The Boundaries of the Basque Language

Abstrakt

The object of this article is to reflect on the concept of boundaries in relation to the Basque language (Euskara). The starting point is the Basque endoethnonym and the concepts which point to language as a marker of distinctiveness and a barrier to others. The article discusses the situation of the Basque language as a minority language, which is broken down into dialects, the phenomenon of diglossia and multilingualism in the region, and contemporary challenges faced by the language. Attention is also paid to the importance of knowledge of the Basque language in the studies of Basque culture, and in the integration of immigrants.