The vitality of the Basque language in the Northern Basque Country

A special group of experts on endangered languages from the UNESCO presented a report in 2003 entitled Language Vitality and Endangerment. The objectives of the report were to define the level of erosion of the languages and establish the evaluation criteria for the danger of being lost.

The latest version of the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger, 2010, the UNESCO again included Basque among one of the 2,500 languages in danger. The degrees of the languages' endangerment are classified into 5 levels: «Unsafe», «Definitively endangered», «Severely endangered», «Critically endangered» and «Extinct». Although the Basque language's situation has improved, it is still vulnerable and is in a situation of weakness according to the UNESCO. Nevertheless, the situation of the Basque language in the Northern Basque Country is still critical.

In summary, what are the nine factors which the group of experts defined?

• Intergenerational language transmission.
• Absolute number of speakers.
• Proportion of speakers within the total population.
• Use of the language in diverse public and private spheres.
• Response to new domains and media.
• Materials for language education and literacy.
• Governmental and institutional language attitudes and policies; official status and use.
• Community members' attitudes toward their own language.
• Amount and quality of documentation.

The study classifies each factor on a scale of six levels. The sixth level is the greatest and the first level is the most critical. By analysing the nine factors we can see why Basque is currently in such a critical state in the Northern Basque Country. It is evident that this report needs a more extensive explanation (see, this example, in French).

• In the Northern Basque Country, family transmission of the language between generations is very weak. Putting it at second level, «critically endangered».
• The exact number of speakers is low, 51,800 bilingual people among the population over 16 (4th Sociolinguistic Survey 2006). According to this factor it is at level three: «definitively endangered».
• Proportion of speakers within the total population: bilinguals are 22.5% and passive bilinguals are 8.6%. According to the 2006 survey, bilinguals were 26.4%. Again, we could say that it is situated in «critically endangered».
• The use of the language in diverse public and private spheres. Basque is placed in «Highly limited domains», at level two. Although it has been integrated into some fields of public life, in the last few decades its use has dropped in private spheres.
• Response to new domains and media. Thanks to the help of the Southern Basque country and the work of local associations, we can say that it is at level three, «receptive».
• Materials for language education and literacy. The situation improves in this field; Basque in the Northern Basque Country is placed at level four, thanks to the Ikas teaching service, among others.
• Language attitudes and policies of governments and institutions. An improvement of the new linguistic policy can be perceived but the level is still low: third.
• Community members' attitudes toward their own language: at the same level, third.
• The type and quality of the documentation is not as critical as other factors. It is at a good level, five.

In general, according to the UNESCO, Basque in the Southern Basque Country is in a «vulnerable» situation. We can conclude that in the Northern Basque Country it is in «serious danger», although its situation is improving.


Jean-Baptiste Battittu Coyos
Linguist