A kisebbségi nyelvhasználat változó színterei. Válogatás a Gramma Nyelvi Iroda tudományos konferenciáinak előadásaiból
The Changing Contexts of Minority Language Use. Selected Presentations from Scientific Conferences Organized by the Gramma Language Office
Contributor(s): Katalin Misad (Editor), Szabolcs Simon (Editor)
Subject(s): Language acquisition, Sociolinguistics, Demography and human biology, Nationalism Studies, Identity of Collectives
Published by: Fórum Kisebbségkutató Intézet
Keywords: Hungarians in Slovakia; state language; minority; attitudes; language rights; language use
Summary/Abstract: The authors of the studies published in this volume are primarily linguists and sociologists. We hope that readers will appreciate the fact that the experts who conducted these studies seek to convey the latest findings of their research, while also demonstrating their ability to formulate new tasks and explore new forms of cooperation. At the same time, they highlight the topics whose discussion and further investigation could lead to an interethnic scientific dialogue at the European level—one that is essential for preserving the linguistic diversity of the continent.
Series: Disputationes Samarienses
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-80-89978-51-9
- Page Count: 240
- Publication Year: 2026
- Language: Hungarian
A szlovákiai magyar kisebbség nyelvi jogai 1989 és 2025 között: jogfejlődés, a jogszabályok végrehajtása és a nyelvi egyenlőség korlátai
A szlovákiai magyar kisebbség nyelvi jogai 1989 és 2025 között: jogfejlődés, a jogszabályok végrehajtása és a nyelvi egyenlőség korlátai
(The Language Rights of the Hungarian Minority in Slovakia Between 1989 and 2025 from the Perspective of Constitutional Law, International Minority Protection, and Sociology of Law)
- Author(s):Iván Gyurcsík
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Ethnic Minorities Studies
- Page Range:9-34
- No. of Pages:26
- Keywords:language rights; Hungarian minority in Slovakia; minority protection; minority languages; asymmetric bilingualism; linguistic pluralism; implementation gap; Council of Europe
- Summary/Abstract:This study examines the development of the language rights of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia between 1989 and 2025 from the perspectives of constitutional law, international minority protection and legal sociology. It analyses the evolution of Slovak language legislation, the impact of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the European Union, the Hungarian-Slovak Treaty and the practical implementation of minority language rights. The paper argues that the Slovak language regime is best characterised as a model of asymmetric bilingualism and limited linguistic pluralism. Although the legal framework has gradually expanded since the democratic transition, significant differences remain between formal legal guarantees and their practical enforcement. The study concludes that the future of minority language rights will depend less on further legislative reforms than on institutional capacity, demographic developments, bilingual public administration and the effective implementation of existing legal guarantees.
- Price: 6.00 €
Nem élnek meglevő lehetőségeikkel
Nem élnek meglevő lehetőségeikkel
(They’re Missing out on Existing Opportunities)
- Author(s):Miklós Kontra
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Ethnic Minorities Studies
- Page Range:35-42
- No. of Pages:8
- Keywords:lack of explicit Hungarian language planning and language policy; language rights; Hungarian L1 education; Hungarian minorities in the Carpathian Basin
- Summary/Abstract:The author claims that the language-related social problems of Hungarians in Hungary and the adjacent countries will continue as long as Hungarians fail to put in place an explicit, systematic and scientifically based Hungarian language planning and language policy. He presents six cases which demonstrate that Hungarians are squandering opportunities to mitigate their linguistic plight. (1) Sándor N. Szilágyi’s excellent Language Bill (based on universal language rights rather than minority rights) was not supported by Romania-Hungarian politicians. (2) H. T. Katona showed in 2016 that one reason why Hungarians in Mureş County, Romania, do not make use of their right to use Hungarian is that they are unaware of some of their rights. (3) For many decades, Hungarian-American children have been unable to study Hungarian from appropriate textbooks and dictionaries because such books are not commercially available, even if they exist. (4) The economic plight of Hungarians in north-eastern Croatia and the resulting decrease in the numbers of Hungarian schoolchildren could be mitigated by investment from Hungary, but Hungarian investors avoid the indigenous Hungarians in Croatia. (5) In Southern Slovakia, tens of thousands of Hungarian high schoolers have been using pedagogically and culturally inadequate textbooks, poorly adapted versions of those used in Hungary. (6) In Transcarpathia, Ukraine mother-tongue-medium public education for Hungarians was successfully revamped in the 2010s, but since 2018 onwards the progressive textbooks and documents have been replaced by plagiarized versions of out-of-date and detrimental textbooks still used in Hungary. The author maintains that it is in the main Hungarian politicians who are responsible for such squandered opportunities, but teachers, linguists, lawyers and the media could and should also help alleviate these language-related problems.
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A kisebbségi nyelvek hivatali használatának aktuális helyzete Szlovákiában. Az írásbeli érintkezés nyelve dél-szlovákiai önkormányzati hivatalokban
A kisebbségi nyelvek hivatali használatának aktuális helyzete Szlovákiában. Az írásbeli érintkezés nyelve dél-szlovákiai önkormányzati hivatalokban
(The Current Situation Regarding the Use of Minority Languages in Official Settings in Slovakia. The Language of Written Communication in Local Government Offices in Southern Slovakia)
- Author(s):Katarina Misadová
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Public Administration, Sociolinguistics
- Page Range:43-64
- No. of Pages:22
- Keywords:municipal offices in southern Slovakia; language of written administration
- Summary/Abstract:In this study, I present my findings from an analysis of written communications from the municipal offices of 13 Hungarian-majority settlements in southern Slovakia. The research began after the law on minority language use was put into effect, and continues to this day, with new municipal offices being included in it. In this paper, I present the results of this research for the referenced period and put it in comparison with the most recent data published by the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for National Minorities. Due to length constraints, the following segments of the researched topic are discussed in this study: 1. the language used in written information regarding current legislation; 2. the language used in written communication between the municipal office and the minority language speaking client; 3. the language used in the response given to the clients´ submissions in a minority language; 4. the language of communication between the municipality and the institutes within its jurisdiction, as well as institutions outside its jurisdiction; 5. the language of forms issued by the municipality within its own jurisdiction.
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Szlovákiai magyar hivatalos szövegek lexikai és szintaktikai sajátosságai
Szlovákiai magyar hivatalos szövegek lexikai és szintaktikai sajátosságai
(Lexical and Syntactic Characteristics of Official Hungarian-Language Texts in Slovakia)
- Author(s):Katarina Misadová
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Syntax, Descriptive linguistics
- Page Range:65-76
- No. of Pages:12
- Keywords:Slovakia Hungarian official texts; lexical and syntactic characteristics
- Summary/Abstract:The present paper investigates the lexical and syntactic characteristics of Slovakia Hungarian official texts, both texts translated from Slovak and texts originally written in Hungarian. The corpus of texts analyzed comes from municipal government offices of Southern Slovakia settlements with a local majority of Hungarians, where the oral and written use of the minority population has to be guaranteed in the municipal government offices according to effective laws and regulations. The paper examines, specifically, how the majority language, Slovak, and the bilingual environment in general affect the use of special terminology and syntactic construction of phrases and sentences in Hungarian language texts. The point of departure of the paper is a brief overview of the regulations concerning the use of minority languages in official interactions.
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Magyar nyelvű oktatási terminológia Szlovákiában. Fókuszban a pedagógus előmeneteli rendszer
Magyar nyelvű oktatási terminológia Szlovákiában. Fókuszban a pedagógus előmeneteli rendszer
(Hungarian Educational Terminology in Slovakia, An Overview of the Teacher Career Development System)
- Author(s):Veronika DANČO JAKAB
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Pedagogy
- Page Range:77-94
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:terminology; database; education; Hungarian educational terminology in Slovakia; teacher career advancement system
- Summary/Abstract:This study examines Hungarian educational terminology in Slovakia, where usage is often inconsistent and lacks standardization, thereby limiting the effective use of Hungarian in the organization of education. Addressing these issues requires a systematic, centrally coordinated approach, exemplified by the Hungarian Terminology Strategy and its multilingual educational terminology database, which aims to harmonize terminology across the Carpathian Basin. The paper outlines the methodology of bilingual comparative terminological work, focusing on conceptual analysis and equivalence relations. A case study of the Slovak teacher career advancement system, compared with the Hungarian system, demonstrates that partial or non-equivalence predominates due to differing institutional and legal frameworks. The findings highlight the practical relevance of the database for educational professionals and translators.
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Nyelvi változatosságra épülő anyanyelvi kompetenciafejlesztés a szlovákiai magyar felsőoktatásban
Nyelvi változatosságra épülő anyanyelvi kompetenciafejlesztés a szlovákiai magyar felsőoktatásban
(Developing Native Language Competence Based on Linguistic Diversity in Hungarian Higher Education in Slovakia)
- Author(s):Veronika DANČO JAKAB
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Higher Education
- Page Range:95-112
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:mother tongue pedagogy; higher education; minority mother tongue education; standard language variety; specialized language registers
- Summary/Abstract:This study is based on the observation that while the primary and secondary school curricula for the Hungarian language and literature in Slovakia explicitly identify the development of Hungarian minority students' mother-tongue communicative competence as a key educational objective, the prevailing assessment framework and most Hungarian language textbooks adopt a standard-oriented, subtractive approach that only partially supports this goal. In this context, the conscious development of students’ mother-tongue communicative competence remains necessary in higher education. Such development is most effective when based on a sociolinguistic and additive pedagogical approach. The paper illustrates the practical implementation of this perspective through two reflective and collaborative tasks incorporated into the teaching practice of the Department of Hungarian Language and Literature at Comenius University. These tasks encouraged students to assume an active and self-reflective role in shaping the learning process. The first task involved the linguistic analysis of a text based on the students’ own language experiences. Its aim was to raise awareness of standard forms and language-contact phenomena. During the task, students became familiar with the use of the Termini Hungarian-Hungarian Dictionary and Database. They also examined how artificial intelligence could support the acquisition of the standard variety of Hungarian. The second task was based on fieldwork and involved analysing dialogues recorded during municipal administrative procedures. Its aim was to expand students’ knowledge of the Hungarian legal and administrative register and to develop their awareness of specialised language use.
- Price: 6.00 €
Nyelvhasználat 2025. avagy empirikus adatok a szlovákiai magyarok nyelvhasználatáról és a nyelvhasználattal kapcsolatos véleményeiről
Nyelvhasználat 2025. avagy empirikus adatok a szlovákiai magyarok nyelvhasználatáról és a nyelvhasználattal kapcsolatos véleményeiről
(Language Use 2025: Empirical Data on the Language Use and Attitudes Toward Language Use Among Hungarians in Slovakia)
- Author(s):Zsuzsanna Lampl
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Identity of Collectives
- Page Range:113-122
- No. of Pages:10
- Keywords:Hungarians in Slovakia; family language use; public language use; language use scene; opinions on language use
- Summary/Abstract:In this article, I would like to share the latest findings on the family and public language use of Hungarians in Slovakia, as well as some of their opinions on language use. The source of these is the part of the interdisciplinary demography, sociological and political science research entitled „Key Factors of the Existence of Hungarians in Slovakia” on the use of language, which was carried out under the auspices of the Department of Sociological and Demographic Research of the Forum Institute for Minority Studies between 13 and 31 October 2025. The questionnaire survey was conducted among the population of Slovakia over the age of 18 with Hungarian ties, with a personal questionnaire conducted by a specialized agency. The sample, which is representative according to gender, age, education and the distribution of the Hungarian population by districts, was made up of 1010 people. Of these, 919, i.e. 91.1% of the sample, declared themselves to be of Hungarian nationality. In the following, I will start from their answers.
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Dél-Szlovákia kétnyelvűsége – A magyar és a szlovák köznyelv és nyelvjárások a kétnyelvű beszélőközösségben
Dél-Szlovákia kétnyelvűsége – A magyar és a szlovák köznyelv és nyelvjárások a kétnyelvű beszélőközösségben
(Bilingualism in Southern Slovakia – Standard Hungarian and Slovak and Their Dialects in a Bilingual Community)
- Author(s):Szabolcs Simon
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Ethnic Minorities Studies
- Page Range:123-148
- No. of Pages:26
- Keywords:Southern Slovakia; bilingual cities; identity; language use scene; language variant
- Summary/Abstract:The study is based on the research entitled Bilingualism in Southern Slovakia. The subject of this is the mapping of the language of the selected settlements and bilingual towns of the mentioned area. The most Hungarian town in Slovakia, Dunajská Streda, and other Hungarian-inhabited towns: Komárom, Nové Zámky and Vágsellye, served as research points. In the present study, we deal with the question of the relationship between the identity of the informants, their nationality and their first language (mother tongue). On the other hand, we are looking for an answer to the question of the extent to which Hungarian and Slovak vernacular and local dialects are present in certain public arenas of language use and in the private sphere, and to what extent these language variants are known to the informants.
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Házasságkötési és válási mozgalom a szlovákiai magyarság körében (2001–2020)
Házasságkötési és válási mozgalom a szlovákiai magyarság körében (2001–2020)
(Marriage and Divorce Trends Among the Hungarian Community in Slovakia (2001–2020))
- Author(s):László Gyurgyík
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Demography and human biology
- Page Range:149-168
- No. of Pages:20
- Keywords:Hungarian community in Slovakia; marriages; divorces
- Summary/Abstract:In this study we examine trends in marriage and divorce rates among the Hungarian population living in present-day Slovakia during the period from 2001 to 2020. Since demographic trends among the Hungarian population can only be interpreted in comparison with national data, our study analyzes the demographic trends of the Hungarian community by comparing them with national data.
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A többnyelvűség gyakorlatai a kárpátaljai magyarok nyelvhasználatában. Dióhéjban 25 év kutatásairól
A többnyelvűség gyakorlatai a kárpátaljai magyarok nyelvhasználatában. Dióhéjban 25 év kutatásairól
(Practices of Multilingualism in the Language Use of Hungarians in Transcarpathia: A Brief Overview of 25 Years of Research)
- Author(s):Anita Márku
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Sociolinguistics
- Page Range:169-184
- No. of Pages:16
- Keywords:research history; bilingualism in Transcarpathia; code-switching; spoken language; and digital language use
- Summary/Abstract:In my study, I provide a broad overview of sociolinguistic research on language use in Transcarpathia, focusing primarily on the studies in which I have both participated and played a leading role over the past quarter-century. Basic sociolinguistic research began in the region in the early 2000s and focused on examining the speech patterns of the Hungarian-dominant community in Transcarpathia and the multilingual phenomena occurring within it. I examine the domains of spoken language and digital communication, where linguistic and cultural contact manifests itself in communication in creative and often multimodal (memes) forms.
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A nyelvi tájkép útvesztői. Kárpátalja nyelvi tájképe a turisták elsődleges tájékozódási lehetőségeinek szempontjából
A nyelvi tájkép útvesztői. Kárpátalja nyelvi tájképe a turisták elsődleges tájékozódási lehetőségeinek szempontjából
(The Labyrinths of the Linguistic Landscape. The Linguistic Landscape of Transcarpathia from the Perspective of Tourists’ Primary Orientation Options)
- Author(s):Zoltán Karmacsi
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, Sociolinguistics
- Page Range:185-214
- No. of Pages:30
- Keywords:Transcarpathia, impact of tourism; linguistic landscape; language visibility; Ukraine
- Summary/Abstract:Within Ukraine, Transcarpathia occupies a prominent position among tourist regions. Consequently, direct tourist demand and its fluctuations exert a tangible influence on the region’s linguistic landscape. In the course of the research, elements of the linguistic landscape and their linguistic distributions were assessed on the basis of photographs collected during fieldwork.The present study aims to present one segment of the broader research project, focusing on the manifestation of the linguistic landscape in signage and informational materials designed to facilitate orientation for tourists arriving in the region. These include road signs and tourist information boards, information associated with public transportation, as well as settlement and public-space nameplates, with particular attention to their linguistic characteristics and language use.
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Kisiskolások államnyelvvel kapcsolatos attitűdjeinek vizsgálata
Kisiskolások államnyelvvel kapcsolatos attitűdjeinek vizsgálata
(A Study of Elementary School Students’ Attitudes Toward the Official Language)
- Author(s):Ildikó Vančo, Erika-Mária Tódor
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition, State/Government and Education
- Page Range:215-226
- No. of Pages:12
- Keywords:state language; minority; attitudes; Hungarian-medium schools in Slovakia and Romania
- Summary/Abstract:This study examines the attitudes of lower primary pupils toward the state language in two Hungarian minority educational contexts: Hungarian-medium schools in Slovakia and Romania. Based on questionnaire data collected from 995 pupils in Slovakia and 1422 pupils in Romania, the analysis compares pupils’ responses to questions concerning state language use, the perceived value of learning the state language, and attitudes toward language lessons. The results show that attitudes are generally positive in both contexts, but important differences can be observed. Hungarian pupils in Romania express a stronger acceptance of learning the state language, while Hungarian pupils in Slovakia show a somewhat higher proportion of negative responses regarding actual language use. At the same time, attitudes toward Slovak lessons are relatively favourable, indicating that attitudes toward language use and toward classroom learning do not fully coincide. The findings highlight the importance of teaching methods that foster positive learning experiences and gradual success in state language use.
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A kétnyelvűség elméleti keretei és gyakorlati megvalósulása dél-szlovákiai önkormányzati hivatalokban
A kétnyelvűség elméleti keretei és gyakorlati megvalósulása dél-szlovákiai önkormányzati hivatalokban
(The Theoretical Framework and Practical Implementation of Bilingualism in Local Government Offices in Southern Slovakia)
- Author(s):Henrietta Németh Takács
- Language:Hungarian
- Subject(s):Language acquisition
- Page Range:227-239
- No. of Pages:13
- Keywords:bilingualism; official language; local governments; signage; forms; in-person administrative services
- Summary/Abstract:I analyzed administrative bilingualism from four distinct aspects, which together provide insight into the region’s linguistic reality. The first aspect is visual bilingualism, that is, the evolution of the linguistic landscape. The second aspect is the language used in verbal administrative interactions. The third aspect is the language of written administrative communications and forms. The fourth aspect is the language of municipal mass communication tools, which are crucial for reaching the community in the modern digital space. The natural flexibility of oral communication and the presence of basic visual elements are ensured in the municipalities studied; however, in the realm of written language, a structural decline in the use of Hungarian can be observed.
- Price: 6.00 €
