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Spanish Shilling

Some stories and experiences after a lifetime spent in Spain

Between Me and You
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 @ 8:40 PM

The co-official languages of Spain are a mess.

Firstly – euskara is spoken by nobody outside the three Basque provinces plus  neighbouring Navarra (the Basques think that Pamplona should be their capital, but are stuck with Vitoria, or Vitoria-Gasteiz to be pedantic, which is at least in the right geographical location). All Basques will (and for practical reasons must) speak Spanish. You might get a word or two in Euskara to make the point, but, if nobody understands…

Then there’s galego, a mix of Portuguese and Spanish. There’s aragonés – or fabla – as well (it’s close to extinction apparently). Over to the East, the Catalans like to speak catalán (unless they live in Valencia, where it’s called valenciano). In Valencia, normally Partido Popular territory, they prefer to speak Spanish anyway, and they would no doubt prefer it if I said ‘castellano’.  Indeed, castellano is more like the King’s English; it’s best spoken in Valladolid, while worst savaged in Cádiz.

Catalán has so much baggage, what with that Independence thing, that Miriam Nogueras, the parliamentary spokesperson for Junts del Catalunya, insists on making all her presentations in that language. Since nobody else in las cortes either likes her or cares what she is saying, few deputies bother to plug a pinganillo into their ear for the translation...

Since we got on this subject, I would suggest that el inglés is probably the fourth-spoken idioma in Spain – rising to second place during the summer months.

Having trodden on more than a few toes with the foregoing, I’ll note here that my friend José Antonio Sierra (who founded the Spanish Cultural Institute in Dublin, and served as Director and Cultural Manager of the Instituto Cervantes in Dublin for many years) has been campaigning in Andalucía to get the escuelas oficiales de idiomas, who merrily teach English, French and German, to offer courses in Spain’s minority languages, so far without success.



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7 Comments


Torsas said:
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 @ 11:41 PM

We have found that even in parts of Andalucia they cannot understand what we say and visa versa , and in Madrid they told us we spoke ancient spanish !! Suppose it is a bit like the UK , got the North lot speaking really Odd ! And Birmingham ---- what can I say !


sdeleng said:
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 @ 4:12 PM

Valenciano is really difficult to learn. As I speak French I get it a bit. Castellano is my language and i have observed that my village Spanish friends translate it into Valenciano first before replying. There is great pride in All the Spanish languages but I for one could do without it. When i go to Andulucia people are puzzl d by my Spanish. I am equally puzzled by their soft blurry language.

I remember in the 60’s there was a strong hippy movement towards a common language for all countries. As I am older now, I understand the pride in individual languages, but quite frankly it is a pain in the butt. German is German all over, just with different accents. England is between Spain and Germany. I am brown bread. I am made up. I know what this means but for many it is hard to understand.




PablodeRonda said:
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 @ 6:01 PM

As a linguist by education and training, I think it's marvellous that regional languages like euskera and catalan have survived, despite Franco's best efforts to extinguish them during his "reign". Similarly, does it not enrich the culture of a country like the UK to have other languages prospering? I'm talking about Scots Gaelic, Manx, Welsh, Irish Gaelic. Sadly, Cornish appears to have died out. Other Gaelic languages survive as breton in Brittany, France, and gallego in Galicia, Spain.
I live in rural Andalucia and it took me several years to get used to the accent,
One of my degree languages is German. I speak it every day with my wife, who is German. When we visit Baden-Wuerrtemberg in south Germany, I have to cope with Badisch and Schwaebisch. Impossible. The Bavarian dialect is a mystery also and as for Swiss German? Forget it!
I've not mentioned Plattdeutsch or Lippisch? What about the German spoken in the former East Germany?
But, I stick to my viewpoint that minor languages and accents are all part of the rich tapestry of linguistic life all over the world. Long may they continue!


dontknow said:
Saturday, April 4, 2026 @ 9:49 AM

I am in total agreement with you Pablode.


ukarranview said:
Saturday, April 4, 2026 @ 7:27 PM

Well ... as a former 'English as a Foreign Language' teacher, my own personal views over many years experience are that the world's main problem in communication and understanding our fellow human beings when they speak - or listen- is that there are just far too many languages and regional dialects and accents. It stands to reason that there would be much better communication and understanding if the present excessive number of languages, dialects and accents could be substantially reduced. This is particularly important in this current era of mass travel around the globe. I take issue with Pablo's endorsement of a 'rich tapestry of linguistic life ...' - it's hardly of much use if virtually no-one can understand it ! I rest my case !


MichaelRossney said:
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 @ 11:06 AM


Hi Lenox,
Many thanks for your article.

In the Picos de Europa, in Asturias, there’s a famous peak called El Naranjo de Bulnes. The local name is “Picu Urriellu” which, I was told, is an Asturiano name.
I was unaware that there was an Asturiano dialect but apparently it is widely spoken in the area.
More details about Urriellu here: asturias.com

Then there’s Majorquin……!
Hay de todo!

I agree with PablodeRonda’s “rich tapestry” description. Language and dialects are an expression of identity. Their importance is best illustrated by the fact that repressive regimes so often seek to suppress them - eg (Spain, Ireland, North America, Iran, Australia etc).




lenox said:
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 @ 12:43 PM

Thanks everyone for their comments (all bloggers like reaction). Being a Brit, I understand that learning a foreign language for practical reasons is hard (which is why they taught me Latin and Ancient Greek). My first adventure in France when I was eight involved me getting lost and being rescued by a policeman (un flic). He spoke to me in French and I had an epiphany: There are people out there who speak foreign! For Europeans this is no big deal, but for the Brits is certainly is. As for the Americans... best not go there (although my consuegro's first language is the admittedly rather useless Cherokee).


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