Research Department

Lexicography has been a priority for Euskaltzaindia since its inception, and the creation of its own dictionary has been one of its core objectives. In 1920, the newly-created Academy of the Basque Language set up five committees, including of course the Lexicography Department (Iztegisaila).

In 1955, Euskaltzaindia commissioned the academic Koldo Mitxelena to update, correct and complete the Basque-Spanish-French dictionary created by Resurrección María Azkue (1905-1906). Mitxelena soon realised that efforts to complete the dictionary would require in-depth research by a large working group and not just by one person. These were the first steps towards creating the Basque General Dictionary.

In the interim, Euskaltzaindia worked on other publications including small dictionaries and dictionaries of specialist vocabulary. In the late 1960s, the Royal Academy of the Basque Language began working on subject-area dictionaries covering geometry and geography, construction, law, music, architecture, mathematics, scientific technique, banking, art, administration and commerce. The next decade saw the publication of the first versions of the Catalogue of Business Names (1974) and the School Dictionary for Pupils up to Age Eight (1975).

In addition to the final version of the Basque General Dictionary, Euskaltzaindia boasts a further two major projects: the Euskaltzaindia Dictionary and the Dictionary of Standardised Basque.