José Luis Álvarez Enparantza (27 September 1929 – 14 January 2012), better known by his pseudonym Txillardegi, was a

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

, and

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...

. He was born and raised in the Basque Country, and although he did not learn the

Basque language Basque ( ; ) is a language spoken by Basques and other residents of the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country, a region that straddles the westernmost Pyrenees in adjacent parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. Basque ...

until the age of 17, he later came to be considered one of the most influential figures in

Basque nationalism Basque nationalism ( ; ; ) is a form of nationalism that asserts that Basques, an ethnic group indigenous to the western Pyrenees, are a nation and promotes the political unity of the Basques, today scattered between Spain and France. Since ...

and

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

in the second half of the 20th century. He was one of the founders of

ETA Eta ( ; uppercase , lowercase ; ''ē̂ta'' or ''ita'' ) is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the close front unrounded vowel, . Originally denoting the voiceless glottal fricative, , in most dialects of Ancient Greek, it ...

, but in 1967 he left because he did not agree with its political line.

Literary and academic work

Álvarez Enparantza (the maternal surname was sometimes Hispanicised as Emparanza) studied

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

at the University of Bilbao, and

linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...

at the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

. In 1957, he became a corresponding member of the

Euskaltzaindia Euskaltzaindia (; often translated Royal Academy of the Basque Language) is the official academic language regulatory institution which watches over the Basque language. It conducts research, seeks to protect the language, and establishes stand ...

(''Academia de la Lengua Vasca'', Academy of the Basque Language), which adopted most of his proposals on the orthography and morphology of

Standard Basque Standard Basque () is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country. Heavil ...

. In 1993 he became a member of its Commission on Pronunciation. His name was put forward twice to become a full member of the Euskaltzaindia but he was turned down for political reasons. When he was going to be proposed for a third time, he himself turned down the proposal. He was a major contributor to the standardisation of Basque. His philosophy was based on the following points: * that if minority languages are to survive, they have to be able to deal with modern science and technology; * that a standardised language is a key part of modernisation; * that any subject could be discussed in an understandable way in any language, based on "trying, time, and intelligence"; * and that the main feature, among others, that should identify a person (or the country) as Basque should be knowledge of the Basque language. He was also a well-known writer and linguist under the pseudonyms ''Larresoro'', ''Igara'' and ''Usako''. He was a writer influenced by

existentialism Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and valu ...

of Kierkegaard, Unamuno and

Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was a French philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic, considered a leading figure in 20th-century French ph ...

, and also by the writer

Bertrand Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, and public intellectual. He had influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, and various areas of analytic ...

. He has had many books published, mostly to do with the Basque language and its grammar. He has also written novels and political essays. His work ''Leturiaren egunkari ezkutua'' (1957) is considered the first modern novel written in Basque and makes a clear dividing line in

Basque literature Although the first instances of coherent Basque language, Basque phrases and sentences go as far back as the Glosas Emilianenses, San Millán glosses of around 950, the large-scale damage done by periods of great instability and warfare, such as ...

. Other work included the novels ''Haizeaz bestaldetik'' (1979) and ''Putzu'' (1999); the influential essays ''Huntaz eta hartaz'' (1965), ''Hizkuntza eta pentsakera'' (1972) and ''Euskal Herria helburu'' (1994), and the academic works ''Euskal fonologia'' (1980), ''Euskal azentuaz'' (1984) and ''Elebidun gizartearen azterketa matematikoa'' (1984). In 1968 he won the Txomin Agirre award for his novel ''Elsa Scheelen''. He also won the Andima award in Caracas in 1969 for books on teaching mathematics. He won the ''Silver Lauburu'' for his book ''Euskal Gramatika'' in Bilbo in 1980. In the 1970s Txillardegi co-founded the ''Euskal Herrian Euskaraz'' Basque language movement. In 1982 he began lecturing in the

University of the Basque Country The University of the Basque Country (, ''EHU''; , ''UPV''; officially EHU) is a Spanish public university of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community. Heir of the University of Deusto, University of Bilbao, initial ...

, of which he later became a professor emeritus. The database of the Basque scientific-intellectual community Inguma shows references to 122 products (paper, books, talks etc.) created by Txillardegi.

Political activity

A member of the

Basque Nationalist Party The Basque Nationalist Party ( , EAJ; , PNV; , PNB; EAJ-PNV), officially the Basque National Party in English, is a Basque nationalist and regionalist political party. The party is located in the centre of the political spectrum. It has been de ...

(PNV) in his youth, he promoted the defence and study of the

as the basis of Basque identity. After becoming disillusioned with the PNV, Txillardegi was one of the founders of

in 1959, together with a group of young nationalists and was the visible leader of the cultural branch of the movement. In 1961 he fled into exile, in Paris and Brussels, returning in 1967. In 1976 he and Iñaki Aldekoa formed a political party, the ''Euskal Sozialista Biltzarrea'' (ESB: ''Congreso de Socialistas Vascos'', Basque Socialist Congress). Txillardegi participated in the foundation in 1977 of

Herri Batasuna Herri Batasuna (; ; HB) was a Far-left politics, far-left Basque nationalist coalition in Spain. It was founded in 1978 and defined itself as abertzale left, abertzale, left-wing, socialism, socialist, and supported the independence of the Basque ...

and was elected senator for the '' abertzale'' coalition in the first elections. Coming to believe that the armed struggle was unviable, for a time he was active in Aralar. In the general elections of 2008, he announced his Senate candidacy for the

Eusko Abertzale Ekintza Basque Nationalist Action (, , EAE–ANV) is a Basque nationalist party based in Spain. Founded in 1930, it was the first Basque nationalist political party to exist running on a socialist program. On 16 September 2008, the party was outlawed by ...

party (''Acción Nacionalista Vasca'', Basque Nationalist Action) for the precinct of Guipúzcoa.ANV registra en la Junta Electoral las listas por Guipúzcoa al Congreso y Senado y dice que mantendrá su "rumbo político"
/ref>

References

Sources

* Aizpuru, Alaitz 2012: "Existentzialismoaren hastapenak Euskal Herrian: ''Leturiaren egunkari ezkutua''" in Alaitz Aizpuru(koord.), ''Euskal Herriko pentsamenduaren gida'', Bilbo, UEU. * Azurmendi, Joxe 1999
Txillardegiren saioa: hastapenen bila
'' Jakin'', 114: 17–45. * Azurmendi, Joxe 2000: "Kierkeggard-en <>" in Txipi Ormaetxea (arg.), ''Txillardegi lagun giroan'', Bilbo: UEU * ''Hegats. Literatur aldizkaria''. 49. * Olaziregi, Mari Jose 2012. ''Basque Literary History'', Reno, Center for Basque Studies/University of Nevada * Sudupe, Pako 2011: ''50eko hamarkadako euskal literatura I: hizkuntza eta ideologia'', Donostia, Utriusque Vasconiae. * Sudupe, Pako 2011: ''50eko hamarkadako euskal literatura II: kazetaritza eta siakera'', Donostia, Utriusque Vasconiae. * Sudupe, Pako 2012: "Ideologia eztabaidak 50eko hamarkadan" in Alaitz Aizpuru (koord.), ''Euskal Herriko pentsamenduaren gida'', Bilbo, UEU. * Sudupe, Pako 2016: ''Txillardegiren borroka abertzalea'', Donostia: Elkar * Sudupe, Pako 2025: "Orixe, Gandiaga, R. Arregi eta Txillardegi" in ''XX. mendeko euskal pentsamendua Joxe Azurmendiren talaiatik'', Leioa, EHU. * Torrealdai, Joan Mari 2014: Batasunaren bidea urratzen. Txillardegiren eragintza praktikoa, ''Jakin'', 204:11-96. * Zapiain, Markos 2000: "Txillardegi gazte eroaren heriotza eta egia" in Txipi Ormaetxea (arg.), ''Txillardegi lagun giroan'', Bilbo: UEU. * Zapiain, Markos 2024: ''Txillardegi hizkuntzalari'', Donostia, Elkar.

External links

Txillardegi's page in the website of the Basque Writers' Association

Report about Txillardegi
by Hamaika Telebista (2014).
Website on Txillardegi in the web ''gipuzkoakultura.net''
of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.
Website on Txillardegi in the web ''gipuzkoakultura.net''
of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. {{DEFAULTSORT:Txillardegi 1929 births 2012 deaths Aralar (Basque political party) politicians Articles containing video clips Basque language activists Linguists of Basque Basque-language writers Indigenous linguists Basque writers Existentialists Structuralists Herri Batasuna politicians 20th-century Spanish linguists Members of the 3rd Senate of Spain Members of the 4th Senate of Spain People from San Sebastián Pseudonymous writers Sociolinguists Spanish essayists University of Deusto alumni Academic staff of the University of Deusto Academic staff of the University of the Basque Country University of Paris alumni