Jabato

I apologize for copying the whole article, but it seemed to me easier for you to understand than if I was the writer.
Saludos



Basque Inquisition: How Do You Say Shepherd in Euskera?

By Keith Johnson (THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, 06/11/07):

BILBAO, Spain — Rosa Esquivias is caught on the front line of the Basques’ fight for independence from Spain. Actually, she’s in the front row — of her Basque language class.

Ms. Esquivias, a 50-year-old high-school math teacher and Spanish-speaking native of Bilbao, must learn Basque or risk losing her job. Like her nine classmates, including a man who teaches Spanish to immigrants, she has been given at least a year off with pay to spend 25 hours a week drilling verbs and learning vocabulary in Euskera — a language with no relation to any other European tongue and spoken by fewer than one million people. About 450 million people world-wide speak Spanish.

“For the job I do, I think learning the language is clearly over the top,” Ms. Esquivias says.

Basque separatists have been waging a struggle for independence from Spain for 39 years. But lately, many have taken to wielding grammar instead of guns. Separatists still dream of creating their own homeland, but in the meantime they are experimenting with pushing a strict regime of Euskera into every corner of public life. Of the present-day Basque Country’s approximately 2.1 million inhabitants, roughly 30% speak Basque; more than 95% speak Spanish.

The regional government of the Basque Country has begun to tighten the screws on its language policy to the point where now, all public employees, from mail-sorters to firemen, must learn Euskera to get — or keep — their jobs. Cops are pulled off the street to brush up their grammar. And companies doing business with the Basque government must conduct business in Euskera. Starting next year, students entering public school will be taught only in Basque.

Although there is a shortage of doctors in the Basque Country, the Basque health service requires medical personnel to speak Euskera. Health-service regulations detail how Euskera should be used in every medical situation, from patient consultations down to how to leave a phone message or make an announcement over a public-address system (Basque first, then Spanish). There are rules specifying the typeface and placement of Basque signs in hospitals (Basque labels on top or to the left, and always in bold).

The official goal of the Basque policy is to transform Euskera from a “co-official” status with Spanish to “co-equal” status. That, say Euskera proponents, is necessary to make up for years of linguistic repression. The language was banned during the 36-year dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and only began to re-emerge in the 1980s.

“To have a truly bilingual society, you need positive discrimination,” says Mertxe Múgica, the head of the Basque language academies where Ms. Esquivias studies. Many Basque speakers still feel discriminated against because of the pervasiveness of Spanish.

But as Basque nationalists try to push their language into the mainstream, they are bumping up against an uncomfortable reality.

“Euskera just isn’t used in real life,” says Leopoldo Barrera, the head of the center-right Popular Party in the Basque regional Parliament. Though it has existed for thousands of years — there are written records in Basque that predate Spanish — it is an ancient language little suited to contemporary life. Euskera has no known relatives, though theories abound linking it to everything from Berber languages to Eskimo tongues.

Airport, science, Renaissance, democracy, government, and independence, for example, are all newly minted words with no roots in traditional Euskera: aireportu, zientzia, errenazimentu, demokrazia, gobernu, independentzia.

Meanwhile, there are 10 different words for shepherd, depending on the kind of animal. Astazain, for instance, is a donkey herder; urdain herds pigs. A cowpoke is behizain in Euskera. While Indo-European languages have similar roots for basic words like numbers — three, drei, tres, trois — counting in Euskera bears no relation: bat, bi, hiru, lau, and up to hamar, or 10. Religious Basques pray to Jainko.

The regional government has spent years of effort and billions of euros to make sure that every official document, from job applications for sanitation workers to European Union agricultural grants, is available in Euskera. But this year, in San Sebastian, a hotbed of Basque nationalism and the region’s second-largest city, not a single person chose to take the driver’s license exam in Euskera, says Mr. Barrera.

The Basque-language TV channel is loaded with Euskera favorites, such as the irrepressible redhead “Pippi Galtzaluze.” But the channel has a 4.4% audience share in the Basque Country, according to data from Taylor Nelson Sofres — less than the animal-documentary channel of public broadcasting.

Even some of the biggest proponents of Basque independence stumble over Euskera’s convoluted grammar. Juan José Ibarretxe, the Basque regional president, speaks a less-than-fluent Euskera at news conferences. Like most people in the region, he grew up speaking Spanish and had to learn Euskera as an adult.

Other adults who are now running afoul of the new language policy are having similar trouble picking up the tongue. “I guess we’re the last of the old guard, but we don’t have any choice,” says Ignacio Garcia, a math teacher who is a classmate of Ms. Esquivias, and is sweating over a stack of notes before his first big Euskera exam.

The language policy has led to a massive adult re-education push, as tens of thousands in the Basque Country head back to school. Their predicament has become a popular sendup on a Basque comedy show. In one sketch, non-Basque-speaking adults who have been sent to a euskaltegi, or Euskera language school, have to ask schoolchildren to help them with their homework.

Joseba Arregui, a former Basque culture secretary, native Basque speaker, and onetime architect of the language policy, feels that Euskera is being pushed too far. “It’s just no good for everyday conversation,” he says. “When a language is imposed, it is used less, and that creates a diabolical circle of imposition and backlash.”

In the classroom, Euskera use has also allowed separatists to control the curriculum. Basque-language textbooks used in schools never tell students that the Basque Country is part of Spain, for example. No elementary-school texts even mention the word Spain.

Students are taught that they live in “Euskal Herria,” stretching across parts of Spain and southern France, that was colonized by “the Spanish State.”

Some local politicians worry that the insistence on Basque language makes any type of reconciliation between separatists and Spain impossible. “Everything young Basques later encounter in life — like the fact they live in Spain — then appears to be an imposition from Madrid,” says Santiago Abascal, a regional deputy from the Popular Party who campaigns against the linguistic policy. “That creates frustration that keeps violence bubbling in the Basque Country,” he says.

But back in the classroom, most of the frustration seems to be with the dense grammar, forthcoming exams, and the difficulty of finding quality shows on Basque TV.

Arantza Goikolea, Ms. Esquivias’s teacher, leads a class through an exercise about their daily routines. Tamara Alende, 25, watches a lot of TV at night, she says in pidgin Euskera.

“Basque shows?” asks Ms. Goikolea. Ms. Alende lowers her head and turns red. “No, Spanish series,” she mumbles, to a chorus of boos from the teacher and the rest of the class.

Viv

The Basques know they will lose their ethnicity unless they fight and IMO it is a crime to allow the eradication of this culture. Their language only began to regain a hold when they began insisting on it and televising children's tv in Euskera. One programme became popular with children and they began picking up the language from it. I can understand their insistence on their chosen language being used in education. That is one of the recognised methods of language formalization and that is what they aim for.

For this fact alone, the language and culture are worth preserving.

Spain already has several indigenous languages which work harmoniously with the official one. I think it's fine to value multiculturalism and the Basques are insisting on it. Let them have their independence.
I don't understand why there is this mad rush to homogenize all cultures and races into one.
Life is much more interesting if there is diversity. I mean, who wants to be remembered as a philistine?
Spanish history records the eradication of the Inca culture as one of the greatest crimes. How is this different? No one is being murdered but the culture would still be eradicated.

Jabato

Viv wrote:
The Basques know they will lose their ethnicity unless they fight and IMO it is a crime to allow the eradication of this culture.

The basques ARE NOT ethnically different than the rest of Spaniards, not at all. The only differences between us are simply regional.

Viv wrote:
Their language only began to regain a hold when they began insisting on it and televising children's tv in Euskera.

That’s an opinion that I deeply respect, but you’re wrong. It has never been a language because there was no verbs. No verbs=no conjugation. No conjugation=no language. It was just a dialect, only spoken in rural areas and those dialects were different from village to village. Never spoken in basques cities. And why do you think no one spoke basque in……………………….let’s say……………………….1612? Because if the language was so important as a sign of identity, why are they speaking basque, only since 1950, more or less?

Viv wrote:
I can understand their insistence on their chosen language being used in education.

I got no problem at all either. I’m proud that there are several spoken languages in my country, but what I just can’t share is the use that nationalists politicians are giving to the language that it’s been using as a tool, to say “hey I’m different, I speak a different language” when they are not.

Viv wrote:
For this fact alone, the language and culture are worth preserving.

No one is saying that the basque language has to be destroyed. I just say that the basque is being used for political purposes only. And I can’t hardly believe there are a million basques speaking people.

Viv wrote:
Spain already has several indigenous languages which work harmoniously with the official one.

Not so harmoniously. Cataluña is a very clear example of non harmoniously existence.

Viv wrote:
Let them have their independence.

Why? Just because 10% of the basque electoral body think so? Man I live 2500 kms away from the Spanish mainland. My neighbourgh is a basque that had to leave the Vascongadas with his entire family because otherwise he could be assesinated. 200.000 vascs do live outside Vascongadas in order to avoid being shot down........

Remenber that there is not a single example in Spain that you coudl compare with Scotland. As I said once, Sctoland has a 1000 years History - notice that History is written with capital letters- as an independent country.

Viv

Que tal Jabato

With respect, I have heard this many times before and debated it...in the Scotland/England discussions. You may feel your differences are simply regional, but plainly they do not agree with you.

The history of the language is obscure and cannot be traced. It has no roots in latin structure or any other recognised language, although it has borrowed from some. That is why is it so interesting and to people with an interest in language is worth preservation...it is unique.
It was formalized in the sixties. That doesn't mean it wasn't spoken prior to that, as happens with all language. English was spoken by the common people before being adopted for use by the rest. There are varieties and dialects in all language.
The variety chosen for formalization is normally chosen for political reasons as you say, but the reasons can vary...it may be the variety used by the majority of people, or the variety used by the ruling class. English is seen as the language of the oppressor by some countries, but they still use it for business because of the opportunities it affords.
In South America there is a push to formalize a variety of the language of the Incas, but that is not the variety in most common usage by the indigenous peoples so they have a difficult choice...lose the one closest to the Inca variety or adopt a lesser known version of quechua.

Viv wrote:
I can understand their insistence on their chosen language being used in education.
Again I would question if their view of why they use their own language is just to say "hey I'm different". They are making headway in preserving their culture and language is a part of that. In many places there is an official language and the indigenous languages are also accepted. Wales for example, Quebec in Canada, Ireland, Scotland and Spain.

The figure does seem high.

Viv wrote:
Spain already has several indigenous languages which work harmoniously with the official one.

I don't know about that, at least I don't recall at the moment. Can you expand on what the problems are?

Viv wrote:
Let them have their independence.

That would be 2000 years btw


The aggressor is the one who guides history. Unfortunate, but appears to be how it is - el que no llora, no mama If the rest of the people cannot combat the aggressive minority who are so determined, what is the future? Conflict?
Some parts of the Basque country have been French. They don't want to be Spanish or French. Spain has tried to stop them and failed, violence resulted. Give them it in the name of peace.

Saludos

Jabato

¡Coño, Viv! ¿eres español?
Saludos

Viv

No, soy escocesa pero he estudiado la lengua a nivel universitario.
Mi esposo es hispanohablante nativo, es un Limeno, un Peruano. Pero es cuidadano Britanico hace algunas anos.
Dice hay muchas problemas racistas en Espana para los Peruanos. No le gusta visitarlo.
WEB is going to beat us over the head and tell us to speak English ahora
Saludos Jabato

Jabato

Oh my God!!!
Your spanish is superb Viv! Congrats!
Speaking the language is the main problem spaniards students face at school. In Spain, kids are having english lessons at school since they're 4/5, so most of us do have a good level of english grammar, but as soon we finished High School, very few of us are able to talk. The lack of conversation during the school years is our main problem.

Viv

Gracias Jabato, pero no practico bastante.
I find whenever I'm in Spain people really do appreciate it if you speak even a little of the language. Usually they manage English well, which is necessary really because hardly any of us bother to speak any other language apart from English.
Even although we're taught other languages at school, Brits don't expect to have to use them, it's expected everyone else will speak our language. Very, very lazy and a bit rude.
I haven't been over for a while, last time I was in Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, beautiful place up in the north. I planned to visit it again this year, but things arose...we're going to go next spring I think, or perhaps to Barcelona, I love Las Ramblas.

Jabato

Viv wrote:
Gracias Jabato, pero no practico bastante.

Viv, reading your written spanish........I don't think you need more practise. As you know spanish is more difficult to learn than english, so.........

Viv wrote:
I find whenever I'm in Spain people really do appreciate it if you speak even a little of the language.

I went to see Stanley Jordan last night, live here in Gran Canaria. He didin't speak spanish but he adressed the audience and said: ¡Buenas noches, gracias por venir y espero que les guste mi música! This very short sentences seemed to me a very nice sing of respect for all of us.


Viv wrote:
Even although we're taught other languages at school, Brits don't expect to have to use them, it's expected everyone else will speak our language. Very, very lazy and a bit rude.

Yes maybe, but on the other hand, I don't know what would I do if I were british.......I mean everyone was goona understand me, anywhere in the world, so...........................apart from personal culture..........

Back in the thread, you are scootish and I'm curious about all the independence stuff that's going on over there.

I was reading the Guardian newspaper headlines yesterday, and the pro-independence scootish political leader -I can't remember his name- said that you would have an independent Scotland in 2017.
Do you think this is just a "joke" in order to get votes or is it a true posibility for Scotland?

Saludos Viv

Viv

If you'd asked that 5 years ago, I would have said there was not a chance of Scottish independence. Although people like myself have continued to push for it, the majority were really not very interested and there was not a political will toward it. Scots are intelligent enough to recognise the benefits of the union.
Things have changed very quickly though and it's looking almost inevitable.
A major difference is that there is a growing support on BOTH sides of the border for it.
IMO it kind of started with Margaret Thatcher. She polarized the Scottish vote...people hated her so much they almost ALL voted against her party. Then people started railing against Westminster (Parliament) saying the Scots didn't vote for one single MP from the governing party but we were still ruled by them. It's kicked off from there.
When the Labour Party (Tony Blair, who was born in Scotland btw) gained power, Blair quickly gave Scotland an independent parliament for local matters.
This parliament has been very effective, at least they've not done anything mad. Many Scots didn't have confidence that we could self-govern prior to this, but the parliament's success has shown otherwise.
The Scottish parliament has a leader (like a presidential role) called the First Minister. He was intially a politician from Tony Blair's party, but in the last Scottish election we voted for the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party, Alex Salmond.
He is the leader of our parliament and he is using every trick at his disposal and moving mountains to progress the cause of independence.
He is a very experienced politician and is the right man in the right place at the right time...he also has an astute team - Nicola Sturgeon, for example, is another very capable politician who is determinedly pushing through change after change at his side.
On top of this there is the growing support from England for separation.
This really didn't exist before, it's increasing because the changes Alex Salmond is pushing through are being paid for from UK taxation, i.e. the English are contributing to improvements for Scotland, but they are receiving no improvements themselves.
They're pretty tired of it particularly as they have no separate parliament themselves and all local English matters are still voted on by the general parliament in Westminster...the Scots MPs who go to the UK parliament are still influencing English goverment.
It remains to be seen if a referendum will support the split, but it looks like it is gaining so much support that it will happen.
This is both a scary and exciting prospect...