- Asturian – llingua asturiana or asturianu – is a European language in the process of extinction, although it still has a new possibility of normalisation and survival. Your choice is to achieve the official status in the next legislature.
For the first time, the number of Members in your favour could be an absolute majority. Last year an attempt was made to reform the Statute of Autonomy in order to achieve this objective. It was not achieved. However, the generational change and the change of position of the Socialists will not only be a prelude to the new legislature, but will allow its adoption. As long as the trend towards the elections of our democracy remains the same. The Asturian would be the first language to be empowered in a democracy of 40 years.
Recovering a language is not an easy task. It takes a lot of will, a lot of time and a lot of effort. Once the normality achieved, the schooling, the prolific literature, the presence in the media and the initiatives to support it are known, it would be logical to achieve legal equality of Castilian in the Asturian sphere.
What's the key? Give freedom to speakers to express themselves as they want.
When a language has been excluded for centuries, and with greater force in the times of the dictatorship, it is not easy to renew its communicative value in all instances and to do so at all social levels. Now, we see more clearly than ever the end of the tunnel, the discrimination it suffered in the past is clear. We have to take another step, Article 3 of the Constitution can be complied with.
It is not just a right to the "asturfalantes", but a step forward for all Asturian citizens. Simply put: we seek linguistic normality and its visibility in our territory, even outside the territory. Like in neighbouring communities, we want to live every day in our own language.
One more step and the difference between citizenship by the use of language will disappear. It is not only a right of the Asturian speakers – asturrants – but an advance for all Asturian citizens. Simply put: we seek linguistic normality and its visibility in our territory, even outside the territory. As in neighbouring communities, we want to live every day in our own language.
It has been 23 years since the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Languages, and in some of these points reference is made to ways of conducting linguistic relations in people’s territory.
12.1. In the public sphere, everyone has the right to carry out all his or her activities in his or her own language.
15. 1. Every linguistic community has the right to be recognised as its official language, as well as to be used.
16. A member of a linguistic community has the right to relate in his own language and to be treated in his own language in the services of the public authorities. Thus, in the entities of central, territorial, local or suprlantorial administrations. In fact, language belongs to the whole of this territory.
19. 1. The Boards of Delegates should adapt and take into account the languages or languages of the territory they represent.
29.1. All persons have the right to receive education in the language of the territory in which they reside.
The official has once again knocked on the door of our country. Let us have the place you deserve. Now is the time.
Xuan Porta (Biologist and writer)