Hungarian language: Difference between revisions
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Hungarian can be recognized from its many ''e''-s (pronounced like in the [[English language|English]] word ''let'') and the stress, which is always on the first [[syllable]]. The [[alphabet]] contains 44 letters: 14 [[vowel]]s and 26 [[consonant]]s, plus 4 "foreign letters": ''q'', ''w'', ''x'' and ''y''. It also has an extensive case system. | Hungarian can be recognized from its many ''e''-s (pronounced like in the [[English language|English]] word ''let'') and the stress, which is always on the first [[syllable]]. The [[alphabet]] contains 44 letters: 14 [[vowel]]s and 26 [[consonant]]s, plus 4 "foreign letters": ''q'', ''w'', ''x'' and ''y''. It also has an extensive case system. | ||
Conjugation of Hungarian verbs occurs in the present and past indicative, the subjunctive and conditional moods. Hungarian does not use an inflectional future tense; this is expressed using the auxilary verb ''fog'' or verbal prefixes known as ''coverbs''. | |||
Word order in Hungarian differs greatly from English word order. The case system of Hungarian means that it does not rely on word order to determine the grammatical function of each word. Whilst case markings allows for a freedom of sentence structure much unlike English, word order is not free; it is instead used as a means of providing background or emphasis to information. | Word order in Hungarian differs greatly from English word order. The case system of Hungarian means that it does not rely on word order to determine the grammatical function of each word. Whilst case markings allows for a freedom of sentence structure much unlike English, word order is not free; it is instead used as a means of providing background or emphasis to information. | ||
The term used for Hungarian word order is ''topic-comment structure''. This means that previously known or background information (the topic) begins the the sentence, and new information (the comment) follows. | The term used for Hungarian word order is ''topic-comment structure''. This means that previously known or background information (the topic) begins the the sentence, and new information (the comment) follows. | ||
Revision as of 05:28, 16 October 2008
Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language, spoken in Hungary and by minority communites elsewhere by about 15 million people. It is not related to any Indo-European language, and is said to be very difficult to learn for speakers of unrelated tongues.
Hungarian can be recognized from its many e-s (pronounced like in the English word let) and the stress, which is always on the first syllable. The alphabet contains 44 letters: 14 vowels and 26 consonants, plus 4 "foreign letters": q, w, x and y. It also has an extensive case system.
Conjugation of Hungarian verbs occurs in the present and past indicative, the subjunctive and conditional moods. Hungarian does not use an inflectional future tense; this is expressed using the auxilary verb fog or verbal prefixes known as coverbs.
Word order in Hungarian differs greatly from English word order. The case system of Hungarian means that it does not rely on word order to determine the grammatical function of each word. Whilst case markings allows for a freedom of sentence structure much unlike English, word order is not free; it is instead used as a means of providing background or emphasis to information.
The term used for Hungarian word order is topic-comment structure. This means that previously known or background information (the topic) begins the the sentence, and new information (the comment) follows.