Opinions of profesionals of the Basque language on the situation of the language

Abstract

In order to explore the question of language as a mere communication tool or as an element of identity formation, 143 experts responded to a questionnaire in February-May 2019 on the purpose, use, origin and cognitive-philosophical value of language. The results from a sociolinguistic and ethnographic point of view show that when asking about the aesthetics, origin, deep value and knowledge of language, opinions vary greatly, although there is wide agreement towards regarding language as a communication tool or symbol of identity. The aim of this article is to explain and to contextualize the responses of these 143 experts (among them 73 language consultants) and to put them in the context of language homogenization and diversity.