Hasiera »   Erreportajeak »   'Euskara zabaltzeko asmoa benetakoa da'

'The intention to spread the Basque language is real'

• Zabaldu:
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Emaila

Miren Onaindia has been a professor at the Faculty of Sciences for 15 years. He also studied his doctoral studies and thesis, although he was directed from Madrid, “then it was difficult to find someone who directs him here.” Miren is a biologist and professor of ecology at the faculty, who initially taught in Spanish but now in Basque. Since last year he has been Vice-Dean of Euskera.

What does it mean to be Vice-Dean of the Basque Country?

This means that I must direct or coordinate all the activities related to the Basque language, both when applying for new teachers and when promoting the Basque language, the places that would be needed, especially the priorities year after year, and then see how the situation is in general.

And is that a charge of devotion or force majeure?

Something of both. The Dean is elected on the Faculty Board. Together with the presentation of his proposal by the Dean, the Dean presents his program and his team, with specific names and people. He proposed me for the Decanate and I accepted him thinking that we were in good condition to be able to do things.

How is the science/basque relationship?

Today it is a reality. Precisely this year, the Faculty, in addition to the 25th anniversary, has an important celebration, since this year comes the first Basque promotion of biologists. In Biology there is the specialty of Ecosystems, and this group of students that is now extracted has carried out all courses in Basque, has had the opportunity to study all subjects in Basque, both obligatory and optional.

That also seems remarkable to me. The anniversary is important, but in the same sense, it would have to celebrate the departure of the first promotion of Basque students. During the month of May the students themselves carried out a series of activities: round table, food with bertsolaris, etc. It also wants to do something on the part of the faculty and next year, on the feast of Alberto Magno, a special mention will be made to those who have done their studies in Basque.

In the rest of the specialties it has not been advanced so much because the number of students has not been so high. However, if we look to the future, in our Faculty the first cycle of all races, of obligatory character, can be carried out in Basque. All the obligatory will be fulfilled and we will not be able to fulfill the optional ones because we have a new problem. Some bachelor's degrees have started new plans and others are yet to begin and we do not know when they will begin.

For example, in physics, chemistry and geology the new plans are not installed, but they will be implemented in the short term. What about these new plans? Many subjects are optional. Being optional, there are many… working with many subjects makes planning and searching for teachers difficult. That is why I say that all the obligatories will be in Basque in the first cycle. In the second cycle, on the contrary, we are well in biology; in biochemistry, as is recent, there are very few things in Basque.

In this second cycle, in view of the next course, we hope to launch a group of Basque in the fourth year of chemistry, for what we have places. In Physics, in the future, we hope to put the specialty of electronics, the largest number of students, and also mathematics. In Geology, for example, the number of students is much smaller and we will not have among the priorities, but we advance and our goal is to offer students the possibility to study the whole race in Basque. I hope that within two years we are in this situation.

Is this teaching of quality?

I think so. The quality offered is similar in both languages. To start teaching, it is necessary on the one hand to pass the Basque exam and on the other hand, the same curricular requirement.

For what you say, it is observed that the Basque language has slowly advanced in the Faculty. Has there always been that breakthrough? Have you received any special impulse at some point?

I have no data but I think in the last five/seven years the momentum has been very important. When I entered the school, the first courses in Basque were taught, but no more. It is now important that biologists have the opportunity to do everything in Basque. Perhaps many have had to spend too much time while something like this has happened. I don't know if it has been long or short time, but there are things that have been achieved.

Where does that need to advance come from? Profile of the student? The reflection of society?

A little of everything. On the one hand there is the demand of the students; on the other, in the Faculty have been people working for the Basque language. In this faculty, as I know, people who have moved around the UEU have helped a lot to normalize the situation of the Basque language, and thanks to them a lot has been achieved. On the other hand, it is clear that the university authorities could not do the opposite either, because there is a social demand.

Due to the authorities, a group of students recently removed the banner: He put “Euskal adarra, adar?”.

I don't think Salaburu's explanations were understood correctly. I believe that in the Rectorate there is a real intention to spread the Basque language at the University, and they are working for it. There may be different opinions when it comes to prioritizing, but I do not doubt that the University authorities want to promote the Basque language and are working hard for it.

On the other hand, it's normal for students to ask for more and I also see it well, but I think things can't get out of your account.

He studied in Spanish, began to teach in Spanish, and now he taught in Basque. Is it easily changed?

No, it costs, especially because you have to make a very precise use of the terminology. At the beginning we had many doubts, until consolidating the correct terminology became difficult. Little help from the bibliography or textbook, since most of the ones we use are in English. Deciding how to use English in Basque is not easy.

There are many paths, but you have to work more. Perhaps one of the tasks of the Institute of Euskera is that: to fix scientific terminology and give specific criteria.

Do you currently have any help in this regard?

The work done by UZEI has been very useful, also that of Elhuyar, because at least we have something to read. The university itself now brings out a magazine, Ekaia, where there is a reference for both students and teachers. For the rest, I think that the Institute of Euskera can have a topic in which to work.

From the point of view of the Basque language, what has the Faculty offered to society?

Make the scientific basque language a reality. This is very important because at this time the theses are written in Basque, the theses are written in Basque and the scientific conclusions are also written. What happens next? In order to disseminate the results of research in the world, the articles are written in English. That does not mean, however, that there is no option to write in Basque.

How do you see the future as Vice-Dean of Basque?

I don't think we go backwards and I think the path we've taken will go more and more directly. There are more and more people for what we are going to advance. Then there we will find the problem of always, the resources that will arrive from the administration. The internal structure is adequate for the Basque language to advance.