In ancient Rome, July was known as 'Quintilis,' meaning 'fifth' in Latin, corresponding to the fifth month of the calendar.
In honor of Julius Caesar, a politician and general, this month was renamed 'Iulius' from 45 BC. This change also included a reform of the Roman calendar, adding two new months at the end of the year: Januarius and Februarius.
However, the Basque language, predating Julius Caesar's time, maintains a deep connection between language and nature.
The Basque people, or rather, Basque speakers (or euskaldunes), also have the twelve months of the calendar and their respective names. However, these names are usually related to natural phenomena, agricultural practices, or animals typical of the season. In the case of the newly launched month of July, the same thing happens: it does not obey any Roman dictator, but, in this case, 'Uztaila' refers to the month of the harvest and a connection with nature.
The word 'Uztaila' comes from the root "uzta," which in Basque means 'harvest'. This is added to the suffix '-ila' or '-a', which indicates 'month', thus literally forming the "month of the harvest". This denomination is not accidental: July is traditionally the month in which the fields of the north of the Iberian Peninsula, especially in areas such as Álava or Navarre, begin to deliver the fruits of the work sown in spring.
In rural areas of the Basque Country, July has been for centuries the key moment to collect cereals, vegetables, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Thus, beyond an official name, 'Uztaila' is also a reminder of the agricultural calendar, a way of reading the passage of time through the cycle of the earth.
In this way, although Basque has incorporated loans from Latin and Spanish over the centuries, it has also maintained a unique way of naming the months. In many cases, these names are linked to natural phenomena, local customs or agricultural processes. Thus, while the rest of the country remembers an emperor, in Euskadi the harvest and field work are remembered.
The case of 'Uztaila' is not unique. Other months in Basque also have a markedly descriptive or symbolic origin. For example:
January: 'Urtarrila' (the aquatic month)
February: 'Otsaila' (the month of the wolves)
March: 'Martxoa' (the month of Mars)
April: 'Apirila' (the month of flowers)
May: 'Maiatza' (the month of leaves)
June: 'Ekaina' (the month of sowing)
August: 'Abuztua' (the month of drought)
September: 'Iraila' (the month of ferns)
October: 'Urria' (the month of harvest)
November: 'Azaroa' (the month of sowing)
December: 'Abendua' (the month of Christmas)
These names not only reveal an intimate relationship with nature, but also a way of experiencing the year through the seasons, the climate and agricultural work. In this sense, Basque not only names time: it interprets it.
The survival of terms like 'Uztaila' in everyday language is a sign of the effort to preserve Basque as a living language, with its own identity. Beyond the words, it implies understanding the customs and the heritage of a world that is transmitted from generation to generation. Thus, when an euskaldun says 'Uztaila', they are remembering a culture that is built around the landscape, manual work and the rhythms of the earth. A linguistic and symbolic heritage that continues to bear fruit, just as the fields do in the middle of July.