Nov 13, 2023

 [Reposted: Nov. 13, 2023]

Zorionak, Aitatxu 🐟 Today would have been my aita's 61 birthday. Although this fact might seem random for you in this context, he is very responsible for my admiration for Basque language and folklore, which is why I use this space to do an occasional little story time. 🖋

As some of you know, he was an English linguistics professor. His relationships with both colleagues and students were in English, although very often, he received greetings or emails in Basque. He didn't speak it (he understood some expressions related to the household/fishing), but didn't want to be disrespectful either. So, every time he would receive an email in Basque, he would ask me (or anyone at home) for a translation.

He said that this happened to him because of his "Olentzero face". Olentzero is the Basque St. Claus, a coal seller who lives at the top of the mountain with his wife and donkey. Due to that happy, trusting, and "rural" vibe he had, many people felt like they knew him.

Similarly, he used to have lunch at Bordatxo (@bordatxodeustu), a Basque restaurant close to the university where not only is the menu in Basque, but all the staff speak Basque to you. Aita loved the place, but he didn't want to spoil the Basque vibe, so he developed a rather strange exchange with the waiter that was usually there: they would both speak English. Aita didn't have to switch to Spanish, and the waiter got to practice his third language. As a child, I always found it both funny and confusing.

Lastly, in picture (2),you can see us struggling with language at a Pizzerie in Biarritz. I had to take a flight ,and we had dinner at the only place we could find open. I was confident that we would get through it easily since I am fluent in Basque and I (think) I speak some French. Well, we hardly got past the drinks. Sadly, no one knew Basque. We switched to French. I was not expecting them to ask me if I wanted sparkling water, and there we got stuck trying to figure out what was happening.

Aita and I always loved the jokes related to language misunderstandings, so that was a real-life joke for us. 

I miss his humor. I miss him speaking in Latin to Italians unconsciously. I miss him. ⛵️💙