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The term ''Catalan Countries'' ( is spoken. This concept first appeared at the end of the 19th Century and later was popularized by the Valencian writer Joan Fuster , in his book '' Nosaltres Els Valencians '' ("We, the Valencians") (1962) with a very strong sense of Catalan identity. Nowadays, the term is politically charged, and tends to be closely associated with Catalan Nationalism and Catalan Independentism . The "Catalan Countries" are sometimes referred to as ''el pi de les tres branques'' (the three-branched pine, in Catalan) for its territory can be roughly divided in three parts:
This territory does not coincide exactly with the places where Catalan is the native language. For example, in the north-western region of Catalonia known as Val D'Aran , a dialect of Occitan , Aranese , is spoken and considered the native language, although Spanish and Catalan are also spoken. In western and south-western areas of Valencia, only Spanish is spoken. However, there are also some Catalan-speaking places outside the "Catalan Countries", such as El Carche in Murcia and the city of Alghero (''L'Alguer'') on the island of Sardinia . DIFFERENT MEANINGS AND CONTROVERSY When the term is used in a strictly cultural/linguistic rather than Nationalistic sense —analogously to La Francophonie — places such as Alghero are usually included. within this definition. Conversely, when used in this sense, the non-Catalan-speaking areas of Valencia are excluded; the Val d'Aran may or may not be included. The term is inevitably controversial, because Catalan nationalism is controversial, especially in a Spanish context. On the one hand, the concept of the Catalan Countries is seen as regional exceptionalism, counterposed to a centralizing Spanish national identity; on the other hand, some see it as an attempt by a nationalism centered in Catalonia proper to lay a hegemonic claim to Valencia, the Balearics, and the historically Catalan regions of France. In the latter case, the Acadèmia Valenciana De La Llengua in particular, accepts the unity of the language (which it prefers to call the Valencian language), without necessarily endorsing the project of a common cultural identity embracing these areas. SEE ALSO:
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