Barcelona's Catalan Usage Declines to 35%

The decline in the use of Catalan in Barcelona has been a gradual process observed over nearly four decades. The Enquesta de Serveis Municipals began tracking language habits in 1989, providing a clear timeline of the shift.

At that time, the data showed that 49% of the city's population identified Catalan as their usual language. However, year after year, this figure has steadily decreased. Today, only 35% of residents report using Catalan as their habitual language.

While the use of Catalan has fallen, the use of Spanish has shown a different trend. Over the same period, the percentage of people using Spanish has remained stable, hovering around the 50% mark. This stability contrasts sharply with the decline of the local language.

Following these nearly four decades of declining usage, the Ajuntament (City Council) has decided to take action. The government has created a specific area within the city administration dedicated to the promotion of the Catalan language.

This initiative represents a formal recognition of the challenges facing the language in the public sphere. By establishing a dedicated department, the city aims to implement focused strategies to reverse the downward trend.

The creation of this area marks a significant policy shift, moving from passive observation to active promotion in an effort to address the changing linguistic reality of Barcelona.

The current situation draws parallels to a previous era of linguistic recovery. Following 40 years of repression during the dictatorship, specific policies were successfully implemented to return Catalan to the public space. The source suggests that similar, new policies are now required to address the current complex reality.

Experts and policymakers agree that reversing the current trend will not be an overnight process. It is anticipated that it will take years of sustained effort and new linguistic policies to effectively address the new demographic and social landscape of the city.

The challenge lies in adapting strategies that worked in the past to a modern, diverse environment. The goal remains to ensure the vitality of the Catalan language in Barcelona's streets, schools, and institutions for future generations.