Editing Val d'Aran (section)

==Name and local language==
[[File:Occitan-Dialects.PNG|thumb|Map of southern France with the Occitan dialects, showcasing Aranese]]
[[Aranese dialect|Aranese]] is the standardized form of the local [[Gascon language|Gascon]] variety of the [[Occitan language]]. Aranese has been regularly taught at school since 1984. Like several other [[minority language]]s in Europe that recently faced decline, Aranese is experiencing a renaissance.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Collett|first=Richard|title=Aranese: Spain's little-known language|url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220117-aranese-spains-little-known-language|access-date=2022-01-18|website=[[BBC]]|language=en}}</ref>

The name Aran comes from [[Basque language|Basque]] ''haran'', meaning valley. Maps and road signs in Spain use the name "era Val d'Aran" to refer to the valley, where ''era'' is the Aranese singular feminine article. The same practice goes for all towns and other locations in Aran, for example, the Aranese spelling ''Vielha'' is used instead of Catalan and Spanish ''Viella'' to refer to the capital of Aran.

Basque toponyms reveal that Basque was spoken further east along the Pyrenees than today. The growing influence of [[Latin language|Latin]] began to drive Basque out after the turn of the first millennium.