I - Basque

Basque, officially known as “Euskara,” is a language native to communities near the Pyrenees. It is often known as the world’s oldest language and the hardest to learn; in fact, many linguists and historians believe it may stem from the Neolithic period and beyond. In fact, it is often known as a language isolate. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) categorizes Basque as “vulnerable” in Spanish areas like Navarre, and categorizes Basque as “severely endangered” in the Northern Basque region of France. As of 2023, the language seems to be nearing one million speakers.

Geography

The Basque country is located in south-west Europe. It is home to lush, green hills and beautiful landscapes. In Spain, the Basque country is composed of the provinces of Guipúzcoa, Vizcaya, Navarre, and Álava. In France, the Basque country lies west of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

History

Like most languages, Basque has an extremely rich culture and history. Unfortunately, it has always been under heavy fire from other dominant languages like Latin, Spanish, and French. Linguists haven’t been able to uncover the origins of this unique language, but they believe that Basque pre-dates the Romans and is over 12,000 years old! Some think it may be one of the oldest languages in the world, which makes its perseverance ever so special.

Language

Basque, phonology wise, sounds quite similar to Spanish. It has a wide range of vocabulary that borrows from other cultures and languages. The word order of Basque is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV).

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