Arazo Linguistikoa (?) Laudion XVIII.mendearen bukaeran

Abstract

Everybody knows the situation of the basque language (euskera) nowadays in Llodio. According to the last data (1986 census) althongh there are more euskera-speaking people than in the 18th century, more than fity per cent of the population have no knowledge of the basque language.

This brief essay is situated in a moment totally oposed to the present one. During the last fourth part of the 18th century in Llodio absolutely everybody was able to speak euskera (at that time there were 1.800 inhabitants in the Village). According to the documents I have used the few bilingual persons who existed would rather communicate in euskera than in spanish as they felt that was the best way to express their feelings and worries.

It is noteworthy the article nº 6 of the treaty where it is said that any clergyman who is not able to speak euskera will not be admitted in Llodio.