Albisteak
The latest sociolinguistic survey in Navarre
In early summer 2009, the Government of Navarre presented its latest sociolinguistic survey, La situación del euskera en Navarra. 2008 (The situation of Basque in Navarre. 2008). If we attempt to compare this survey with its former version carried out by the same Government five years previously, Estudio sociolingüístico sobre el vascuence en Navarra. 2003 (Sociolinguistic study of the Basque language in Navarre. 2003), we immediately realise how difficult it is to make a systematic comparison between the two studies, given that their resemblances are limited to a very few items.
Furthermore, the 2008 survey itself contains no reference to the former, as if the sociolinguistic situation in Navarre had never been studied until last year. No mention is made of evolution, trends, symptoms of recovery -if they exist- and no figures of possible stagnation are given.
Despite this, there are certain figures which can be compared, for example, from 2003 to 2008, the population of Navarre aged 15 and over, the number of Basque speakers rose from 10.5% to 11.9%. Today, almost 20% of the population aged between 15 and 24 speak Basque, meaning that, the younger the population of Navarre, the more they speak Basque, and this is mainly thanks to education.
Among the new features in the survey is having asked the population its opinion on increasing the offer of schooling in Basque to include all of Navarre. Never before had the citizens of Navarre been asked whether or not they are in favour of increasing the possibility of boys and girls being able to study in Basque throughout the province and the answer was clear: the majority of the population of Navarre favours the initiative. Although this position is upheld by the majority in the three linguistic areas, differences do exist: 80% favoured the initiative in the Basque-speaking area, 67.5% in the mixed area and 60% in the non-Basque-speaking area.
Another new feature offered by the survey is having asked the population in 10 local municipalities of the non-Basque-speaking area regarding the possibility of including their towns and villages in the mixed area. In 9 of the 10 municipalities, the population was in favour of the change to the mixed area: Aranguren, Galar, Noain (Valle de Elorz), Mañeru, Cirauqui, Villatuerta, Artazu, Belascoain and Guirguillano. Only the population of Beriain was not, in its majority, in favour of moving to the mixed area.
Thus, while the sociolinguistic survey has no great comparative value, at least it does contribute new elements which, if the will to do so exists, can be taken into account in order to make linguistic policy in Navarre more democratic.
Paula Casares
Associate Lecturer of the Public University of Navarre
