Basque language

Dialects and Official Status

Official status

Historically, Latin or Romance have been the official languages.

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However, Basque was explicitly recognized in some areas, as the local charter of the Basque-colonized Ojacastro valley (now in Rioja) allowed the inhabitants to use Basque in legal processes in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Related Topics:
Local charter - Colonized - Ojacastro - Rioja

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Today Basque holds co-official language status in the Basque regions of Spain: the full autonomous community of the Basque Country and some parts of Navarre. Basque has no official standing in the Northern Basque Country of France and French citizens are barred from officially using Basque in a French court of law. Paradoxically, the use of Basque by Spanish nationals in French courts is allowed (with translation), as Basque is officially recognised on the other side of the frontier.

Related Topics:
Autonomous community - Basque Country - Navarre

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The positions of the various existing governments, in areas where Basque usage is common, differ with regard to the promotion of Basque. The language has official status in those territories which are within the Basque Autonomous Community where it is spoken and promoted heavily, but only partially in Navarre, which is divided by the law in three distinct language areas (this law is strongly rejected by the Basque-speaking people of Navarre).

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Dialects

There are six main Basque dialects, comprising Biscayan, Guipuzcoan, and High Navarrese (in Spain), and Low Navarrese, Labourdin, and Souletin (in France). The dialect boundaries are not however congruent with political boundaries.

Related Topics:
Biscayan - Guipuzcoan - High Navarrese - Low Navarrese - Labourdin - Souletin

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One of the first scientific studies of Basque dialects, in particular the auxiliary verb forms, was made by Louis-Lucien Bonaparte (a nephew of Napoleon).

Related Topics:
Auxiliary verb - Louis-Lucien Bonaparte - Napoleon

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Derived languages

There is now a unified version of Euskara called Batua ("unified" in Basque), which is the language taught in schools. Batua is based largely on the Gipuzkoa regional dialect.

Related Topics:
Batua - Gipuzkoa

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In the 16th century, Basque sailors mixed many Basque words with a European Atlantic pidgin in their contacts with Iceland.

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Several travelling professional groups of Castile used Basque words in their secret jargons: examples are the gacería, the mingaña and the Galician fala dos arxinas.

Related Topics:
Secret jargon - Gacería - Mingaña - Fala dos arxinas

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