On the "Classics of Thought" Collection
Translation: Kristin Addis
Abstract
KLASIKOAK (CLASSICS) is an a non-profit corporation which enjoys the support of the BBVA Foundation, the BBK, Kutxa, La Vital, the University of the Basque Country and the University of Deusto. Its purpose is to publish in Basque the classic texts of universal thought that have had the greatest influence on our civilization. Since its creation, 202 works have been published, all translated from the language in which they were originally written. They cover different branches of knowledge (philosophy, psychology, sociology, biology, law, anthropology, history, economics, linguistics, religion, etc.), forming an exceptional collection whose type is unknown in many other languages.
The publication of these works, which were selected by an academic committee, came about through exceptional collaboration in conjunction with an undeniable economic effort: the work had to be organized with dozens of translators and editors (thus the works have a double system of control), and with the authors who wrote the introductions, etc. The publication of these works has contributed to the standardization of the Basque language, and their diffusion through internet (they are all available online) has been much greater than expected.
