Anthony T. Spencer and Stephen M. Croucher - Identity and Language

An ethnic identity animated by ideas about race and blood may well have a greater propensity for inducing violence than an ethnic identity informed by language or culture. Yet the very identity of the Basque people centers around their language, a situation, Blommaert and Verschueren (1998: 192) note, that is ‘reminiscent of nineteenth century scholarship’ in its romantic focus of language as identity. The Basque language is one of a very few non-Indo-European tongues spoken in Europe. It is so complex and concentrated in the Basque nation that it has come to be the very symbol of the people’s identity.

Basque Nationalism and the Spiral of Silence: An Analysis of PublicPerceptions of ETA in Spain and France International Communication Gazette 2008; 70; 137