Co-ops and basque language

History and fundamentals of a new phase

The aim of this book is to throw some light onto the relationship that the companies and bodies that make up the Mondragón Co-operative Experience have had and have with the Basque language. The co-operative Emun, whose mission focuses on offering services for the development of the Basque language and the Lanki institute, set up to investigate the co-operative paradigm, have joined forces for this publication.

The subject is dealt with in four different ways in the book, one per chapter. The first provides a brief linguistic biography of José María Arizmendiarrieta, the man behind the co-operative experience. The erratic linguistic path followed by this man truly reflects the situation and the behaviour of a whole generation at the time when the co-operatives were set up and initially developed. The second chapter, the largest, details in four sections the historic relationship between the co-operatives and the Basque language. The third chapter deals with the bases and the development of the current plans for the development of the Basque language in companies. Finally, the last chapter looks to the future: what place might the development of the Basque language have in the activity of the co-operatives?. What place might the use of Basque have in the co-operatives in the integrated development of the language? At the moment, the most important co-operatives are immersed in the new phase of the plans to develop Basque in the company’s activity. It may be a process of great importance with a view to generally revitalising the Basque language, in addition to being an opportunity to vitalise the co-operatives themselves. The consolidation of this process means that its place has to be found in history and the bases established for the future. This work would like to be instrumental to that.

Authors: Amagoia Unanue and Nahia Intxausti

Directors: Jon Sarasua and Juan Luis Arexolaleiba

Languages: Basque and Spanish (2 books)

ISBN: 84-607-5943-9, 2002.

Contents

Arizmendiarrieta and the Basque language: an important path

• A Basque-speaking boy in a Basque-speaking environment - A young actively pro-Basque Christian - Concealing the fact he could speak Basque, through resignation or waiting for better times? - On the road to recovery

The Mondragón Co-operative Group and the Basque language: historical analysis - The Basque language at work -Educational co-operatives in the Alto Deba area -Subsidies granted by the co-operatives from their funds and through extraordinary initiatives - Basque in the co-operatives’ image abroad

Current plans for the Basque language - Background - Evolution - Philosophy and methodology behind the new plans

The co-operative movement and the Basque language, towards mutual vitalisation - The development of Basque is an objective of the co-operative movement - The development of Basque is an opportunity for the co-operatives - The efforts made by the co-operatives are vital for the Basque language To read the last chapter click here