Talk Now! is the world's best selling language learning CD-ROM series for beginners, used by more than three million people to date. It's ideal for travelers, holidaymakers, business people, schoolchildren, students and families.
Talk More! is the latest series in the EuroTalk range for beginners to intermediates. It is the next step up from our best-selling Talk Now! range Increase your basic knowledge of the language. With Talk More! you can learn a new language the EuroTalk way using broadcast quality video and the latest interactive techniques. Ideal for travelers, holiday makers, business people, students and families.
Catalan Language and Culture
Where does it come from? Catalan is a member of the Romance group of the Italic subfamily of Indo-European languages. Like all the Romance languages, it is descended from Latin. Linguistically, it is related most closely to Occitan, a language spoken in the south of France, although it shares many similarities with Spanish and French, and the other Romance languages.
How many people speak it? There are 4 million native speakers and some 9 million people who use Catalan.
In how many countries? Catalan is spoken in northeastern Spain, in the Balearic Islands, in Andorra, where it has official status as the main language spoken, in a small part of France and in the town of l'Alguer, on the Italian island of Sardinia.
More Language information...
A spot of Culture Music & Dance: Although Andalucia is the home of flamenco dancing, the large Andaluz population in Catalonia has given rise to the popularity of Catalan flamenco.
Food & Drink Catalan food tends to be wholesome and nourishing with heavy emphasis on meat, olive oil, garlic, fruit and salad. Chicken and shellfish (Pollastre amb Gambes is a dish that comibines them) or meat and poultry with fruit are common examples of Catalan cuisine.
Fresh fish and seafood play an important role in Catalan cuisine. Sarsuela is a traditional fish stew to be found in most towns.
Orxata (pronounced horchata) is a typical Catalan/Valencian drink that is usually served with dessert and is mixed with chopped tiger nuts, ice and sugar.
Some of Catalonia's Attractions Tarragona: The capital and chief city of Tarragona Province, it is a port on the Mediterranean Sea at the mouth of the Francolí River. The remains of a Roman amphitheatre and defensive walls are in the city, and a two-tiered Roman aqueduct is nearby. The Romanesque cathedral, construction of which was begun in the 12th century, is famous for its Gothic façade.
Barcelona: The capital city of Catalonia and the second largest Spanish city in terms of population.
The oldest port of Barcelona, formerly enclosed by walls, was built on the harbour and is crossed by Las Ramblas, a famous tree-lined street, lively day and night with street performers, stalls and shops.
The Plaza de Cataluña is the focal point of the city lies at the other end of Las Ramblas. The streets of the old quarter are narrow and crooked while in the newer sections they are wide and straight, with modern buildings.
Dominating Barcelona's skyscape are the fantastic spires of the Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia (Church of the Sacred Family), a huge, unfinished cathedral notable for the elaborate patterns and undulating curves designed by the Catalán architect Antoni Gaudí y Cornet.
Other landmarks include Mount Tibidabo, from which can be seen fantastic views of the entire city, the gardens and museums of Monjuic and the famous Picasso Museum.
