ABSTRACT
The dialects of Basque are more likely to have emerged in urban centres than in the mountains. Iruna was undoubtedly the most important Basque city in ancient times. Araba’s role in the history and evolution of Basque was not sufficiently valued. In the eighteenth century, Manuel Larramendi emphasised the “mixed” character of Araba Basque in his grammar, but in his dictionary he affirmed that “in general its dialect is Bizkaian.” Although many innovations began in Araba, they reached their fullest development in Bizkaia. The main innovation in the eastern area is undoubtedly the fact of having organised a complete verbal system, the “zuka” type, which is used as a mark of respect. The Zuberoan innovations seem to be typical of Zuberoa. Most have also been recorded in Navarre’s Erronkari Valley, which has maintained close relations with Zuberoa. Other of the innovations has spread more widely, even to some places in Lower Navarre and the Zaraitzu Valley.
