Now we're cooking on the debate! Thanks to all involved here!
I think you got my point Eddie...galego was a sacred cow and untouchable for Franco because it represented his origins. It always struck me as a bit hypocritical for him to outlaw Basque and Catalán and turn the other cheek on Gallego. About Fraga...he's like Castro...just won't go away.
As far as Gloria goes, the name game was played, the signs were monolingual, etc., but this simply represents the outward manifestation of language. The Basques tried very hard (and successfully) to conserve their language and pass it on to their children. Franco was only successful on the outside.
With the advent of the Euskaraz movement, there are many ikastolas (Basque-language schools) that are able to teach the language in the open. Nevertheless, part of the curriculum is Spanish as that is the "official" language of Spain.
To liken the Spanish dilemma to that of English between America and Britain is like trying to monitor whether the Dutch taught in Amsterdam is the same as that spoken in Aruba. As far as I know, no conscious effort has been made to alter the King's English. It's a living language and varies. Nevertheless, there is an established base from which to draw (as opposed to "...which to draw from", a usage which is improper, but common: ending a sentence with a preposition). Most people who are educated know enough about the idiosyncrasies of both "forms" of English, regardless of which dialect they commonly use. When I read a novel by a Brit, I understand what's happening when the bobbie uses the lift to catch a thief just before tea. Do I use these in my everyday vernacular? No, but I'm educated/aware enough to understand what they are. That is why I advocate the same methodology in foreign language instruction. Give the student as many tools as possible to work with. Limiting your students to what YOU feel is "necessary" or "relevant" transforms your classroom into a pseudo-dictatorship of its own, and is akin to telling someone that they can only learn what you want because you're the dictator now.
"Teach people correct principles and let them govern themselves." -Joseph Smith
I add: Just make sure you teach them those correct principles from the start!
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