What role did the Institut d’Estudis Catalans play in standardizing Catalan?

Founded in 1907 in Barcelona, the Institut d’Estudis Catalans has played a pivotal role in the formal standardization of the Catalan language. Following the late 19th-century cultural revival known as the Renaixensa, the institute became the primary authority responsible for the deliberate enrichment and purification of the language.12

By establishing standardized linguistic norms, the institute transformed Catalan into a sophisticated vehicle capable of expressing contemporary intellectual and spiritual ideas. Its efforts helped bridge the gap between historical usage and the requirements of modern prose and literature, ensuring that the language could function effectively in education, public life, and formal writing. Through these initiatives, the institute provided the necessary structure to maintain uniformity across the various dialects of the language.21