If you were asked where Mallorca ends and Menorca begins, you probably wouldn't hesitate much. There is an evident physical separation, with a lot of water in between, a clear geographical border and a certain feeling that one thing is on one side and another on the other. The same would happen if the question were a little smaller and you were asked where Baix Camp ends and Baix Ebre begins. Perhaps the exact limit wouldn't be so present (those from Baix Camp and Baix Ebre certainly would, of course), but somehow we have assumed that territories can be divided: there is a point from which we leave a space behind and enter another.

The Eroski supermarkets in Mallorca will join this Friday, May 29, in the great simultaneous singing of La Balanguera promoted by the Obra Cultural Balear (OCB). The chain will play the anthem of Mallorca over the public address system at 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. in all establishments on the island, with the aim of contributing to the commemoration of the centenary of the musical premiere of Joan Alcover's poem with music by Amadeu Vives.

Biology classifies living beings into kingdoms. This classification is not arbitrary: it describes life forms with different metabolic and structural characteristics. From here, zoology uses terms like 'herbivore', 'carnivore', and 'omnivore' to describe dietary conditions. There is no moral judgment in these words: they only describe physiological adaptations.

A study by Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona has found that not guaranteeing healthcare in patients' language can jeopardize diagnostic accuracy, trust between doctor and patient, and quality of care.

Given the magnitude of the housing crisis, the growing concern it generates, and the feeling that the policies applied so far have not addressed the problem with the necessary ambition, it is essential to start focusing also on possible solutions. It is a matter too serious to resign ourselves to repeating well-known diagnoses. The housing crisis is today a great social crisis, because it directly affects people's right to develop a life project with dignity.

The Balearic Cultural Work of Inca celebrates on Saturday, May 23rd, at 7 PM, in the Cloister of Santo Domingo of Inca, the XXVII edition of the May Awards, an event that annually recognizes the work of individuals, entities, and groups committed to the language and culture of the Balearic Islands. With these awards, the OCB of Inca wishes to highlight the work of people and initiatives that, from different fields, contribute to cultural dynamism, the defense of heritage, linguistic normalization, and the preservation of the identity of Inca.

The opposition parties and various educational unions have urged the PP to support a particular vote related to the amendments to the strategic projects law that affect teaching in Catalan. The initiative will be registered this Friday in the Parliament and must be discussed on Tuesday during the law's panel meeting. This could lead to the withdrawal of the amendments linked to access to public service for teachers without the Catalan requirement and also the exemption of the Catalan language for students temporarily transferred to the Balearic Islands.

More than 200 educational centers in Mallorca have already confirmed their participation in the great simultaneous singing of La Balanguera promoted by Obra Cultural Balear on the occasion of the centenary of the musical premiere of the poem by Joan Alcover with music by Amadeu Vives. The initiative will take place next Friday, May 29, and will turn schools, squares, and public spaces throughout the island into stages for a collective celebration around the Mallorcan anthem.

The pets of future bilingual teachers have ended up occupying an unexpected role: that of perfect interlocutors for practicing Catalan without pressure, without corrections, and without possible linguistic debate. The first survey on linguistic uses of students at the Faculty of Education. The study reveals that talking to pets is one of the few contexts in which Catalan clearly gains ground. On a scale where 6 means "six" and 1 "never", the use of Catalan reaches 3.35, while that of Spanish remains at 2.96. In fact, this is one of the few areas —along with the relationship with one of the parents— where Catalan prevails over Spanish among students bilingual in the two official languages.

Josep de Luis and Josep Alonso have been practicing law in the Balearic Islands for years, and from day one, they have been clear that Catalan would be the central focus of their professional practice. De Luis, with 22 years of experience, explains that he has always addressed bodies or institutions with territorial headquarters from Salses to Guardamar and from Fraga to Maó in Catalan.

It was towards the end of the 80s that I started seeing cars with metallic paint. They were colors that, to the eyes of a child from that time, were fascinating. An older boy told me that color was “turquoise green,” but another contradicted him, “it’s turquoise blue.” I didn’t know what to say. But the truth is they couldn’t agree on whether it was green or blue. It was a color in between, and we didn’t have a clear label for it. The confusion was total when another day another car appeared and a third person said, “what a great turquoise pink!” The cat was out of the bag, I thought. That boy identified the metallic effect with “turquoise.” So, who is right? The one who said “turquoise green” or the one who said “turquoise blue”? If we search online, we’ll see that both turquoise green and turquoise blue are used. Scottish Gaels lean towards ‘turquoise blue’ (‘tuirc-ghorm’) and the English, more pragmatically, simply say ‘turquoise’. How can it be that we see the same thing, but identify it differently?

A total of 137 professionals have registered for the first edition of the B2 level Catalan course, taught by the Health Service in collaboration with the Institut d'Estudis Baleàrics. The course, which began 15 days ago, initially had sixty places. As a result of the high number of registrations, it was decided to expand to 137. The Health Service plans to launch a second edition in October.

The Correllengua Agermanat 2026 reached its end with a resounding success, that of becoming a historic mobilization in defense of the Catalan language. During the two weeks of its duration, more than 180,000 people have participated in this first edition, covering 1,500 kilometers, passing through 500 municipalities, and 30,000 people have been torchbearers. The spokesperson for Correllengua Agermanat, Pau Emili Muñoz, assures that the event's success is "a demonstration of strength" and emphasizes it as follows: "As a society, Catalan-speaking territories have regained the enthusiasm to fight for the Catalan language and demand its real normalization".

Esteve Sureda, spokesperson for Vox in Manacor, leaves no one indifferent. Not even those in his own party. If two months ago the president of the Balearic Parliament, Gabriel LeSenne, chose Sureda as a guide to speak out against people and groups trying to make a living with businesses like barbershops and stores on certain city avenues, now it has been the spokesperson for the far-right party also in Parliament, Manuel Cañadas, who has traveled to Portocristo to speak face-to-face with Sureda.

The central reception event of the Flama del Correllengua Agermanat in Mallorca, organized by Joves de Mallorca per la Llengua and l'Obra Cultural Balear, filled the Plaza de España in Palma this Sunday, highlighting "the commitment" of Mallorcan society to the Catalan language. This year marks the tenth edition of the Correllengua passing through Mallorca since the first one in 1995.

An exhibition of spacious boats is being organized these days at the old pier in Palma (or has been organized, depending on when you read this), which, as expected, carries a very pompous English title: International Boat Show, as befits one of those events –or, in the good Mallorcan of our rulers, events– designed to please the numerous population of foreign millionaires who live or holiday in Mallorca, and to attract more, if possible. At this fair, as explained on IB3 Ràdio's Téntol, you could buy a 45-meter yacht for the price of 21 million euros. This is not an exceptional occurrence, but one of the many offerings that can be found in Mallorca in the high-luxury market.The International Boat Show coincided with a significant round anniversary: the 40th anniversary of the approval in the Parliament, on April 29, 1986, by unanimous vote, of the Law for Linguistic Normalization. Many have wondered what has happened in these four decades for the situation of Catalan to have advanced so little, despite a legally and politically powerful instrument like this law, and in fact, to have regressed in key aspects such as social use and the consideration it receives from broad sectors of the population. Is it the fault of immigrants, many say, because they don't integrate, don't learn, or don't want to learn the language. Perhaps it would make more sense to look at ourselves: in these 40 years, the citizens of the Balearic Islands, and Mallorcans in particular, have literally sold everything. What we had and what we didn't have. Including the language, of course. The fairs have English titles out of pure provincialism: they think that, this way, they will sell more. More of what? More boats, more helicopters, more mansions, more land, more experiences (pronounced in English, please), more of everything. It happens that, in most cases, neither the buyers nor the beneficiaries of the purchase are Mallorcans. Mallorcans are only there to act as smiling and grateful natives if they get some commission. That the tourists or buyers are rich does not mean in any way that they are quality tourists or buyers. Where does their money come from? How did they obtain it? Mallorca is disfigured because we have sold it to people loaded with money, very often dirty money. The luxury offering is a sign of a mature market, they say. It's possible the market is mature, but those who manage it show signs of radical immaturity.Nevertheless, the fair of the very expensive boats and the melancholic fortieth anniversary of linguistic normalization have coincided with another milestone (event?): the Correllengua Agermanat, a great mobilization in favor of the Catalan language that has enjoyed the enthusiastic participation of thousands upon thousands of people throughout the Catalan Countries. A crowd, predominantly young people, who are not resigned to the fatalism of those who claim we no longer have a place in this world. All these thousands of people say yes, we do have a place, and that this place and the future that awaits us, which young people embody, is in Catalan. We thus have three juxtaposed realities. On one hand, the obscenely wealthy foreigners who completely ignore the reality of islands that for them are merely a fantasy backdrop. On the other, the mourners of frustrated normalization who claim there is nothing more to be done. And yet, a huge number of citizens, mostly young, eager to believe and strive for the future of these Islands and their language, culture, and landscape. If you'll allow me, I will join the latter.

There are days when the street stops being just a passageway and becomes a thread of complicities, symbols, and shared language. This Saturday, the Llevant of Mallorca experienced one of these days with the arrival of the Correllengua Agermanat, which filled towns and public spaces with popular culture, protest, and massive participation in defense of Catalan.

40 years ago, the Balearic Parliament approved the Law of Linguistic Normalization. Forty years later, while it is true that the situation of Catalan as the native and co-official language of the Islands has not been normalized, it is also true that too often abnormality is accompanied by apocalyptic diagnoses. There are reasons for concern: Catalan is losing presence in many areas and young people, especially in informal relationships, are increasingly communicating in Spanish. However, if we only look at the glass half empty, we fail to see a part of the reality that is equally significant.