Why Spain quietly accepted saying Lleida and Ourense in Spanish
The shift from Lérida to Lleida and Orense to Ourense hides a political battle nobody wants to fight. Cowardice or respect? We look at the keys to the change.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Lleida and Ourense: the linguistic surrender nobody explains
Why does a Spaniard now say “Lleida” and “Ourense” when speaking Spanish? For centuries they were “Lérida” and “Orense”, and the change has slipped into maps and official documents with barely any debate. The curious thing is that nobody fully explains it. Some see it as an act of linguistic respect; others, as the most cowardly decision in Spanish politics.
Antiestéticar of the far-right label
The political explanation has a name: antiestéticar of being called a “reaccionario” (far-right). Anyone using the traditional place name risks being branded a hidebound Spanish nationalist. And in that standoff, neither the PSOE nor the PP wants to take a stand. The former needs the nationalist vote; the latter doesn't want to hand ammunition to its opponents. The result: a preemptive surrender, as more than one analysis suggests.
The asymmetry of place names
There is also an inconsistency that irritates. Defenders of the official status of local place names have no qualms about calling Spanish cities “Córdova” or “Osca” when speaking their own language, yet they are scandalized if a Spanish speaker says “Gerona” or “Lérida”. The Deutschland/Germany argument —that every language has its exonym— clashes with actual practice.
In the end, the battle is not linguistic but identity-driven. And meanwhile, the map keeps changing. The irony is that, for some, saying “Lleida” has become merely a way of spotting the herd: a test of ideological submission.
Why does a Spaniard now say “Lleida” and “Ourense” when speaking Spanish? For centuries they were “Lérida” and “Orense”, and the change has slipped into maps and official documents with barely any debate. The curious thing is that nobody fully explains it. Some see it as an act of linguistic respect; others, as the most cowardly decision in Spanish politics.
Antiestéticar of the far-right label
The political explanation has a name: antiestéticar of being called a “reaccionario” (far-right). Anyone using the traditional place name risks being branded a hidebound Spanish nationalist. And in that standoff, neither the PSOE nor the PP wants to take a stand. The former needs the nationalist vote; the latter doesn't want to hand ammunition to its opponents. The result: a preemptive surrender, as more than one analysis suggests.
The asymmetry of place names
There is also an inconsistency that irritates. Defenders of the official status of local place names have no qualms about calling Spanish cities “Córdova” or “Osca” when speaking their own language, yet they are scandalized if a Spanish speaker says “Gerona” or “Lérida”. The Deutschland/Germany argument —that every language has its exonym— clashes with actual practice.
In the end, the battle is not linguistic but identity-driven. And meanwhile, the map keeps changing. The irony is that, for some, saying “Lleida” has become merely a way of spotting the herd: a test of ideological submission.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (28 replies).
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