"This forum shouldn't be political" ...discuss

I don't know why it shouldn't be. As it isn't publically funded I'd have thought that the forum can be anything that Nigel wants it ot be.

Comparing English/Welsh with Castillian/Catalan isn't comparing like with like at all.  All state schools in Catalunya teach in Catalan and (as far as I know) only offer Castillian as a second language.  Catalan is recognised as a separate language by the EU. All street and shop signs are in Catalan and any communications that you receive from the Generalitat , CatAigua etc are in Catalan.   For all these reasons and more I find it makes my life much easier to be able to speak Catalan, which is certainly appreciated by the people that I talk with in the village and in Tortosa.

Chris, I would hope that everyone would be supportive of you speaking Castillian, they might prefer to speak Catalan amongst themselves but at least you are making an effort to talk in a language that they understand!

I would like to add that I am not saying that speaking Catalan is 'better' than speaking Castillian.  Just that it is better for me.