Among the languages of Europe Catalan has a special status because it enjoys official recognition, along with Spanish, in a number of Spanish-speaking regions. These include Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands and the principality of Andorra. Also spoken in Roussillon, France, and in the town of Alghero, Sardinia, it therefore has a relatively large number of speakers. Catalan is also of importance within the Romance family of languages, because it constitutes a link between the Ibero-Romance and the Gallo-Romance branches. In its syntax and morphology it presents characteristics...