Aragonese and Bable

By Cathryn Johnson, Emma Santoyo, Nicola Fellows, Francesca Hay and

Andreas Pavlou

Lengua vs. Dialecto

Lengua: “sistema lingüístico caracterizado por su fuerte diferenciación, por poseer un alto grado de nivelación, por ser vehículo de una importante tradición literaria y, en ocasiones, por haberse impuesto a sistemas lingüísticos del mismo origen”(Alvar, 1996 12)

Dialecto: “un sistema de signos desgajado de una lengua común, viva o desaparecida, normalmente, con una cocreta limitación geográfica, pero sin una fuerte diferenciación frente a otros de origen común. De modo secundario, pueden llamarse dialectos ‘las estructuras lingüísticas, simultáneas a otras que no alcanzan la categoría de lengua.”(Alvar,1996 13)

Where is Aragón?

Where is Aragón?

Número de hablantes

Censo 1981. “¿Conoce o utiliza algún habla propia de Aragón?”

11.824 lo utilizaban.

17.653 lo conocían.

poca fiabilidad (conciencia lingüística, no emigrantes, antigüedad)

Censo lingüístico de Monzón. 1997

14% conoce/habla el aragonés

21% conoce/habla el aragonés y el catálán

Estudio del Alto de Aragón encargado por el Gobierno de Aragón. 2000

Aragonese - History

Early Origins Cartahgenic era Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis Muslim moors 714 Carolingian Franks

Middle ages Union of Aragon and Catalan Uniting of Castile and Aragon

Modern Era Civil War

Aragonese – The Language Fabla = Speech Origins – Ibero-Romance Language Navarro-Aragonese Dialect

Western Central Eastern Southern

Standardisation 16th/17th century “un dialecto arcaico del castellano”(Herreras 2006: 111)

Aragón – Statute of Autonomy

“Las lenguas y modalidades lingüísticas propias de Aragón constituyen una de las manifestaciones más destacadas del patrimonio histórico y cultural aragonés y un valor social de respeto, convivencia y entendimiento.”

Aragonese

Language bodies Consello d'a Fabla Aragonesa Ligallos de Fabla Aragonese Academia de l’Aragonese

Magazines Pedro Arnal Cavero Literary Prize Televison “The Aragonese, although a historic nation, are among the newest

to create a national identity in southwestern Europe” (Minahan, 2001:167)

Fonética GRANDE> gran (grande) FILIU> fillo (hijo) IUVEN>choven (joven) GELARE>chelar (helar) FACTU > feito (hecho COXU> coixo (cojo) MULIERE> mullé(r) (mujer) ACUT’LA> agulla (aguja)

Acentuación paraxitónica: tendencia a deshacer los esdrújolos;

medíco ‘médico’

Morfología

Pronombres Yo, tu, él/er, nusatros/nusotros,

busatros/busotros, ellos/ers Con tu, con yo.. Iste, ista, istos, istas, isto Ixe, ixa, ixos, ixas, ixo ¿Qui ye ixe? ‘¿Quién es ese?’

Determinantes- Artículo: o, a, os, as

lo, la, los, las - Bel can ‘Algún perro’

Bella mujer ‘Alguna mujer’- ueito ‘ocho’; nuéu ‘nueve’, bente ‘veinte’..

Conjugación verbal- Morfemas personales

fez ‘hacéis’ cantáz ‘cantáis’

- Morfemas temporales

Pretérito imperfecto: ‘-ba’ vs. ‘-ía’

quereba ‘quería’

faba ‘hacía’

dizíba ‘decía’

Subjuntivo- pretérito imperfecto

bebese ‘bebiera’

diziese ‘dijera’

Participio: amáu, partíu /amato, partito

7

Adverbios

- Lugar: adebán, debán ‘delante’;dezaga ‘detrás’; astí ‘aquí’, ‘ahí’

- Tiempo: uey/ue ‘hoy’; à boníco/ amonico ‘despacio’; dillá/dellá ‘más allá’

- Modo: millar ‘mejor’; asinas ‘así’

- Cantidad: muito ‘mucho’; pro ‘bastante’ Preposiciones

- enta ‘hacia’; dica ‘hasta’

Sintaxis

Artículo + posesivos: O mio fillo ‘Mi hijo’ Complementos en/ne ‘de ello’; bi/i ‘aquí, allí’

Damene ‘Dame (de ello)’

Bi ha chen ‘Hay gente (allí/ahí/aquí) Partitivo: ne/en

Ya en tiene de comida

Conclusion

Very few speakers Dialect rather than a language Protected by Statute of Autonomy but

few provisions for promotion of language

Survival younger generations Institutional provisions and language

planning measures

BABLE

Bable – An Introduction

• Romance language spoken in Asturias and parts of Castilla y León and Zamora

• Also known as Asturian (although in official documentation referred to as Bable)

• A language (not a dialect) with 3 dialects of its own – Western, Central and Eastern Asturian (Central Asturian has most speakers so is the basis of its standard form)

• Does NOT have official status in Asturias or anywhere else.

Early Middle Ages

Fragmentation of Vulgar Latin+ influences from the pre-Roman language spoken

in Asturias, León, Zamora and Miranda before arrival of Latin

= Bable (a Romance Language) Spoken first in Kingdom of Asturias before

spreading to remainder of Asturias 10th century - first documents known to contain

Asturian grammar and lexicon (although rare)

12th, 13th and 14th Centuries

Long-term diglossic situation with Latin and Asturian

Asturian was the chosen language for official documents (evidence found of wills, commercial contracts, agreements etc)

Literature in Asturian not yet present

Introduction of Castilian

Castilian administration, backed by Trastámara Dynasty, came to occupy areas of political and ecclesiastic power Castilian replaced Bable as language of official documentation

Bable/Asturian reduced to oral, private, informal use only

17th, 18th, 19th Centuries

17th C - start of Bable literary tradition (Antón de Marrireguerra (1605) key founding figure - works include fables Dido and Eneas)

18th C – literary importance continued (poetry - Xeneración del Mediu Sieglu) AND Intellectuals began to realise the importance of Asturian history and development (Jovellanos is a key figure – suggested grammar, dictionaries and Academy in late 1700s, although not enforced at the time)

19th and early 20th C – this double process (literature and intellectuals) continued

20th Century – Introduction of Asturian Academy

Before Civil War – Asturian theatre grew in popularity, first Asturian newspaper published (IXUXU), first version of Asturian Language Academy permitted in 1920s

------ Despite artistic and intellectual usage, lack of use of Asturian/Bable in official documentation for centuries meant that people gradually favoured the use of Castilian. Asturian perceived as rural, primitive, useless, second-class ------

During Franco regime– literature and intellectual research continued clandestinely

Democracy - Conceyu Bable (or Asturian Language Council) (1974), Academia de la Llingua Asturiana (1981) for standardization and promotion and protection of Asturian/Bable but still not official language.

The language itself:ALPHABETA, a a /a/B, b be /b/C, c ce /θ/, /k/D, d de /d/E, e e /e/F, f efe /f/G, g gue /g/H, h hacheI, i i /i/L, l ele /l/M, m eme /m/N, n ene /n/Ñ, ñ eñe /n/O, o o /o/P, p pe /p/R, r erre /r/, /r-/S, s ese /s/T, t te /t/U, u u /u/V, v uve /b/X, x xe /s/Y, y ye, y griega /y/, /i/Z, z zeta, zeda /θ/Diagraphsch che /ˆc/gu + e, i — /g/ll elle /l/qu + e, i cu /k/rr (btw vowels) erre doble /r-/

ARTICLES masculin feminine neutersingular el la loplural los les

Contractions:EL LA LO LOS LES

A alDE delPA palSO solCON col cola colo colos colesEN nel na no nos nesPER pel pela pelo pelos pelesPOR pol pola polo polos poles

VERBSFalar Dir Serfalo voi/vo soi/sofales vas yesfala va yefalamos vamos somosfaláis vais soisfalen van son

Sample text in AsturianTolos seres humanos nacen llibres y iguales en dignidá y drechos y, pola mor de la razón y la conciencia de so, han

comportase hermaniblemente los unos colos otros.

TranslationAll human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Statutes and LawsSTATUTE OF AUTONOMY Art. 4.1. El bable gozará de protección. Se promoverá su uso, su difusión en los medios de comunicación y su

enseñanza, respetando en todo caso, las variantes locales y la voluntariedad en su aprendizaje.

.2. Una ley del Principado regulará la protección, uso y promoción del bable. Art. 10.1.15 El fomento y protección del bable en sus diversas variantes que, como modalidades lingüísticas, se

utilizan en el territorio del Principado de Asturias

LEY DE USO Y PROMOCION DEL BABLE/ASTURIANO 1998 Art. 3. Es objeto de la presente Ley:

a) Amparar el derecho de los ciudadanos a conocer y usar el bable/asturiano y establecer los medios que lo hagan efectivo.

b) Fomentar su recuperación y desarrollo, definiendo medidas para promover su uso.

c) Garantizar la enseñanza del bable/asturiano, en el ejercicio de las competencias asumidas por el Principado de Asturias, atendiendo a los principios de voluntariedad, gradualidad y respeto a la realidad sociolingüística de Asturias.

d) Asegurar su libre uso y la no discriminación de los ciudadanos por este motivo.

Recognises Asturianu/Bable as traditional language of Asturias, and also to Asturian/Galician Aims to : enable use of Bable, extend peoples knowledge of it, guarantee education in Bable

Education Almost 90% of Asturians showed themselves favourable to the idea of

the indigenous language being taught in schools “Bable nes escueles”

Teaching Bable linked to state education

Use of Asturian Act establishes the possibility of using Asturian as a medium of instruction However reality is offer the teaching of the Asturian

language, Tool of communication for complementary academic

activities: school press, theatre, festivals and recitals, cultural daytrips,etc.

Pre-school Education• “Asturian language is slight at this level of education, the majority

of teaching unions in Asturias demand the inclusion of Asturian within their syllabuses and the option to use it as an instrument, particularly where the home language of pupils is Asturian.” Mercator

• Language integrated into teaching, not a separate subject• Pupils taught in Spanish, but cultural aspects taught in Bable,

especially in rural areas

PUPILS IN PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION(2001/02)TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS IN STATE EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS 13,448Number of pupils taught Asturian in state educational establishments 1,370TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS IN PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS 6,244Number of pupils taught Asturian in private educational establishments 0TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS 19,692

Primary Education Asturian not language of instruction 2 hours a week of Asturian language

optional subject Concentrated in industrial, urban areas Rural areas teach Asturian to a higher level

PUPILS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION(2001/02)TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS IN STATE EDUCATION 30,325Number of pupils taught Asturian in state educational establishments 14,238TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS IN PRIVATE EDUCATION 14,591Number of pupils taught Asturian in private educational establishments -----TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS 44,916

Secondary Education

Asturian as optional subject Not been successfully introduced because of administrative issues Lack of materials at right level

STUDENTS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION(2001/02)

TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN STATE EDUCATION 27,018

Number of students studying Asturian in state educational establishments 936

TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN PRIVATE EDUCATION 13,978

Number of students studying Asturian in private educational establishments 144

TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS 40,996

Vocational/Higher/Adult Education

Vocational Asturian not subject until 2002/03

Higher University of Oveido Asturian can be used, but rarely Its use is increasing and becoming more accepted 60 places per year for Asturian philology

Adult No real official organisation, but Asturian-language classes

do exist

1. Your first language is:- Asturian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.9%- Castilian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.8%- Both: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.8%- A mixture: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.7%- Other: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5%- Don’t know: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.0%

2. You find it easier to speak:

- In Castilian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46.7%- In Asturian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.3%- In both: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.8%- It depends: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.2%- Don’t know: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0%

3. Which language do you use at home?

- More Asturian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.6%- More Castilian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36.4%- No distinction: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.8%- Don’t know: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2%

Estudio sociolingüístico para Asturias

Usage/Attitudes/Prestige

Minority language due to low socio-economic status

Spoken by the rural, old, lower class and less educated

Stigma, inferiority Classic diglossic situation

Asturian: informal, intimate Spanish: formal, official

Inorganic/disorganised bilingualism

Change/ Future?

Complex, contradictory attitudes Young/politically minded more favourable Pro-asturian political organisations and movements Asturian literature revival Linked to ethnic identity Political measures insufficient, met by resistance Not recognised as official language

“ Bilingualism is clearly the linguistic future desired and imagined by the great majority of Asturians, expressing it with great pragmatism and moderation (...) It demands a great regional consensus at the institutional level and from people of influences and leaders of public opinion on the linguistic standardisation to reinforce the already important linguistic identity of Asturians (...) Majority opinion is in favour of equality of treatment in relation to the other languages of the Iberian peninsular. Standardisation and joint official status are the measures by which Asturians stamp their aspirations for linguistic justice.”

Llera Ramo 1994

Conclusion (Bable/Asturian)

Romance language 10th century Literary tradition Suppression under Franco Mutually intelligible to Castillian Some differences in morphology and lexis Few educational and institutional provisions Diglossic situation Contradictory attitudes Promising future

Bibliography

Turell, (2001) Multilingualism in Spain, (Clevedon: Multilingual matters) TEXTO VIGENTE DEL ESTATUTO DE AUTONOMÍA DEL

PRINCIPADO DE ASTURIAS (1981) http://www.asturias.es/Asturias/DOCUMENTOS%20EN%20PDF/PDF%20DE%20SITUACIONES/Estatuto.pdf

LEY 1/1998, DE 23 DE MARZO, DE USO Y PROMOCION DEL BABLE/ASTURIANO. http://boe.es/aeboe/consultas/bases_datos/doc.php?coleccion=iberlex&id=1998/10126

Academia de la Llingua Asturiana, (2001) Gramática de la Llingua Asturiana http://www.academiadelallingua.com/diccionariu/gramatica_llingua.pdf

Mercator, (2002) The Asturian language in education in Spain http://www1.fa.knaw.nl/mercator/regionale_dossiers/PDFs/asturian_in_spain.pdf

Bibliography - Aragonese

Alvar, M. (1996) Manual de dialectologia Hispanica, Barcelona : Editorial Ariel,

Conte, A. (1977) El aragones:Identidad y problematica de una lengua www.consello.org

Minahan, James, ed. (2002), Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World, Westport: Greenwood Press

www.aragontelevision.es Creciendo en Aragonese (2007) http://uk.youtube.com/watch?

v=nNuEqakinRs www.charrando.com. www.fablans.org www.aragon.es