Distinctive Features of Catalan Dialects

Western Northwestern Catalan Dialects

Western Northwestern Catalan is characterized by the distinction between unstressed 'a' and 'e', the maintenance of unstressed 'u' in plural endings, and the use of the masculine articles 'el' and 'els'. The first person singular indicative of verbs ends in '-o' or '-e' (inchoative verbs end in '-eix'). Exclusive words include trèvol (clover) and words shared with other dialects like xai (lamb) or bajoca (green bean).

• Pallares Catalan

  Notable conservation of the imperfect indicative ending '-va', for example: dormiva (was sleeping).

• Ribagorçan Catalan

  Features palatalization of consonant clusters like 'cl', 'pl', 'gl', 'bl', 'fl' (e.g., cllau for 'key').

• Tortosa Catalan

  Shares vocabulary with Valencian, such as voçar (to vomit) and baldana (blood sausage). (Lleidetà).

Valencian Catalan Dialects

Key features include the loss of intervocalic 'd' (e.g., cremat instead of cremada) and the pronunciation of final 'r' in most words. Weak pronoun combinations often follow ancient patterns (e.g., li ho done - 'he gives it to him/her'). The first person singular present indicative ends in '-e' (e.g., cante - 'I sing'). Common Arabisms include dacsa (maize) and Mozarabisms like brull (curd). Exclusive words include eixir (to exit).

• Northern Valencian

  Its features show a transition towards Northwestern Catalan.

• Apitxat Valencian

  The most specific feature is the affrication of alveolar and palatal fricatives (e.g., viatje pronounced viatxe - 'trip').

• Southern Valencian

  Preserves features of Balearic Catalan, such as the 'salat' article (though it has disappeared in Alicante, Castellón, and Murcia).

Eastern Central Catalan Dialects

This dialect group features a tonic vowel system with 7 sounds and an unstressed system with 3 sounds. It exhibits iodization or ieisme, where palla (straw) is pronounced paia. The first person singular present indicative verbs end in '-o', and inchoative verbs end in '-eix'. Definite articles are el, la, els, les, and personal articles are en and na. Characteristic words include escombra (broom), sorra (sand), and ocell (bird).

Insular Catalan Dialects

Insular Catalan is characterized by the presence of a neutral vowel in tonic position and the absence of palatalization in consonant clusters like 'tl' and 'sl' (e.g., espatlla (shoulder) pronounced with a clear 'tl'). It uses the 'salat' articles: es, sa, s', ses. The first person singular present indicative morpheme ends in '-i' (e.g., canti - 'I sing'). There is full use of weak pronoun forms before the verb (e.g., mos n'anam - 'we are going'). Exclusive words include al·lot (boy) and Arabisms like cadaf (vase).

• Majorcan Catalan

  The most conservative variety, as revealed by the order of weak pronouns (Direct Object + Indirect Object): li la dóna (he gives it to him/her).

• Minorcan Catalan

  Retains English words adapted to Minorcan phonetics, such as bòlit (herring).

• Ibizan Catalan

  Its phonetics and morphology show influences from Valencian. It presents its own words, such as major (grandmother).

Algherese Catalan

Algherese Catalan, spoken in Alghero, Sardinia, is characterized by the confusion of 'l' and 'r', and 'd'. It lacks a distinct first person singular present indicative ending (e.g., canta - 'I sing'). It makes use of archaisms, Sardinianisms, and Italianisms.