The Historical Basis for Catalonian Independence

[Arwon]

defended that Valencians and Catalans are the same people in different places and with a few different customs.

Some would argue that regarding Catalans and people elsewhere in Spain too, of course.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Catalunya in it's broader sense is this:

 

[Arwon]

That's a map of the geographical distribution of the Catalan language and probably has about as much relevance to "Catalunya" as a similar map of the German language does to "Germany".

 

[JohannaK]

Catalunya is Catalonia and the French area. That map is of the so-called Catalan Countries, and it is what Arwon said, the places where Catalan is spoken.

 

[Lohrenswald]

Catalunya is Catalonia and the French area. That map is of the so-called Catalan Countries, and it is what Arwon said, the places where Catalan is spoken.

So if they all decided to form one state seperate from Spain, they couldn't call themself Catalonia?

 

[Peck of Arabia]

Greater Catalonia?

Apparently this has caused some serious hand wringing in the Guardian

If Catalonia wins independence, where will it end?



EDIT: It turns out not very far, apparently, and certainly not the Balearic Islands

 

[JohannaK]

So if they all decided to form one state seperate from Spain, they couldn't call themself Catalonia?

Of course! But I'd doubt there'd be much support for that name outside of the current borders of Catalonia.

 

[Lohrenswald]

What would the name be then?

 

[JohannaK]

I don't know.

 

[Arakhor]

How about Castillos en el Aire?

 

[JohannaK]

That's a nice name... for a book, a painting or a film.

 

[Arakhor]

It's also an English idiom.

 

[JohannaK]

Oh! I thought it only had that meaning in Spanish.

 

[Arakhor]

I didn't realise it meant the same thing in Spanish.

 

[JohannaK]

I was actually surprised of your knowledge of Spanish.

 

[Arakhor]

That was actually Google Translate, to be fair, but I do have a Spanish friend, so it looked right.

 

[JohannaK]

No, I mean I thought you knew it was a Spanish idiom.

 

[dutchfire]

http://www.latin-dictionary.org/In_aere_aedificare by Augustine, seems to be the sources for all of this. (It is also an idiom in Dutch)

 

[Arakhor]

Oh well. That's yet another thing for which to blame the famous monk from Hippo!

 

[Angst]

Wait, so if Catalonia is founded we would not call it Catalonia?