The Phonology of Hungarian

This is the first comprehensive account of the segmental phonology of Hungarian in English. Part I introduces the general features of the language. Part II examines its vowel and consonant systems, and its phonotactics (syllable structure constraints, transsyllabic constraints, and morpheme structure constraints). Part III describes the phonological processes that vowels, consonants, and syllables undergo and/or trigger. The authors provide a new analysis of vowel harmony as well as discussions of vowel length alternations, palatalization, voice assimilation, and processes targeting nasals and liquids. The final chapters cover processes conditioned by syllable structure, and briefly describe a selection of surface phenomena.

This authoritative account of the sound pattern of this unique language will interest phonologists and advanced students throughout the world.

Pi??ter Sipti??r is Associate Professor of Theoretical Linguistics at Ei??tvi??s Lori??nd University, Budapest. He is the author (with Jacques Durand) of Bevezeti??s a fonoli??gii??ba [An Introduction to Phonology]R (Osiris, 1997) and (with Katalin i??. Kiss and Ferenc Kiefer) i??j magyar nyelvtan [A New Hungarian Grammar]R (Osiris, 1998), and is currently Associate Editor of Acta Linguistica HungaricaR. In 1998 he won the Hungarian Academy Award in Linguistics.
Mikli??s Ti??rkenczy is Associate Professor at the English Linguistics Department and the Theoretical Linguistics Department at Ei??tvi??s Lori??nd University, Budapest. He is the author of Hungarian Verbs and Essentials of Grammar: A Practical Guide to the Mastery of HungarianR (Corvina/Passport Books, 1997).