Language situation and position of Catalan in Northern Catalonia

Abstract

Abstract This paper focuses on Northern Catalonia, a territory ceded to France by Spain through the signing of the Treaty of Pyrenees in 1659. The focus is placed not only on the demography and the number of speakers using the Catalan language in Northern Catalonia but also on the linguistic politics and the use of the Catalan language in various areas of social life, especially in education. The school plays the most important role in the revitalization of the Catalan language, and without its active contribution, it is not possible to restore bilingualism in French Catalonia.