Catalan Dialects: Roussillon, Algherese, Northwestern, and Valencian

Vocalism in Roussillon

In Roussillon, the vowel system can be open or locked, or closed with a neutral u. The neutral vowel in the final position disappears in proparoxytone words (words stressed on the antepenultimate syllable). The neutral vowel can also occur with a and e.

Consonantism in Roussillon

• The -rr sound can infiltrate other sounds.
• Latin groups -NRLR- do not produce an intervocalic -d-.
• The sound /f/ at the end of a word is dropped.
• The sound /e/ in certain positions can be lost.
• There is a very high tendency for assimilation between consonants.

Morphology in Roussillon

• The definite article is the same as in Central Catalan, but you can also hear it and them.
• The personal pronoun article is also similar to Central Catalan.
• Among the pronouns, there are archaisms like qualque (some) or somebody.
• Negation is formed with step.
• Possession is expressed with their (lur).

Algherese

Historical Factors of Algherese

In the 13th century, Pope Boniface VIII gave the island of Sardinia to the Catalan king. A year later, a conspiracy among Sardinians, Pisans, and Genoese against Catalan rule forced Peter of Aragon to intervene. He imposed his rule by force and expelled the native population, replacing them with Catalan settlers. However, in 1643, the Spanish took control. In 1713, following the Treaty of Utrecht, Sardinia passed into the hands of the Austrians. The official use of the Catalan language ended in 1764, when it was replaced by Italian.

Morphology of Algherese

• Voiced intervocalic consonants are preserved.
• The final /r/ is dropped.
• The group -N'R includes a /d/.
• The /d/ and /l/ can become /r/ in intervocalic position.
• The group -DR becomes -RR.
• The /l/ and /n/ are not palatalized.
• The definite articles are: lo (lu), la, los (lus), las. There are also variants like el.
• Plurals are formed with -s.
• Present tense conjugation: Mir, look, look, look, Behold, mikan.
• The imperfect past tense ending -eva is replaced by -VAT.

Northwestern Catalan

Historical Factors of Northwestern Catalan

Andorra soon came under the domain of the Count of Urgell and then the Bishop of this diocese. It experienced many vicissitudes, which culminated in the shared sovereignty of the French Head of State and the Bishop of Urgell.

Features of Northwestern Catalan

• The initial o can become au.
• The -e can open up and become /a/.
• Discrimination between /o/ and /u/ in unstressed positions.
• Distinction between /a/, /e/, and /ɛ/ in unstressed positions.

Morphology of Northwestern Catalan

• Preservation of old proparoxytone plural forms ending in -ns.
• Preservation of the archaic forms of the masculine definite article: it, them, the subjects.
• The first-person singular present tense ends in -o.
• The third-person singular present indicative ends in -e.
• The -ix increment is used in inchoative verbs.
• Weak pronouns are used in preverbal position with the full form: I, now, you, us, you, you.
• Personal pronoun article: what, the.

Vocabulary of Northwestern Catalan

There is a presence of Western Catalan words, but there are also similarities with Balearic Catalan.

Valencian

Introduction to Valencian

The Valencian language is a transplant from Catalonia onto a Mozarabic substrate in an area where Moors lived alongside Christians until the early 17th century. Over the past century, there have been several waves of immigration from the Aran Valley and Castile, in addition to Majorcan immigration. The result is a vivid contrast between archaisms and raw Castilianisms.

Demographics of Valencian

The number of Catalan speakers in the Valencian Country exceeds 2 million. The most populous nuclei are Valencia and Alicante, which are more heavily Castilianized. Valencia has received a steady stream of Castilian and Aragonese immigrants since the 14th century.

Historical Factors of Valencian

James I carried out the conquest of the Kingdom of Valencia.