Basque dialects are linguistic varieties which differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar from each other and from Standard Basque. Between 6[1] and 9[2] Basque dialects have been historically distinguished:
In modern times, though, both Upper Navarrese and Lapurdian are considered part of the Navarrese-Lapurdian dialect, so the dialects would be five, divided in 11 sub-dialects, their minor varieties being 24.[3]
The boundaries of all these dialects do not coincide directly with current political or administrative boundaries. It was believed that the dialect boundaries between Bizkaian, Gipuzkoan and Upper Navarrese did show some relation to some pre-Roman tribal boundaries between the Caristii, Varduli and Vascones. But, nowadays, the main Basque dialectologists deny any direct relation between those tribes and Basque dialects. Looking at historical evidences, it seems that these dialects were created in the Middle Ages from a previously quite unified Basque language, and that the dialects diverged from each other since then due to the administrative and political division that happened in the Basque Country.[4][3]
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One of the first scientific studies of Basque dialects, regarding the auxiliary verb forms, was made by Louis-Lucien Bonaparte, a nephew of Napoleon. His original dialect map Carte des Sept Provinces Basques which was published in 1869 along with his Le Verbe Basque en Tableaux was regarded as the authoritative guide in Basque dialectology for a century. He collected his data in fieldwork between 1856 and 1869 in five visits to the Basque Country. By then, the Basque language was much in retreat in the whole territory where it had been commonly spoken. In Alava, Basque had all but vanished from the Plains and the Highlands, just remaining in the stronghold of Aramaio and bordering fringes of Biscay and Gipuzkoa, while in Navarre the scholar collected the last live evidence in areas extending as far south as Tafalla.
In 1998, Koldo Zuazo, Professor of Basque Philology at the University of the Basque Country, redefined the dialect classifications slightly, amongst other things changing the name of Biscayan dialect to Western, Gipuzkoan to Central, Upper Navarrese to Navarrese, grouping Lapurdian with Lower Navarrese, distinguishing Eastern Navarrese as an independent dialect and recognising several mixed areas:
Much has been studied too on the Basque dialect spoken formerly in Alava. In 1997, Koldo Zuazo released research carried out on the issue based on dispersed recorded evidence (Landuchio's glossary,...) and papers drawn up especially by Koldo Mitxelena. The pundit outlines three main linguistic areas running north to south, where features related to Western and Navarrese dialects mix up to different degrees according to their geographical position. He focuses mainly on relevant lexico-morphological differences, such as instrumental declension marks -gaz/rekin, ablative -rean/tik, barria/berria (= 'new'), elexea/elizea (= 'church'), padura/madura (= 'swamp'), to mention but a few.[5]
Some key distinguishing features in Basque dialect phonology are:
The modern Basque dialects show a high degree of dialectal divergence. However, cross-dialectal communication without prior knowledge of either Standard Basque or the other dialect is normally possible to a reasonable extent with the notable of exception of Zuberoan (Souletin) which is regarded as the most divergent Basque dialect.
The names for the language in the dialects of Basque (Euskara in Standard Basque) for example exemplify to some degree the dialectal fragmentation of the Basque speaking area. The most divergent forms are generally found in the Eastern dialects.
| Dialect variant[6] | Dialect group | Areas documented in |
|---|---|---|
| Auskera | Upper Navarrese | Arakil |
| Eskara | Upper Navarrese Lapurdian |
Irun Saint-Jean-de-Luz |
| Eskoara | Biscayan | Orozko |
| Eskuara | Lapurdian Biscayan Lower Navarrese |
Labourd Biscay Lower Navarre |
| Eskuera | Biscayan Guipuscoan |
Gernika, Bermeo, Bergara, Leintz-Gatzaga Goierri, Burunda, Etxarri-Aranaz |
| Euskala | Biscayan | Bergara, Leintz-Gatzaga |
| Euskara | Upper Navarrese Aezcoan |
Irun, Larraun, Erro |
| Euskera | Biscayan Guipuscoan Upper Navarrese |
|
| Euskiera | Biscayan | Orozko |
| Euzkera | Biscayan | Arrigorriaga, Orozko, Marquina, Bergara, Leintz-Gatzaga |
| Oskara | Upper Navarrese | Arakil |
| Uskara | Upper Navarrese Aezcoan Salazarese |
Irun, Bortziriak, Ultzama |
| Üskara | Souletin | |
| Uskaa | Upper Navarrese Souletin |
Ultzama |
| Üskaa | Souletin | |
| Üska | Souletin | |
| Uskera | Biscayan Upper Navarrese |
Arratia, Orozko Ultzama, Erro, Olza, Gulina |
The following map shows the approximate areas where each word is used. The smaller-type instances are cases of the name being recorded for a particular area, the larger-type instances show over-regional forms common throughout the dialect area in question:
Comparing the forms of the Basque verb used in the different Basque dialects also gives a good overview over some of the differences and common features.
| Standard Basque | Biscayan[7] | Gipuzkoan[7] | Upper Navarrese[1][8][9] | Roncalese | Lapurdian[10] | Lower Navarrese[1][10] | Souletin[11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| naiz haiz da gara zara zarete dira |
naz az da gara zara zaree dira |
naiz aiz da gera zera zerate dira |
naiz (y)aiz da ga(r)a za(r)a za(r)ate di(r)e |
naz yaz da gra zra zrei dra |
naiz haiz da gare zare zaizte di(r)e |
n(a)iz h(a)iz da gira zira zirezte dira |
niz hiz da gira zira zirae dira |
| dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute |
dot dok/don dau dogu dozu dozue dabe |
det dek/den du degu dezu dezute dute |
dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute |
dur,dud duk/dun du digu tzu tzei dei |
dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute |
dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue (d)ute |
düt dük/dün dü dügü düzü düzüe düe |
| nion hion zion genion zenion zenioten zioten |
neutsan euntsan eutsan geuntsan zeuntsan zeuntsoen eutsoen |
nion ion zion genion zenion zenioten zioten |
nio(n) (y)io(n) zio(n) ginio(n) zinio(n) ziniote(n) ziote(n) |
naun yaun zaun ginaun zinaun zinabein zabein |
nion hion zion ginion zinion zinioten zioten |
nakon hakon zakon ginakon zinakon zinakoten zakoten |
neion heion zeion geneion zeneion zeneioen zeioen |
| nindoakion hindoakion zihoakion gindoazkion zindoazkion zindoazkioten zihoazkion |
niñoiakion iñoakion joiakion giñoiakiozan ziñoiakiozan ziñoiakiozen joiakiozan |
ninjoakion injoakion zijoakion ginjoazkion zinjoazkion zinjoazkioten zijoazkion |
nindoakion hindoakion zoakion ginoazkion zinoazkion zinoazkioten zoazkion |
nindoakion hindoakion zoakion gindoazkion zindoakion zindoakioen zoazkion |
Key to verb forms:
| Standard Basque | English |
|---|---|
| naiz haiz da gara zara zarete dira |
I am you (familiar) are he/she/it is we are you (formal) are you (plural) are they are |
| dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute |
I have it you (familiar, allocutive form for male addressee) are/you (familiar, allocutive form for female addressee) have it he/she/it has it we have it you (formal) have it you (plural) have it they have it |
| nion hion zion genion zenion zenioten zioten |
I to him/her/it (trans.); for example eman nion "I gave it to him" you (familiar) to him/her/it (trans.) he/she/it to him/her/it (trans.) we to him/her/it (trans.) you (formal) to him/her/it (trans.) you (plural) to him/her/it (trans.) they to him/her/it (trans.) |
| nindoakion hindoakion zihoakion gindoazkion zindoazkion zindoazkioten zihoazkion |
I went to him/her/it you (familiar) went to him/her/it he/she/it went to him/her/it we went to him/her/it you (formal) went to him/her/it you (plural) went to him/her/it they went to him/her/it |
| Labial | Dental/ Alveolar |
Postalveolar /Palatal |
Velar | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ||
| Plosive | voiceless | p | t | c | k |
| voiced | b | d | ɟ | ɡ | |
| Affricate | voiceless | ts̺ ts̻ | tʃ | ||
| Fricative | voiceless | f | s̺ s̻ | ʃ | x |
| Trill | r | ||||
| Tap | ɾ | ||||
| Lateral | l | ʎ | |||
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i | u | |
| Mid | e | o | |
| Open | a |
Basque dialects diverge from this standard inventory to a larger or lesser extent. The grapheme j (historically /j/) displays by far the most extreme divergence, followed by the fricatives and affricates. Hualde (1991) describes the following:
There have been various attempts throughout history to promote standardised forms of Basque dialects to the level of a common standard Basque.