Read in Catalan

A group of Catalans born outside Catalonia have started a campaign based on the slogan No em canviïs la llengua - "Don't change languages for me" - in which they request to be spoken to in Catalan. This initiative is a response to the bad habit of many Catalan native speakers to switch to Castilian (Spanish) when they perceive - usually from appearances - that the person they have to communicate with is foreign.

The group is trying to change this dynamic and wants to raise awareness among Catalan speakers that there are people of foreign origin who want to learn Catalan. Likewise, the campaign also aims to raise awareness among Catalans born outside Catalonia that it is useful for them to learn the Catalan language, since it helps to adapt better to the society and place you live in.

Translation:
"We call on all Catalans born around the world, Catalan speakers, who live in Catalonia and want to join us in protecting the Catalan language. We are organizing an event and the title will be: "DON'T CHANGE LANGUAGES FOR ME!" Contact us by DM."— @CanviisEm

Through the Twitter account @CanviisEm the group has brought together thousands of followers and has published dozens of videos from people from diverse backgrounds: including people from Russia, Chile, Ethiopia, United Kingdom, Syria, and Germany, to name just a few, who tell Catalan-speaking Twitter users about their experience with Catalan, and ask those listening not to switch to another language.

As Peruvian-born Lilian says: “I learned Catalan, I got my Level C, but my surprise was when people switched languages and spoke to me in Castilian. And it happened a lot, you could lose heart. But I decided that I wanted to understand people, take part in this city and so I wasn’t going to change languages...”

Ella, born in Germany: "...There was a recent study that says the number of Catalan speakers has fallen by 300,000, that’s very worrying, and I want to encourage everyone to speak Catalan, don’t switch languages and let’s all of us together help to maintain this language which is beautiful.”  

Babeli, born in Syria: "...In my home in central Catalonia, people who know me speak to me in Catalan. When I leave my area, due to my accent, people change from Catalan to Castilian, and that’s very rude.”

David, born in Chile: “...If you speak to us in Castilian and you think you are doing us a favour, you're mistaken... if you’re interested in this and you want to make us feel welcome and respected, speak to us in Catalan ... Catalan is a tool for social cohesion, let’s use it.”

Yared, born in Ethiopia: “People who don’t know me switch languages, due to my appearance. ... I was adopted at the age of 10, I’ve lived here for 13 years and I spoke Catalan from the beginning. Don’t change languages for me please.”

Ekaterina, born in Russia: "I speak Russian, English and Catalan. I’ve lived here in Vic for six months, I work in IT and I study Catalan and thanks to all those who speak to me in Catalan, I can now express myself in this language. The people who know me know my Catalan is better than my Castilian.”

Alan, born in the UK: “...I’ve studied several languages and I’m still learning Castilian and Catalan, and when you learn there’s no substitute for talking to people. But when I speak Catalan, people answer me in Castilian or English, and that’s frustrating.”

Christiane, born in Germany: "...When you tell me about your grandfather who went to Cuba, or the children’s song “El Gall i la Gallina” or your granddaughter who made the tió log shit, you are telling me much more than an anecdote, you are showing me what you are like, without filters... that’s worth conserving.”

Carmen, born in Romania: "There’s ‘fake news’ that people don’t study Castilian here; it’s a lie, everyone can speak Castilian here and for that reason some people who come here don’t learn Catalan. That’s why I’m defending Catalan, because we don’t want to lose it, it’s a part of our culture, our tradition and our country.”

Mik, born in the Basque Country: “Sometimes when speaking Catalan, I have to use Castilian to express something and then the whole conversation changes to Castilian. We have to avoid that, it makes Catalan seem like a second class language. ... The same is true for Basque and other minoritised languages.”

Anthony, born in Honduras: “I came here 21 years ago, when I was a month old and people still switch languages for me... It’s very important that we defend the language, that we transmit it, but above all, that we respect it. Because that’s the key to making it respected it all over.”

Patrici, born in Algeria: “I’m a descendant of people of Ibiza and Alicante, Maltese Arabs, Italians, Alsacians and Gascons. I’ve lived here for 40 years and I always speak Catalan.”

Malú, born in Brazil: “After 30 years here, I speak Catalan quite correctly, but when people see my Brazilian surnames, they switch to Castilian. Please don’t.”

Martin, born in the Netherlands: “I like speaking Catalan. I don’t know why people think, since I was born in Utrecht, that I should speak better Castilian than Catalan.”

Carlos, born in El Salvador: “We live in Barcelona, we’ve been in this land for 9 years, and I say, don’t switch languages for me!”

Gabriel, born in Uruguay: “Whatever your Catalan is like, and mine’s not perfect, it’s good to have learned to communicate in the language of the people who have welcomed me... so don’t change languages, help us to improve, because we are all ...one people!”