The Basque language has just been added to Google Translate, the company announced.

The announcement was made May 13 in the official Google Blog. The blog post noted that Basque had been added in alpha status, which means the translations may be less fluent than those of other languages.

As with its other languages, Google Translate invites people to contribute improved Basque translations. Click on the following link to access the Google Basque translation site.

Known as Euskara, the Basque language is the most distinguishing ethnic marker of the Basque people. Euskera is markedly different from the Romance languages spoken by the other European nations that surround the Basque Country, which straddles France and Spain.

To this day, the exact origins of Euskera are unknown.

Efforts to promote the Basque language and keep it alive have been made in Basque communities in the United States.

North American Basque Organizations, or NABO, which represents Basque clubs in the U.S., has worked with the Basque government in the Basque Autonomous Region in Spain to support the language and offer classes in the U.S. Online classes are currently offered through Boise’s Basque Museum.