Salustio Cayo Crispo (86-35 B.C) was the historian and politican that first wrote the word “baskoi”. From then onwards this word was used to describe the Basque Country.

When the Romans arrived in the

Basque Country, they met the people

called vascoiak.

BARDULOS MOTOR KULTURENowadays even a motor club uses the ancient name barduli in its nomenclature.

Recession of the Basque language through centuries

5,000 years ago Basque language’s territorial span was much bigger than now.

Basque first written remains were found when the Romans got to the Basque Country.

They were found in Aquitaine on a stele (a stone with an

inscription). The written word was andere which means “woman”. (It can be found at Le Musée de Toulouse (France))

1.- Glosae millianenses The first manuscripts were found in San Millan de Suso´s monastery.

FIRST WRITTEN WORDS

Old Basque Modern Basque English

Aragui haragi meat

araing arrain fish

ardum ardo wine

andrea andrea woman

2.- In 1140 the pilgrim Aymeric Picaud went through the Basque territory and picked up some Basque words and expressions, thinking that it would be useful for other pilgrims.

Euskara (basque) dialects in 1856

One of the first scientific studies of Basque was made by Louis-Lucien Bonaparte (a descendant of Napoleon).

Euskara dialects in 2008Koldo Zuazo, Professor of Basque Philology at the University of the Basque Country, redefined the dialect classifications in 2008.

• Western (Biscayan)• Central (Gipuzkoan)• Eastern Navarrese • Navarrese-Lapurdian• Souletin

EUSKARA BATUA IN 1970

Euskara Batua was created in the 1960s and 1970s as an attempt to unite the different dialects of Basque. Euskara Batua is a standard variety of Basque. Euskara Batua (or standard Basque) makes the language more accessible to education and book publishing.

The standard version of Basque was created by the Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language), mainly based on the central Basque dialect and on written tradition.

LINGUAE VASCONUM PRIMITIAE

The first book printed in Basque by Bernard Etxepare in1545.

Basque University (Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea)

Its motto is an old saying in Basque “Eman ta zabal zazu” (Give and distribute [the fruit]), from Gernikako Arbola, a Basque anthem from the 19th century. Its logo by the well-known sculptor Eduardo Chillida is an interpretation of the oak in Gernika.

BASQUE NEWSPAPERS

& MAGAZINES