Catalan in Girona: Only 24.7% Maintain It When Responded to in Spanish

The first linguistic usage survey in the city reveals a decline in the vitality of the native language.

Generic image of people interacting in a Girona square.
IA

Generic image of people interacting in a Girona square.

A pioneering study in Girona reveals that only 24.7% of inhabitants maintain Catalan use when their interlocutor replies in Spanish, despite almost everyone understanding it.

Only 24.7% of Girona residents maintain Catalan as their habitual language when their interlocutor responds in Spanish. This data is part of the first linguistic usage survey conducted in the city, promoted by the city council and carried out by the University of Girona (UdG).
The study, described as 'unprecedented' by local authorities, highlights a significant decline in the social use of Catalan in Girona, challenging the notion that the city was an exception in its use of the native language.
Despite these figures, the mayor, Lluc Salellas, emphasized that nearly 95% of Girona's population understands Catalan. This means, according to Salellas, that 'all of us who use it habitually can speak with almost everyone'.
The mayor has called on citizens to continue using Catalan in their daily conversations, despite the trends observed in the survey.