Things to do

After all, the most ordinary of Catalan words are laden with mouth-filling, tongue-twisting pleasure, from the juicy papallona (butterfly) and farmaciola (first-aid kit) to the joyful sybillance of xiuxiuejar (to whisper). And who could fail to love the touchingly tender verb acaronar (to lovingly pull someone close, protect and caress them), virtually untranslatable in its subtlety and recently voted as Catalans’ favourite word in newspaper El Periódico de Catalunya.

OK, so maybe Catalan has its advantages, but learning any new language takes times and effort. So what are the best ways to get started? There’s always the Generalitat’s free basic courses, but timetables and places are limited, and besides, going back to school isn’t for everyone. We take a look at some alternative ways to get to grips with Catalan.

Reading

It might seem a bit of a slog to read in Catalan, but if you’re already comfortable reading in Castilian, why not try El Periódico de Catalunya, which publishes twin editions daily in Castilian and Catalan (as will La Vanguardia from next month). A couple of euros will buy you both versions, perfect for a leisurely few hours comparing the two languages while getting your fill of current affairs.

If fiction is more your thing, be sure to pick up a copy of All Angles, a brand new two-volume anthology of short stories published this month by Arola Editors. Each of the two books contains seven original short stories printed side by side in English and Catalan, making it easy to keep track of what’s going on even if your Catalan isn’t the best. More than two years in the making, the books arose from various creative writing groups around Catalunya. All of the authors are based here, some born-and-bred Catalans and others more recent arrivals, while each story is connected to the region through its themes or characters. Stories were written in English and translated into Catalan by a team of dedicated translators, who gave up their time for free. They even persuaded Catalan broadcasting legend and TV3’s Washington correspondent Antoni Bassas to provide the foreword. The first volume, ‘Big Magic’ (€15), is out this month to coincide with Sant Jordi, while the second should make the perfect stocking-filler come Christmas 2011.