Basque

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Basque

Basque (pronunciation: /bask/; etymology: from baso, meaning 'forest' in Basque, possibly referring to the region's original inhabitants living between the trees) is a language isolate spoken primarily in the Basque Country, a region straddling the border between Spain and France.

Description

The Basque language, known as Euskara in Basque, is one of the few surviving pre-Indo-European languages in Europe. It is unrelated to the Romance languages surrounding it and has its own unique grammar and vocabulary. The language is spoken by about 750,000 people, primarily in the Basque Country, but also in communities of Basque emigrants around the world.

History

The origins of the Basque language are not well understood, due to the lack of written records from the time when it first developed. It is believed to have been spoken in the region since at least the Neolithic period, and possibly even earlier. The language has survived numerous political and cultural changes in the region, including Roman, Visigothic, and Frankish invasions, as well as periods of Spanish and French rule.

Dialects

There are several dialects of Basque, which can be broadly grouped into Western, Central, and Eastern dialects. These dialects differ in terms of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, but are generally mutually intelligible. The standard form of the language, known as Batua, was developed in the 20th century and is used in education, media, and formal contexts.

Vocabulary

The Basque vocabulary is a mix of ancient Basque words, borrowings from neighboring languages, and modern coinages. Some common Basque words include etxea (house), laguna (friend), and mendi (mountain).

Grammar

Basque grammar is complex and highly agglutinative, meaning that words are often formed by stringing together various morphemes (units of meaning). The language also features a rare trait known as ergativity, where the subject of a sentence is treated differently depending on whether it is performing an action or having an action performed on it.

Related Terms

  • Euskara: The Basque word for the Basque language.
  • Basque Country: The region where Basque is primarily spoken.
  • Batua: The standard form of the Basque language.
  • Agglutinative language: A type of language, like Basque, where words are formed by combining morphemes.
  • Ergativity: A grammatical feature found in Basque and some other languages.

External links

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