The Catalan language is the historic language of Menorca but under Franco's rule from 1936 to 1975 the language was banned.
After his death Catalan was gradually reintroduced. Catalan is an ancient form of Spanish with traces of French, although it does not really sound like either Spanish nor French. In Menorca the locals use a distinctive dialect of Catalan called Menorquín. Even everyday greeting and questions are different in Menorquín. For example:-
| English | | Spanish | | Menorquín |
|---|
| Good day or Good Morning | | Buenos dias (bwoo nas deeas) | | Bon dia | | Good afternoon | | Buenos tardes (bwoo nas tar des) | | Bona tarda | | Good night or Good evening | | Buenos noches (bwoo nas no ches) | | Bona nit |
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