It reveals the language geek in me, that I think the Catalan language is cool. Just because it is – it’s like Spanish or French (really, a sort of linguistic average between them, in some ways) – but with less of the historic imperial guilt that comes with loving those languages.
Nevertheless, I’m not sure the world reallly needs more nationalism, regardless of which formerly-oppressed ethnic group it’s elevating. Nationalism can be endearing in a hopeless-case, long-struggle variety, and end up losing a great deal of its charm once instituted as a long-term, triumphalist government (case-in-point: 1920’s Korea contrasted with nowadays, anyone?). Even Catalan nationalism is a bit unusual, though – consider it’s one of those rare nationalist movements that seems to be predominantly on the left, ideologically. Perhaps that’s an inverted legacy of the Falangist Franco dictatorship, which suppressed all things Catalan for so long.
Still, the below is a catchy little song, all things considered. And it’s in Catalan! How cool is that?
