Abstract:

This article presents the results of a study carried out simultaneously in Aragon, a partly Catalan-speaking community, and in Asturias. Its main objective is to discover the linguistic attitudes shown by pupils to the various languages they have contact with—Catalan and Castillian in Aragon and Asturian and Castillian in Asturias. In both cases, the use of the local language (Catalan and Asturian) is in decline. An analysis of the results shows, in both cases, that the pupils have a positive attitude towards the minority languages in question. However, it can also be seen from this study that Castillian is valued ever more highly. Among the variables which could explain these attitudes, the attendance of classes of Catalan and Asturian and the language spoken in the domestic environment seem to be the most decisive, although there are differences between the two cases studied.

Author: Xosé Antón González Riaño, Ángel Huguet Canalís