I was this week in Valencia, California, a nice little city in the outskirts of L.A. It's all brand new construction, but it has a bright fake-adobe looking downtown with the typical malls and restaurants.
One of the locals told me: 'I think you also have a Valencia in Spain', as though the Mediterranean city stole the name from the Californian town. I told him, "yes, but it has around 2000 years more history than this village'.
Talking about Valencia, the original Valencia, it is sad to see the animosity of a sizeable group of Valencians towards Catalonia due to, in my modest opinion, two reasons:
- The influence of the large group of Spanish nationalists who live in Valencia, mostly around the capital, Castilian speaking and Popular Party (right wing) voters.
- The stupidity of some Catalan politicians who clumsily want to impose the notion of Catalan imperialism to Valencians and citizens of the Balearic islands (and whatever enclave where 2 or more people speak a dialect of the Catalan language). If I were Valencian, I would hate it too!!!
I have to admit that Valencia has produced outstanding achievements:
- One of the best books in history, Tirant lo Blanc, was written in Valencian (the way Valencians call Catalan) in the 14th century. I will write some more about this book in the future.
- Valencia got immediately the status of kingdom, while Catalonia always remained as a county or principality.
- Our brightest king, James I (Jaume I) spent most of his adult life in Valencia and died there.
- Valencians (as Catalans) were barred from going to America till the 18th century. However, as soon as they went there, they organized an uprising against Spain and declared independence. I am referring to Josep Martí;, who led the Cuban independence. Catalans, however, went another route and made money selling alcohol (Bacardí) and Tobacco (Partagàs).
- Even the concept of Catalan Countries (Països Catalans) was developed by a Valencian (Joan Fuster).
When driving that evening my rental car, a Mustang convertible, from Valencia CA to Malibu (where I would stay overnight), I was thinking that I really like the idea of a confederate country formed by Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands. In a previous article, I tried to find a compromise, acceptable by all parties, but, as Habibi pointed out, the compromise was too painful for Catalonia, since Barcelona would lose the status of capital. The warm breeze from the valley caressing my skin while driving, inspired me and I came up with a slight variation that may allow me to strike a deal:
A Clicktalan from Valeària.
4 comments:
Ha, ha... Oh, thanks for the mention... I feel like I was at the Oscars.
Bernárdez said in his book "¿Qué son las lenguas?" (Of which I have recently talked) that the problems of language and politics is that no-one cares about linguists and their decissions are taken by politics.
I still think that the problem here is that we call catalan to the language we speak. In the Statute of València it says that the "language" they speak is Valencian, i.e. I can add that to my CV: I do understand valencian (In fact, I was watching Canal 9 recently).
Good for the change of capital, i think that's better.
And the B for V... well, remember Valencians pronounce V different than you (I guess) and I do.
I'd love to go to Valencia CA one day. And I'd love to be told that València got its name from Valencia CA. Hahaha... great.
Valencia has the most perfect climate... ohhhh
ian- you in a convertable mustang... hmmm...were you also wearing rey bans?
Habibi,
Most probably if you can speak Valencian, you will be able to get a tax deduction with CiU
Rosa de Sang,
I have been trying to find out why Isabel added a clause to an addendum to her testament (1504) barring Catalans from going to America. I am trying to get a copy of the document, but I have not succeeded yet.
However I do not agree with the reason you give. Spain was tecnically created in 1555, when queen Joan (Juana la Loca) died and her son Charles I (V of Germany) became king of Castile too. The first one to use the title of King of Spain was his son Phillip II in 1558.
My impression is that Isabel hated Catalans because of their (our) violent opposition to the Spanish Inquisition.
Ale,
Indeed I was wearing sun glasses. The Mustang convertible was a pleasant surprise from Hertz.
yep, vaig a parlar en valencià perke en ingles sé, el entenc pero cometria faltes
no e entes molt be el context de lo ke as escrit xd pero nose si defens la independencia o no (yo crec ke no)
nomes vuic afegir que yo estic en totalment contra de catalunya lo ke esta fent esta perjudicant molt a espanya i nomes fan ke dimos faxes sense cap motiu, faxes xke? per defensar el nostre pais? no uentenc...ademes ya estic farta de dir ke el valencia NO be del català NO es un dialecte es un IDIOMA
tot aso a fet que odie catalunya damunt volen independitsarse jaja ya no saben x on tirar mai a sigut un pais ni eu serà damunt no mes fan ke insultar als espanyols kuan realment ells se insulten ells mateixa. Seràn espanyols asta ke se moren son catalans i espanyols
yo crec ke ya se estan pasant ehh eske nose damunt en el anunci de lo del futbol...es pa cagase ya joer
perdona les faltes ortografikes...pero eske si me tinc k fikar a posar els acentos i tot (ke per cert lo ke mos enseñen en el colege es català) es unatra injusticia
si no mas entes teu fike en castella o en ingles se pot intentar vinga espere la teua resposta! 1 abraç de una valenciana
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