Per a una anàlisi del valencianisme. Aportacions de Mas (2008

An analysis of Valencianism through the contributions of Mas (2008)The aim of this paper is to put forward the contributions of J.A. Mas Castells in his book El Morfema Ideològic (2008) in order to promote its reading and avoid its neglect. It remarks how we need to eliminate ideological negative connotations from certain words and unnecessary distance between popular Valencian and written Valencian (§2). This will foster cohesion in the Valencian society, promote the use of Valencian in the public sphere and increase the influence of written Valencian on popular Valencian. The article also contributes to sociolinguistics with an analysis of the concept of “linguistic unity” (§3.1), the inadequate way in which “linguistic community” is understood (marginalising the Valencian reality §3.2). It also examines the confusions between present, future (§3.3) and past (§3.4) and the ideological interferences in sociolinguistic scholarship (§3.5). The paper also explores the field of Valencianism by studying three common beliefs: using the language and being left-wing (§4.2), feeling Valencian and2feeling Spanish (§4.3) and the use of Valencian amongst “secessionists” (§4.4). Finally, the article analyses Josep Lacreu‟s position on Valencian linguistic models (§5), which contradicts what Mas (2008) states in his book.