October 26th, 2009
Catalan in Mallorca
Just a couple of centuries ago doctors recommended that their wealthy patients go spend some time in Mallorca to calm their nerves. It was recommended for its splendid climate, and proximity to the sea. Mallorca still has that effect on people who come here, and it’s still very true that the sea and the sun are magnificent for the constitution of its guests. But it’s also true that it has a very lively nightlife, and attracts celebrities and the rich and famous from all over the world, looking to enjoy the sea and a great party. There are many people who come here, and who live here, however, that never see a nightclub, and they seem to enjoy it, too. There’s something about the place that’s attractive to everyone, and our luxury Mallorca hotels afford you the opportunity to see what the buzz is all about.
You can decide which Mallorca you’d like to see, and whichever you choose is bound to be a kind of paradise on earth. Spending time in the Spanish Caribbean is time wisely spent. There is a magnificent sense of style here, combining the utterly modern fashions of Spain generally, but accentuated with island touches and influences from all the other cultures that pass through here. The local language has a very interesting history, and speaks a great deal about the cultures who have passed through here.
In Mallorca, as in the rest of the Balearic Islands, Menorca and Ibiza, the spoken language is Catalan. It is similar to Castilian Spanish, in that they are both derived from the Latin, but there are significant differences. If you do speak Castilian, switching to Catalan is about as easy as faking Portuguese. It is spoken in parts of France and Italy, and Barcelona and other cities that make up Catalonia. It was repressed under Franco, and has been experience a kind of renaissance for the past few decades. There are very few language departments that offer it, such as Monash, but there is a considerable body of literature in the Catalan language, and it’s certainly worth learning, and always worth learning a few words while you’re here.
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