Reflect on how knowing a language's history can help you learn the language. To what family does your language belong? What sounds, words, or structures exemplify periods of contact with other cultures?
Catalan is in the Indo-European family, more specifically in the Romance languages family – So it is right there with Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Latin, etc…
Many words in Catalan are similar to words Spanish and/or French, and then not…
For example:
English | Catalan | Spanish | French |
One | U | Un/uno/una | Un |
Two | Dos | Dos | Deux |
Eight | Buit | Ocho | Huit |
Sixteen | Setze | Dieciséis | Seize |
Most of the time, I perceive Catalan as a hybridization of Spanish and French + a “sprinkle of unknown” which makes it what it is.
While knowing Catalan’s “common denominators” with other languages is definitely helpful, I have to be careful to keep myself on check, so I remember which language I am dealing with!
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