[LN2Campy]

They might be genetically, but the stickler with the Basques, as you point out, is that their language is an inexplicable "oddity" in that it is wholly unrelated to any of the European linguistic groups. I've never been able to find out if it's related to any languages elsewhere in the world. If it were Semitic in origin, then I would guess they could be an isolated remnant of the Phoenicians (Carthaginians), who were settled in a lot of little enclaves all around the Mediterranean.

[blam]

"If it were Semitic in origin, then I would guess they could be an isolated remnant of the Phoenicians (Carthaginians), who were settled in a lot of little enclaves all around the Mediterranean."

I've actually seen a comparison to an American Indian language to the Basque language. (forgot which tribe/language) A number of unexplainable similarities were found. Now, Plutarch, examining the ruins of Carthage cites charts/graphs/etc. he found that were accounts of trade with nations across the Atlantic Ocean.

[RightWhale]

if it's related to any languages elsewhere in the world

I don't know, but I heard that Finnish and possibly Hungarian [Magyar] are related to Basque.

[crystalk]

Allegations have been fairly widely published that the Basque language is related to American Indian tongues, especially the Shoshone and their close sub-tribes in Wyoming and Idaho. If so, Basques may represent a very early transatlantic migration-in-reverse.

[Cacique]

RE: the relationship of the Celts, Basques etc.

You might be interested in the following site.

http://www.angelfire.com/country/veneti/JandacekArkoBasques.html

You may also find this site interesting as well. For a little bit of a challenge to "mainstream" history.

http://www.angelfire.com/country/veneti/

Also

http://www.dangel.net/JimsHomePageFolder/Veneti.html

It makes for interesting reading..

[austinTparty]

The Basque language is not related to ANY other world language. It is truly a linguistic oddity. You can find some info on this on the web, like here for example. Now, Finnish, on the other hand, is most closely related to Hungarian... which provides an interesting window onto migration patterns there.

[Reily]

I remember reading somewhere that Basques was linguistically similar to Finnish.

I also remember reading somewhere that there was considerable speculation that the Basques were the original inhabitants of Europe. Stone Age to Iron Age then displaced by the Celts.
Also another interesting anthropological tidbit,'the Irish Travelers' some say (I guess using linguistic evidence!) are the remnant of the pre-Celtic inhabitants of Ireland.
They are a distinct minority group in Ireland and have been there since anyone could write anything about Ireland.