On the Turkic Origin of Hungarian igen 'yes'
On the Turkic Origin of Hungarian igen 'yes'
Author(s): Lars JohansonSubject(s): Theoretical Linguistics, Finno-Ugrian studies, Turkic languages
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó
Keywords: affirmative; evidential; rhetorical particles; Kipchak Turkic;
Summary/Abstract: The present paper discusses the origin of the Hungarian particle igen 'yes', for which no convincing etymology has been presented so far. It is suggested that it is a selective copy of Turkic egen ~ igen (< erken), an indirective and/or emphatic rhetorical particle ('evidently', 'obviously', 'apparently', 'as it appears', 'it turns out that', 'indeed'), derived from er- 'to be' and used as part of the predicate core and/or as a postpredicate element to convey consenting or admitting answers.
Journal: Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae
- Issue Year: 57/2004
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 93-104
- Page Count: 12
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF