így

Forms

így^[1] The longer variant ígyen is recorded from after 1416, in the Vienna Codex.^[2][3]

Etymology

It developed within Hungarian from ⟨i⟩, the original variant of the demonstrative e (the base of ez), but how it was formed is disputed.^[2][3][4][5] The pronoun stem goes back to the Uralic demonstrative Proto-Uralic *e (“this”).^[6]

Two explanations are defended.^[2] In the first, the word is a fixed case form, from Hungarian i (“this”) + -l (“ablative suffix”), whose /l/ became palatal and then an affricate: /l/ > /ʎ/ > /ɟ/; hogy, úgy and ily would be built the same way.^[2][3][5] In the second it is a derivative with the pronoun-forming suffix -gy, from a Finno-Ugric noun suffix, as in egy, with which TESz thinks the word might then be identical; similar forms occur in Komi, such as Komi-Zyrian taďź (“thus, in this way”) from Komi-Zyrian ta (“this”).^[2][3][5] TESz considers less likely an origin from a derivative ⟨*id-⟩ of the stem with a lative suffix ⟨-j⟩, and a suffix from Finno-Ugric ⟨*-k⟩.^[2]

The long /iː/ is a secondary lengthening, probably caused by stress.^[2][3][5] The variant ígyen adds the modal suffix -n, as in hogyan.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in the Old Hungarian Lament of Mary, of the 13th century: hul yg kynzaſſal, with the sense “in this way; so much”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The adverb meant “in this way, thus” and also “so much” from the first record.^[2] The Vienna Codex (after 1416, copied about 1450) has it as a conjunction, “so, therefore”.^[2][3] Transylvanian records of the 16th–18th centuries show both uses: “in this way”, így … amúgy “this way … that way”, and “and so, consequently”.^[7]

In the dialects of Szeged and the Szamoshát the word can also mean “at this time of year” and “like this, such”: így születtem “I was born like this”.^[8][9]

Timeline

• about 1300 (13th century in ÚESz) – yg in the Old Hungarian Lament of Mary.^[2][3]
• after 1416 (copy of about 1450) – így as a conjunction, and Igèn (modern ígyen), in the Vienna Codex.^[2][3]
• 1531 – the variant egy in the Érsekújvár Codex.^[2]
• 1546 – ygy wegezthyk “thus we conclude” in a Transylvanian document.^[7]
• 1604 – Szenczi Molnár glosses it with Latin sic.^[10]

Meanings

Adverb

1. thus, in this way, like this: Így kell fogni a ceruzát.^[11][1]
2. In this state or situation: Így nem mehetsz el.^[11]
3. In the way just described.^[11]
4. (dialectal) At this time of year.^[8][9]

Conjunction

1. So, therefore, as a result: Elromlott az autó, így gyalog jöttünk.^[11][1]

Related words

• ígyen
• ily
• úgy
• itt
• ez

Usage notes

Így refers to what is near, and its counterpart úgy to what is farther away, like ez and az.^[12]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1967–1976), A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 2, 193
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gerstner, Károly (ed.) (2006–), Új magyar etimológiai szótár, Budapest: Nyelvtudományi Kutatóközpont; online at uesz.nytud.hu
4. ^ Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1993–1997), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Ungarischen, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 647
5. ^ a b c d Zaicz, Gábor (ed.) (2006), Etimológiai szótár: magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete, Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó
6. ^ Rédei, Károly (ed.) (1986–1991), Uralisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz; online as Uralonet, uralonet.nytud.hu
7. ^ a b Szabó T., Attila (ed.) (1975–2014), Erdélyi magyar szótörténeti tár, 14 vols., Bukarest: Kriterion / Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Kolozsvár: Erdélyi Múzeum-Egyesület, p. 5, 519
8. ^ a b Bálint, Sándor (1957), Szegedi szótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó
9. ^ a b Csűry, Bálint (1935–1936), Szamosháti szótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Magyar Nyelvtudományi Társaság
10. ^ Szarvas, Gábor; Simonyi, Zsigmond (1890–1893), Magyar nyelvtörténeti szótár, 3 vols., Budapest: Hornyánszky, p. 1, 1557
11. ^ a b c d Bárczi, Géza; Országh, László (eds.) (1959–1962), A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára, 7 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online at ertelmezo.oszk.hu
12. ^ Czuczor, Gergely; Fogarasi, János (1862–1874), A magyar nyelv szótára, 6 vols., Pest: Emich Gusztáv / Athenaeum