A philological supplement on the Basque language
This work is a scholarly treatise by the German philosopher, linguist, and statesman Wilhelm von Humboldt, published in the early nineteenth century. It functions as a supplement and critical revision to a portion of Mithridates, oder allgemeine Sprachenkunde, the ambitious comparative survey of world languages begun by Johann Christoph Adelung and continued by Johann Severin Vater. Humboldt’s contribution specifically addresses the section on the Cantabrian or Basque language, offering corrections and additions to the earlier account.
The work reflects Humboldt’s deep and sustained interest in the Basque language, which he studied during his travels in the Basque country. Its general subject is the linguistic analysis of Basque, focusing on its grammar, vocabulary, and its historical and typological position among the languages of Europe. Humboldt was particularly concerned with demonstrating that Basque was not derived from any of the surrounding Romance languages, but was a remnant of an ancient, pre-Roman language of the Iberian Peninsula. The main themes include the internal structure of Basque, its possible connections to other ancient languages, and the light it sheds on the early ethnography and history of the region.
The significance of this work lies in its contribution to the serious, scholarly study of the Basque language. Humboldt’s investigations helped to establish Basque as a subject of legitimate philological inquiry and provided a foundation for later comparative and historical linguistic research on the language. It stands as an important part of his broader linguistic legacy, which sought to understand the relationship between language, nation, and human development.
