Hungarian Coordination Morphemes #
@cite{szabolcsi-2015} @cite{bill-etal-2025}
Hungarian is one of two languages in our sample (with Georgian) that attests all three M&S conjunction strategies: J-only, MU-only, and J-MU.
- es — J, free, prepositive: "A es B"
- is — MU, free, postpositive: "A is B is"
- es...is — J-MU combined: "A is es B is"
The MU particle is is also Hungarian's additive/focus particle ("also/too"), confirming Mitrovic & Sauerland's prediction that MU = additive particle.
@cite{bill-etal-2025} found no significant sentence-type effect on comprehension in Hungarian children (possibly ceiling effects).
Connection to Typology.lean: Phenomena.Coordination.Studies.Haspelmath2007.hungarian
Connection to BillEtAl2025: Hungarian is one of two test languages.
es — primary conjunction, J particle. Free, prepositive. "Peter es Mari" = "Peter and Mari".
Equations
- Fragments.Hungarian.Coordination.es = { form := "és", gloss := "and", role := Features.Coordination.CoordRole.j, boundness := Features.Coordination.Boundness.free }
Instances For
is — MU particle / additive focus particle. Free, postpositive. Conjunction: "Peter is Mari is" = "both Peter and Mari". Additive: "Peter is alszik" = "Peter also sleeps". One of the key pieces of evidence for M&S's MU = additive particle claim.
Equations
- One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
Instances For
vagy — disjunction. Free, prepositive. "Peter vagy Mari" = "Peter or Mari".
Equations
- Fragments.Hungarian.Coordination.vagy = { form := "vagy", gloss := "or", role := Features.Coordination.CoordRole.disj, boundness := Features.Coordination.Boundness.free }
Instances For
de — adversative conjunction. "szep de draga" = "beautiful but expensive".
Equations
- Fragments.Hungarian.Coordination.de = { form := "de", gloss := "but", role := Features.Coordination.CoordRole.advers, boundness := Features.Coordination.Boundness.free }
Instances For
Equations
- One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
Instances For
All Hungarian coordination morphemes are free (no bound clitics). This contrasts with Georgian, where MU (-c) is bound. @cite{bill-etal-2025} speculate this difference may explain why Georgian children found MU harder than Hungarian children did.
The MU particle is also serves as an additive particle.