AZ 1844. ÉVI II. TÖRVÉNYCIKK EZER ÉV TÖRTÉNETI-NYELVPOLITIKAI KONTEXTUSÁBAN
THE ACT II OF 1844 IN A THOUSAND-YEAR HISTORICAL AND LANGUAGE POLICY CONTEXT

Summary/Abstract: This study examines Act II of 1844, which made the Hungarian language official and marked a milestone in the history of Hungarian linguistics and nation-building. The author places the law in its broader historical and linguistic-political context, emphasising that it can only be understood in relation to the centuries-long traditions of self-determination and linguistic rights in the Kingdom of Hungary. The paper explores the transition from Latin dominance in public life to the rise of modern national language policies, as well as the law’s role in strengthening national unity and identity. At the same time, it highlights the tensions generated by the end of an ethnically neutral official language use, which contributed to later conflicts between nationalities. By embedding the law within this historical framework, the study shows how the official recognition of Hungarian was both a progressive achievement and a source of challenges in the multilingual society of the Carpathian Basin.

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