Historically speaking, Basque has been an isolate for longer than we can even archeologically determine, and has pretty much stayed in its same range for the majority of that time. Is there any way that Basque could expand significantly? Staying realistic, that is.
It indeed reached the North American coasts. Say some Indian tribe picks up the language in the early '500s... OTL ther was actually some pidgin-Basque used for trade between the fishermen and the Indians.
Sources?That seems a tad far fetched and outlandish to me, to be honest.
I mean, I heard the claim of Basque-pidgin with the Basques and the Icelanders, but North American Indians?![]()
You know, all the modern exploration theories. EVERYBODY reached America before Columbus.![]()
Why of course!
1421 CE: The Year a Magnificent Chinese fleet discovered the New World.
421 CE: The Year a Magnificent Basque fleet discovered the New World.
421 BC: The Year a Magnificent Phoenician fleet discovered the New World.
1421 BC: The Year a Magnificent Egyptian fleet discovered the New World.
14210 BC: The Year a Magnificent Cro-Magnon fleet discovered the New World.
You know, all the modern exploration theories. EVERYBODY reached America before Columbus.![]()
There is one plausible and fairly late PoD which would not really expand Basque far beyond its present prevalence, but it would effectively prevent the gradual marginalization of that language in the last couple of century.
My suggestion:
Let Castilia become Lutheran.
I claim this is possible as support of the Reformation has spread over all of Europe; and in this specific situation, much lay in the hands of individual rulers.
Anyway, what has this to do with Basques?
Well, Luther stipulated that all Christians should be able to read the Holy Bible in their native language. This had far reaching consequences: Consider the Fins. Finnish was considered a hillbilly-foresty crude language. Nevertheless, the Swedish Reformation soon triggered the literalization of this idiom, and Bible translations and other spiritual books made a start for national literature.
With literality (of the language) came literacy (of the people), as well as a clear understanding of national identity without blame.
If Sweden had staid Catholic I'm convinced Finland would not be independent today.
And I see the Basques as the Fins of the South.![]()
No, this was a bit later, though some say the Basques rediscovered Newfoundland some time before Cabot's first trip but kept it a secret for... commercial reasons (rich fisheries).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_language#Hypotheses_on_connections_with_other_languages subchapter Basque pidgins
I would'nt want to study it. It's super hard!!
Bai. Euskal hizkuntza konplikatua. Baina aldi berean zoragarria hizkuntza bat. Eta ezohiko bat ere.
- Bai. Euskal hizkuntza konplikatua. Baina aldi berean zoragarria hizkuntza bat. Eta ezohiko bat ere.
- They would keep defending the euro even if euro coins started emitting nerve gas.
Konplikatua? Basque needs a lean word to say "hard"?
Konplikatua? Basque needs a lean word to say "hard"?
Is this combination supposed to tell us anything?![]()
Does that mean that you will pay to enroll me in an online course??Bai. Euskal hizkuntza konplikatua. Baina aldi berean zoragarria hizkuntza bat. Eta ezohiko bat ere.