In the latest bizarre language news from the Iberian peninsula, the parliament of Aragon has passed a new law declaring that the languages spoken in the eastern and northern parts of the region will henceforth be called Lapao (Lengua Aragonesa Propia del Aragón Oriental) and Lapapyp (Lengua Aragonesa Propia de las Áreas Pirenaica y Prepirenaica).

These names officially replace the names given to these languages by linguists: Catalan and Aragonese.

You might think that in a country with 25% unemployment (much higher for young people), there would be more pressing matters to bring before the regional lawmakers. Nope. Lapao and Lapapyp.

Out of curiosity, I did a quick search for any case of English speakers lobbying to change the name of the English language. I didn’t find any. (Can anyone help me out?)

I can’t imagine that Lapao and Lapapyp will last, but for now they are a novel and telling illustration of the precarious nature of group identity in Spain.

I’ve been doing the New York Times crossword puzzle every day for almost three years now. For those without the attention span for the wonderful documentary on the subject, Wordplay (2006), here is a short video clip from the Today show featuring an interview with the puzzlemaster himself, Mr. Will Shortz.

Perhaps most puzzling of all: the interview is conducted by former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager. Apparently I’ve been so busy doing the puzzle for the past three years that I failed to notice she’d become a television correspondent.

Clive Anderson of “Whose Line Is It Anyway” fame (that’s the original British version) narrates these one-minute cartoons that take us through the history of the English language. If you haven’t read Bill Bryson’s The Mother Tongue, you’ll want to after you watch these videos.