Cover not available

In:Spanish Sociolinguistics in the 21st Century: Current trends and methodologies
Edited by Cecilia Montes-Alcalá and Miguel García
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 42] 2025
► pp. 166–202

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload Book PDF
EPUB logo with download linkDownload Book EPUB
authorization required

Chapter 8
Ideologies of linguistic authority and the role of language choice in El procés trial

 | Seattle University
Published online: 15 May 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.42.08car
Abstract
This study analyzes the ideologies of linguistic authority of the members of the 2016–2017 Catalan government and social representatives judged at El procés trial. It explores their general language ideologies, whether their views on linguistic authority are traditional or post-naturalistic concerning Catalan and Spanish, and the relevance of language choice in this politically loaded trial. The analysis reveals a prevalence of post-naturalistic conceptualizations of linguistic authority. Catalan is ideologized as a language of expression and identity, associated with post-naturalistic anonymity. Spanish is linked to anonymity for public communication but is also considered authentic by some Catalans. Language is central to the trial and the political conflict, with one of the defendants even citing it as a key factor for the Catalan independence movement.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Language ideologies and linguistic authority
    • 2.1Language ideologies and nationalism
    • 2.2Nationalistic language ideologies in Catalonia
    • 2.3Ideologies of linguistic authority
  • 3.Methodology
  • 4.Analysis
    • 4.1Themes and ideologies surrounding Catalan
      • 4.1.1Own language
      • 4.1.2Language as a medium of expression
      • 4.1.3Minoritized/minority language
      • 4.1.4Linguistic normalization
      • 4.1.5Common language
    • 4.2Themes and ideologies surrounding Spanish
      • 4.2.1Common language
      • 4.2.2Own language
    • 4.3Relevance of language choice and usage in trial
      • 4.3.1Linguistic incompetence and intelligibility between Catalan and Spanish
      • 4.3.2Plurilingualism as a feature of the Spanish state
    • 4.4Relevance of this trial for Catalonia and Spain
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (72)
References
Atkinson, D. (2018). On anonymity and authenticity: Catalan and Spanish in an independent Catalonia: Linguistic authority and officiality. Language in Society, 47(5), 1–23. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bakhtin, M. M. (1981). The dialogic imagination (C. Emerson & M. Holquist, Trans.). University of Texas Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(1987). Speech genres and other late essays (V. W. McGee, Trans.). University of Texas Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Baquero, C. C. (2017, October 2). Un 90% de ‘síes’ con 2,2 millones de votos y una participación del 42%, según el Govern. El País. [URL]
Blommaert, J. (1999). Language ideological debates. Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Boix-Fuster, E. (2008). 25 años de la Constitución Española. Las ideologías lingüísticas en la configuración del Estado español. In K. Süselbeck, U. Mühlschlegel, & P. Masson (Eds.), Lengua, Nación e Identidad: La Regulación del Plurilingüismo en España y América Latina. Iberoamericana Vervuert.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Branchadell, A. (1997). Liberalisme i normalització lingüística. Empúries.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2010). Més enllà del català. Els reptes lingüistics de Catalunya. La Catalunya plural. Fundació CatDem.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2012). One Nation, One (Common) Language? Language and Nationalism in 21st Century Catalonia. RECODE — Responding to Complex Diversity in Europe and Canada Working Papers Series.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Caminal, M. (2007). La reforma dels estatuts i la llengua catalana. Revista de Llengua i Dret 47. Generalitat de Catalunya.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Carpio, J. A. (2017, November 2). La juez decreta prisión sin fianza para Junqueras y otros siete exconsellers imputados de rebelión y sedición. Radio Televisión Española. [URL]
Centre d’Estudis d’Opinió (2018, July 20). Baròmetre d’Opinió Política. 2a onada 2018. Generalitat de Catalunya. [URL]
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Colino, C. (2009). Constitutional change without constitutional reform: Spanish federalism and the revision of Catalonia’s Statute of Autonomy. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 39(2), 262–288. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Congreso de los Diputados (2023). XV Legislatura. Proposición de reforma del Reglamento del Congreso. Proposición de reforma del Reglamento del Congreso de los Diputados. (410/000001). [URL]
Constitución Española (1978). [URL]
Departament d’Ensenyament — Generalitat de Catalunya (2015). La llengua a la escola catalana. Un model d’èxit. [URL]
Eckert, P. (1983). The paradox of national language movements. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 4(4), 289–300. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Eitb.eus (2017, October 27). La comunidad internacional no apoya la independencia catalana. [URL]
El Confidencial (2019, February 14). Marchena rechaza que haya traducción simultánea del catalán en el juicio al ’proces’. [URL]
elDiario.es (2019, February 26). Jordi Cuixart declara en el juicio al procés (26/02/2019, mañana). YouTube. [URL]
Estatut d’autonomia de Catalunya (1979). [URL]
Estatut d’autonomia de Catalunya (2016 [2006]). [URL]
Fuller, J., & Leeman, J. (2020). Language ideologies. In J. Fuller & J. Leeman (Eds.), Speaking Spanish in the US: The Sociopolitics of Language (pp. 63–90). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. [URL].
Gal, S., & Woolard, K. (2001). Languages and publics: The making of authority. Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gat, A., & Yakobson, A. (2013). Introduction: Is nationalism recent and superficial? In A. Gat & A. Yakobson (Eds.), Nations: The Long History and Deep Roots of Political Ethnicity and Nationalism (pp. 1–26). Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Geeraerts, D. (2008). The logic of language models: Rationalist and romantic ideologies and their avatars. In K. Süselbeck, U. Mühlschlegel, & P. Masson (Eds.), Lengua, Nación e Identidad: La Regulación del Plurilingüismo en España y América Latina. Iberoamericana Vervuert.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gellner, E. (1993). Nationalism. In W. Outhwaite & T. Bottomore (Eds.), Blackwell Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Social Thought (pp. 409–11). Basil Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Generalitat de Catalunya (2008). Pacte nacional per a la immigració. [URL]
(2014). 9N 2014: Tu hi participes, tu hi decideixes. [URL]
(2017). Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística. [URL]
(2018). Enquesta d’Usos Lingüístics de la Població. [URL]
Grenoble, L., & Singerman, A. R. (2014). Minority Languages. Oxford Bibliographies. [URL].
Groff, C. (2017). Language and language-in-education planning in multilingual India: a minoritized language perspective. Language Policy 16(2), 135–164. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Handler, R. (1988). Nationalism and the politics of culture in Quebec. University of Wisconsin Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Heller, M. (2007). Bilingualism: A social approach. Palgrave MacMillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Holesch, A., & Jordana, J. (2021). The politics of unilateral secession in the European Union: The case of Catalonia. Territory, Politics, Governance 11(6), 1–20.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Irvine, J. (2012). Language ideologies. In Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford University Press. [URL].
Irvine, J. T., & Gal, S. (2000). Language ideology and linguistic differentiation. In P. Kroskrity (Ed.), Regimes of Language (pp. 35–84). School for American Research.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Karolewski, I. P., & Suszycki, A. M. (2011). The nation and nationalism in Europe: An introduction. Edinburgh University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Llei 10/2010, del 7 de maig, d’acollida de les persones immigrades i de les retornades a Catalunya (2010). [URL]
Llei de Normalització Lingüística a Catalunya (1983). [URL]
Marí, I. (1995). Algunes distincions objectives essencials per l’aplicació igualitària dels drets lingüístics. Drets lingüístics i drets culturals a les regions d’Europa. Actes del Simposi Internacional: Girona, 23’25 d’abril de 1992, 42–51. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament de Cultura. [URL]
May, S. (2012). Language and minority rights: ethnicity, nationalism and the politics of language. Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Minder, R. (2013, December 13). Catalonia clashes with Madrid over independence vote. The New York Times. [URL]
Moosmüller, S. (1989). Phonological variation in parliamentary discussions. In Wodak, R. (Ed.), Language, power and ideology: Studies in political discourse, pp. 165–181. John Benjamins Publishing Company. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Morales-Gálvez, S., & Cetrà, D. (2022). Regulating language: Territoriality and personality in plurinational Spain. Ethnicities 22(2), 253–273. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nevins, A. (2022). When minoritized languages change linguistic theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ortega, R. (2019, February 27). Orgull de catalanades. El País. [URL]
Pérez, D. (2017, October 27). El Parlament declara la independencia de Cataluña. Eitb.eus — Euskal Irrati Telebista. [URL]
Plataforma per la Llengua (2008). El català, llengua comuna. Barcelona: Plataforma per la Llengua. [URL]
(2020). El judici dEl procés (sense drets lingüistics?). La Corbella 34, 6–9. [URL]
Pujol, J. (1995). Què representa la llengua a Catalunya? Generalitat de Catalunya.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Recuero, M. (2019, February 12). Claves del juicio al procés de Cataluña, un proceso histórico para la España constitucional. El Mundo. [URL]
Rees, E. L. (1996). Spain’s linguistic normalization laws: The Catalan controversy. Hispania 79(2), 313–321. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Riera Gil, E. (2013). Sobre el concepte polític de llengua comuna: una aproximació teòrica i comparada. Revista de Llengua i Dret 60, 91–110. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rincón, R. (2018, March 25). El juez envía a prisión sin fianza a Turull, Rull, Forcadell, Romeva y Bassa. El País. [URL]
Ríos, P. (2014, November 9). El 81% de persones voten sí a la independència de Catalunya. El País. [URL]
Sinner, C., & Wieland, K. (2008). El catalán hablado y problemas de la normalización de la lengua catalan: Avances y obstáculos en la normalización. In K. Süselbeck, U. Mühlschlegel, & P. Masson (Eds.), Lengua, Nación e Identidad: La Regulación del Plurilingüismo en España y América Latina (pp. 131–164). Iberoamericana Vervuert.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Solé Altimira, O. (2019, January 16). El uso del catalán en el juicio al ‘procés’ divide a las defensas. elDiario.es. [URL]
Soler, J. (2012). The anonymity of Catalan and the authenticity of Estonian: Two paths for the development of medium-sized languages. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 16(2), 153–163. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sonntag, S. K., & Pool, J. (1987). Linguistic denial and linguistic self-denial: American ideologies of language. Language Problems & Language Planning 11(1), 46–65. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Spanish Ministry of Territorial Policy and Public Function (2021). Information document on the implementation of the recommendations for immediate action based on the 5th monitoring cycle. European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. [URL]
Süselbeck, K. (2008). “Lengua, nación e identidad en el discurso de la política lingüística de Cataluña”. In K. Süselbeck, U. Mühlschlegel, & P. Masson (Eds.), Lengua, Nación e Identidad: La Regulación del Plurilingüismo en España y América Latina. Iberoamericana Vervuert.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Trautsch, J. M. (2019). Introduction: A global approach to civic nationalisms. In J. M. Trautsch (Ed.), Civic Nationalisms in Global Perspective (pp. 1–29). Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vilarrubias, M., & Claudio de Ramón, J. (2014, November 26). Todas las lenguas de España. El País. [URL]
(2019, May 6). Derechos para todos: razones por una ley de lenguas oficiales. Agenda Pública El País. [URL]
Von Gleich, E. (2008). Conflictos de ideologías lingüísticas en sistemas educativos: tres décadas (1975’2005) de observación y análisis en los países andinos Bolivia, Ecuador y Perú. In K. Süselbeck, U. Mühlschlegel, & P. Masson (Eds.), Lengua, Nación e Identidad: La Regulación del Plurilingüismo en España y América Latina. Iberoamericana Vervuert.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Woolard, K. (2005). Language and identity choice in Catalonia: The interplay of contrasting ideologies of linguistic authority. UC San Diego: Institute for International, Comparative, and Area Studies. [URL]
(2016). Singular and plural: Ideologies of linguistic authority in 21st century Catalonia. Oxford University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Woolard, K., & Schieffelin, B. B. (1994). Language ideology. Annual Review of Anthropology 23, 55–82. Annual Reviews Inc. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue