Languages of Catalonia
The main cause of Spanish and Catalan social bilingualism in modern Catalonia was large-scale migration from the rest of Spain during the 20th century, as Catalonia started a significant industrialization which demanded an increased workforce from elsewhere. Spanish has historically been spoken among a minority of civil servants born in other regions in Spain and among segments of the wealthiest bourgeoisie. Spanish has also been spoken as a second language by most Catalans, as it has been the only official language over long periods since the eighteenth century.
Influence of Arabic on other languages
Arabic has notably influenced the Valencian variety of the Catalan language spoken in Spain south of Catalonia, more than Catalonia itself although it also left influences in Catalan. Due to more than 8 centuries of Arabic dominion in the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus), hundreds of words from many fields (including Arabic inventions) have been adapted into Catalan; among many are "séquia" ("irrigation ditch"), "nòria" ("whaterwheel, noria"), "algorfa" ("loft"), "magatzem" ("warehouse"), "alfàbia" ("earthenware jar"), "barnús" ("bathrobe"), "aladroc" ("anchovy"), "dacsa" ("corn"), "safanòria" ("carrot"), "carxofa" ("artichoke"), "albergínia" ("aubergine"), "xirivia" ("parsnip"), "alfals" ("alfalfa"), "albercoc" ("apricot"), "tramús" ("lupin"), "corfa" ("bark, peel"), "xara" ("thicket"), "matalaf/matalàs" ("mattress"), "alacrà" ("scorpion"), "fardatxo" ("lizard") "alfàb(r)ega" ("basil"), etc. and expressions such as "a la babalà" ("randomly, to God's will") and "a betzef" ("abundance, plenty").