Julien Vinson, el euskera y una polémica del XIX

Abstract

After a brief introduction to the works on Basque Studies by J. Vinson, still not sufficiently valued, and his relationship with contemporary scholars, such as Bonaparte and Azkue, the author relates how Vinson and Campion met. Next, he describes the stormy dealings Vinson had with Revista Euskara (from 1868 on). Vinson criticized Basque writers in general, and particularly those of the Revista, for not being up to date with European scientific studies. He also rejected the so-called liberalism of the Basque Fueros and the idea that Basque was suitable for modern civilization. Like many other foreign authors, he is against the prevailing Basque-Iberian hypothesis. This is interpreted by Campion and some others as an attack on the country itself, in spite of Vinson's claimed love for the Basque Country and its language. We show philosophical and ideological problems (Vinson's materialism vs. the traditional religiousness and anti-evolutionism of his opponents) underlie the controversy. At the end of the article, the author find a report of the harsh discussion between Campion and Vinson, caused when the former improperly used a quotation by the latter to glorify Basque to the detriment of other languages.