recipe for an underpaid employee. Need proof? Look no further than the metropolitan area, the greater Barcelona area, where the phenomenon was first noticed (thanks to reports from parents documented in Plataforma per la Llengua’s 2018 report). It’s a trend that hints at a seismic shift: kids from Catalan families communicating in Spanish. It’s the reggaetonisation of social interaction. Unlike the traditional break in intergenerational language transmission (seen in the Valencian Community, Galicia, Sardinia, Sicily and others), the abandonment of the mother tongue by children is a new and dramatic phenomenon. Beyond the social isolation and public invisibility it brings, it also signifies a gradual and irreversible loss of quality. If you’ve ever studied a foreign language but hardly used it afterward, you’ll get what I mean – that feeling of it “getting rusty”. Collectively, it’s a trend that pushes it towards marginalisation and disintegration.

The engines of change
So, what are the factors currently propelling this direction? What are the factors driving the “engine of change” towards accelerated de-Catalanisation?:

Global economy and world markets undoubtedly stand out as the most powerful and effective agent. As trade flows transcend state borders, the age-old street market (from medieval times) evolves into a global marketplace. Virtuality and immateriality play crucial roles: physical presence is no longer a necessity, undermining one of the most cherished assets of minority cultures – personal interaction and human connection. We acquire consumer goods from around the world and engage in commercial and labour exchanges with people across the globe. And just as the media must reduce local lexicon as they expand their audience (Vic’s television may use the [colloquial] insult “malxinat”, but when it becomes television for the whole of Catalonia, it must reduce it to the standard accepted term “malparit” [both of which mean “ill-bred”]), commercial exchanges require a lingua franca.

Expats. This term is a direct extension of the previous discussion. We use this term (short for expatriates) to refer to workers from large corporations and multinational firms who make their homes abroad. Long-distance telecommuting. Linguistically speaking, expats are at the forefront of globalisation, as their limited need for interaction with locals enables them to function primarily in English. Their behaviour confirms Calvet’s gravitational model: arrogance and ignorance as guarantees of the monolingualism of the privileged. Indeed, the presence of a minority language like Catalan is seen by them as nothing more than a nuisance, and, save for a few exceptions, they exhibit a very hostile attitude towards it.

Mass tourism. The “Lloretisation” of the capital aims to reduce identity to mere decorative folklore: Barça and Sagrada Familia, yes; language, no. For instance, expecting restaurant workers to cater to the local population in the local language contradicts another basic principle of the modern era: labour mobility and instability. How does Amazon respond to complaints? “We do not accept correspondence in Catalan.” Because they know nothing will happen to them.

An economic model reminiscent of a third-world country, with precarious employment and perpetual insecurity. Low wages and the marginalisation of the emerging working class. Fostering cohesion is therefore impossible.