Basque Language and Culture

Western Europe is the postulated origin of the Basque people even though the correct answer depends upon the location and timing of the emergence of the Basque language and of the self-identification of the language's speakers as uniquely Basque.

Specifically, the Basque ultimately can be traced back to the first known "anatomically modern" humans of 100,000-200,000 years ago in East Africa. About 60,000 years ago, some East Africans migrated to Eurasia. Some of the migrants settled along the Indian Ocean while others moved northward into the Central Asian steppes. Inhabitants of the steppes spread ever westward across Eurasia.

About 45,000 years ago, some of the steppe-dwellers began moving from the area of the Black Sea - whose European access is controlled today by Turkey - into Europe. It is thought that the Basque people numbered among the migrants to first reach southern France and northern Spain. Ancient sources in Latin mention:

• Autrigones, Caristi, and Vardulli as inhabiting what is now taken up geographically by France's three and Spain's four Basque-speaking provinces;

• Vascones as living slightly east of the current Basque Country.

Scholars know little about the first above-mentioned group. The second group may have spoken an old form of Basque. A third group, the Aquitani - unmentioned in the above list, but living nearby in southwest France around Gascony - may have been ancestors of the Basque people since they are known to have spoken an Aquitanian language which may be an ancestor or relative of today's Basque language.

It is possible that a key event in the forging of today's Basque nation was the southward and westward movements of the Aquitani and Vascones and their absorption or displacement of the Autrigones, Caristi and Vardulli.

Amona is a Basque equivalent of the English word "grandmother".

Specifically, the word is a noun in its singular form. It in fact takes on slightly different forms depending upon its use within a phrase or sentence since Basque is a language in which nouns are conjugated. The pronunciation will be "a-MO-na" by those who speak Guipuzcoan Basque.

Fair and tall describes the appearance of the Basque people.

Specifically, the Basque people are known for fairness of skin and lightness of eyes and hair. They also are known for their stature. Their appearance therefore makes them stand out in regard to Spaniards from southern Spain. Their height tends to differentiate them from northern Spaniards who otherwise may share in fair skins and light eyes and hair.

Yes, Letamendi is a Basque last name.

Specifically, the name can be found on the southwestern side of the border between France and Spain. It particularly is a surname from the provinces of Araba/Álava, Gipuzkoa/Guipúzcoa, and Nafarroa/Navarra. The family's coat of arms shows a red rosary hanging from the closed fist of a red-clothed left arm.

It is unknown where the Basque language came from.

Specifically, the Basque language is unrelated to any of the dialects and languages which can be found in France and Spain, across whose borders the Basque Country (Euzkadi) is located. Some scholars suggest that Basque may be the language spoken by the Iberian Peninsula's original inhabitants. Others tend to support an origin within Eurasia's Caucasus.

The northern borders and the remote northwest are where the Basque and Galician languages are respectively from in Spain.

Specifically, the Basque and Galician languages are more or less spoken nowadays where they were used anciently. Basque is a unique language whose linguistic story is unlike that of any other in the area or the world. It nevertheless may be related to the ancient Aquitanian language of southernmost France. It reflects some interaction with Romance languages in the acceptance of French, German and Latin loan words.

Unlike Basque, Galician does not stand alone as an isolate within language families. It is a member of the western Ibero branch of the Romance family of languages. It therefore links to the Latin, Portuguese and Spanish languages with which it interacted as its speakers carried out socio-economic activities, established socio-political institutions, and preserved their beautiful cultural and linguistic heritage. It also preserves ancient interactions with Celtic peoples in the use of Celtic loan words. Some scholars trace the Celtic presence in Ireland to the launching of ships from the Atlantic coasts along which Galician language speaker's civilization flourished anciently.

Cultural integrity and historic precedent are two main reasons why the Basque people seek independence from Spain.

Specifically, the Basque language is unrelated to any of Spain's dialects and languages. From World War II (1939-1945) until his death, Francisco Franco y Bahamunde (1892-1975) opposed the speaking of languages other than that of "the Spanish Empire". Linguistic suppression was not something that Spain's central government was supposed to foster since Basque socio-politico-economic autonomy never was a bargaining item in history's interactions between the southern Basque Country and Spain's monarchs.
They have a language and culture and they want they own land.

That it is spoken within an area populated by speakers of Romance languages but that it is not related to any regional or any other world language is what is so unusual about the Basque language.

Specifically, the Basque language can be heard on both sides of the border separating southwestern France and northwestern Spain. But the vocabulary -- other than modern loan words -- cannot be predicted from knowledge of the region's predominant dialects and languages. The grammar (such as the declensions of nouns) likewise is unlike that of surrounding Romance languages, such as Catalan, French and Spanish.

The inhabitants of ancient Aquitania and Iberia are the peoples who spoke Basque.

Specifically, the two above-mentioned regions can be imagined as occupying the geographic space now occupied by northern Spain and southern France. It is thought that the ancient languages of those two regions may have been precursors or relatives of modern Basque. It also may be possible that the ancient inhabitants of today's Eurasian Caucasusspoke Basque if there indeed is a connection (yet to be established) between the Basque language and Caucasian languages such as Cherchen and Georgian.

Spain is the name of the European country in which Bilbao is a center of Basque culture.

Specifically, Bilbao is a major city of Basque culture, coastal businesses and industries, and tourism in northwestern Spain. It is located in the Basque- and Spanish-speaking province of Biscay (Bizcaia in Basque, Vizcaya in Spanish). Basque-speaking residents refer to the city by its Basque name, Bilbo.

Northern Spain and southern France are where the Basque people live and Basque, French and Spanish are their spoken languages.

Specifically, three Basque-speaking provinces are found on the northwest side of the France-Spain border. Three Basque-speaking provinces and the multilingual province of Navarre are found on that border's southwest side. Basque can be found spoken throughout all seven provinces whereas French will be found to the northwest and Spanish to the southwest.

Euskara is what Basque people call their language.

Specifically, the word is the language's official name. Its designation in other languages may sound similar because the forms ultimately trace back to the names Vascones and οὐασκώνους (ouaskōnous), given respectively by the ancient Romans and Greeks. The pronunciation will be "EY-oo-SKA-ra" by those who speak Guipuzcoan Basque.

France and Spain are the two main countries to be visited by those who seek to meet the Basque people.

Specifically, the Basque people live in Euzkadi ("The Basque Country"). They therefore may be found along the border of southwestern France in terms of the northern limits of their homeland. They also may be found along the border of northwestern Spain in terms of their southern limits.

Language isolate is the language family in which Basque belongs.

Specifically, the term designates languages which have no known relatives in any of the known existing and extinct languages. Basque falls into that category because no connections have been established between it or any other language. Some researchers suggest affinities with ancient languages in Aquitanian France/Spain and Eurasia's Caucasus Mountains.

But Basque will continue to constitute its own language family until solid, sustained research proves otherwise.

No language thus far is proven to be similar to Basque.

Specifically, the modern Basque homeland can be found in northern Spain and southern France. The country's language is unrelated to any of the area's modern languages. Further research may establish similarities between Basque and the ancient languages of Eurasia's Caucasus or of Europe's Aquitania and Iberia.

Community, defense, and industry describe how the Basque people have lived and continue to survive to this day.

Specifically, the Basque people inhabit the area on both sides of the border separating southwestern France from northwestern Spain. They perpetuate their unique identity and language through strong senses and systems of community economically based on industrious involvement in farming, fishing, herding, and small-scale enterprises. Chroniclers and recognize additionally recognize the defensive and military skills of the Basque people since ancient and medieval times: for example, ancestors of the Basque people defeated Charlemagne's (742-814) commander Roland (died August 14, 778) during the historic Battle of Roncevaux Pass.

The Basque Autonomous Community within Spain is the location of Donostia.

Specifically, the city also carries the Spanish name of San Sebastián. It is the capital city of the Basque province of Gipuzkoa (Guipúzcoa in Spanish). It is in the northern part of both the Basque Country and Spain.