Spanish newspaper El País has this Sunday once again passed through the wringer of social media, this time in response to a description (link in Spanish) of the terrorists that attacked Barcelona and Cambrils: "The town [of Ripoll], in a state of shock, tries to explain how some young men who studied, played and grew up in catalán de payés are today tragic news". That expression, "catalán de payés", literally translates as "peasant farmer Catalan". The description, surely naive but clearly derogatory, has been torn apart for "classism" and "negligent journalism" by personalities like the writer Milena Busquets and philologist Màrius Serra. The Madrid newspaper has been a protagonist of social media for three days, and is still generating indignation and, like today, being the laughing stock of Twitter users. Such descriptions bring back difficult memories of Francoism for Catalans, when the language was dismissed as a patois and banned in schools and public administration.
"En perfecto catalán de payés" en la portada de @elpais_espana estáis de coña, ¿no? #wtf pic.twitter.com/LFVSOy5W3o
— Milena Busquets (@MilenaBusquets) 20 d’agost de 2017
Translation: "In perfect peasant Catalan" on the front page of El País. You're joking, right?
A ver una duda, se supone que los payeses no hablan un catalán correcto o perfecto, es así?
— VALTHUS (@VALTHUS) 20 d’agost de 2017
So, a doubt, the idea is that farmers don't speak correct or perfect Catalan. Is that it?
Es un comentario de un clasismo, de una estupidez y de una ignorancia inaceptables.
— Milena Busquets (@MilenaBusquets) 20 d’agost de 2017
It's a comment of unacceptable classism, stupidity and ignorance.
"Perfecto catalán de payés" @elpais_espana pic.twitter.com/HQZrGXrdqu
— Manuel Cuyàs (@ManuelCuyas) 20 d’agost de 2017
"Perfect peasant Catalan"
Note: The picture is of Jacint Verdaguer, one of the most famous Catalan poets and one of the leaders of the 19th-century Renaixença Catalan cultural revival movement. He's shown in traditional payés clothes on a Franco-era 500 peseta note.
'Catalán de payés', aquesta Espanya atrapa al nacional progressisme franquista
— Francesc Canosa (@francesccanosa) 20 d’agost de 2017
'Peasant Catalan', this Spain catches the Francoist national progressivism
Com a membre de l'@iec em fa molt feliç constatar el naixement de la nova variant "catalán de payés". Gràcies per tot, @elpais_espana pic.twitter.com/t3EBwLoGhe
— Màrius Serra (@mariusserra) 20 d’agost de 2017
As a member of the Institute for Catalan Studies, it makes me very happy to note the birth of the new variant "peasant Catalan". Thanks for everything, El Pais.
El "catalán de payés" se habla con la boca llena de "pantumaca" @elpais_espana
— esagrera (@e_sagrera) 20 d’agost de 2017
You speak "peasant Catalan" with your mouth full of "pantumaca".
Note: Pa amb tomàquet is one of the most famous Catalan dishes and a symbol of the region. In its simplest form it's bread with tomato rubbed over, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. In Spanish, it's often known by the invented, sound-alike word pantumaca.
Catalán de payés o periodisme de negligent?
— Jordi Montañez (@jordimontanez) 20 d’agost de 2017
Peasant Catalan or negligent journalism?
Las lenguas del Levante Español:
— Adrià Alsina Leal (@AdriaAlsina) 20 d’agost de 2017
Valenciano
Mallorquín
Menorquín
Ibicenco
Lapao
Catalán de payés
The languages of the Spanish Levant: Valencian, Mallorcan, Menorcan, Ibizan, Lapao, peasant Catalan
Note: "Lapao" was the name given by the PP (Popular Party) government to the Catalan spoken in Aragon along the Catalonia border.
Però deu haver-hi subvariants: "catalán de payés" empordanès, pallarès, del Baix Ebre, d'Osona, de la Segarra, etc. https://t.co/enx9NYaVxB
— Mercè Piqueras (@lectoracorrent) 20 d’agost de 2017
But there must be subvarieties: "peasant Catalan" from Empordà, from Pallars, from Baix Ebre, from Osona, from la Segarra, etc.
'Perfecto catalán de payés' escriben en un cuidado, florido y musical español de gilipollas
— Autobús De Campanya (@encampanya) 20 d’agost de 2017
'Perfect peasant Catalan' they write in a careful, flowery and musical Spanish of idiots
Catalán de payés. El Musical.
— Melcior Comes ✍️️ (@MelciorComes) 20 d’agost de 2017
Peasant Catalan. The Musical.
Vaig a consultar el diccionari "catalán de payés - español"
— Edgar Sola (@edgarsola) 20 d’agost de 2017
I'm going to check the "Peasant Catalan - Spanish" dictionary