úgy

Etymology

It is a Hungarian formation from the demonstrative pronoun az “that”, built on an older form of its stem with a closer vowel, ⟨o-⟩.^[2][3][4] How the ending ⟨gy⟩ arose is disputed, and the sources give two explanations.^[2][3][4] In the first, the word is a frozen case form: the ablative suffix ⟨-l⟩ was palatalized and became an affricate, /l/ > /ʎ/ > /ɟ/.^[3][4][2] In the second, ⟨-gy⟩ is a suffix forming pronouns.^[3][4] hogy and így were formed in the same way, and the long ⟨ú⟩ is a secondary lengthening caused by stress, as in the latter.^[2][3][4]

ugyan “indeed; although” adds the modal suffix ⟨-n⟩, as in hogyan and ígyen; its short ⟨u⟩ keeps the original short vowel of the stem.^[2][3][4] Bárczi likewise derived the word from the stem of oda and onnan.^[5] The UEW traces this pronoun stem to Proto-Uralic *o (“that, that other”).^[6]

TESz considers it unlikely that the word comes from the stem ⟨od-⟩ of the adverb meaning “thither” with a lative suffix, or that ⟨gy⟩ continues a Finno-Ugric pronoun suffix; it rejects the separation of the form with ⟨-n⟩ from this word and its comparison with Finno-Ugric words.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is ug “in that way, so” in the Königsberg Fragment, which ÚESz dates to the beginning of the 13th century and TESz to about 1350.^[2][3] The same text has vgon, the first record of ugyan, in the same sense.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From “in that way” the adverb developed the senses “then, in that case” and “to such a degree” by the early 15th century, the affirmative “indeed, yes” by about 1456, “about, roughly” in 1527 and “likewise, also” in 1636; used as an attribute it became a pronoun, “such” (1527).^[2][3] Its derivative ugyan went its own way: “indeed” (1466), “almost” (about 1456), and as a conjunction “although” (1474) and “but” (1527); the concessive use grew out of an emphatic use in pairs of contrasting sentences.^[2][3][4]

In Transylvanian records of the 16th to 19th centuries the word often points forward to a clause with hogy, and appears in oaths such as úgy áldjon meg Isten “so may God bless me”.^[7] Regional forms include uty, ú and júgy,^[3][8] and regional senses “really, truly” and “for that price”.^[9] Around Szeged it also means “roughly, about”.^[10]

Timeline

• 1200s – ug “so” in the Königsberg Fragment, of the early 13th century according to ÚESz (TESz: about 1350).^[3][2]
• c. 1450 – “then” and “to such a degree” in the Vienna Codex (a copy of a text written after 1416).^[2][3]
• c. 1456 – “indeed, yes” in the Sermones Dominicales.^[2][3]
• 1474 – ugyan as a conjunction, “although”, in the Birk Codex.^[2][3]
• 1527 – “about, roughly” in Heyden's school dialogues, and the pronoun “such” in the Érdy Codex.^[2][3]
• 1636 – “likewise, also” in Pázmány's sermons.^[2][3]
• 1848 – ugyan expressing impatience or urging.^[3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. so, in that way, in that manner: Ne úgy csináld!^[11][1]
2. In that state or condition: Hagyd úgy az asztalt!^[11]
3. In the main clause, pointing to a clause with hogy or mint: in such a way (that), as: Úgy fut, mint a szél.^[11][12]
4. To such a degree, so much.^[2][3]
5. (colloquial) About, roughly: úgy tíz perc múlva.^[1][10]
6. Marking hearsay, “as I understand, apparently”: Úgy hallom, elköltöztél.^[1]

Interjection

1. Expressing agreement: Úgy van! “That's right!”^[12][11]

Word family

• ugyan
• úgye
• amúgy
• ugyanúgy

Related words

• így
• az
• hogy
• oda

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 o p q Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1967–1976), A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 3, 1026
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Gerstner, Károly (ed.) (2006–), Új magyar etimológiai szótár, Budapest: Nyelvtudományi Kutatóközpont; online at uesz.nytud.hu
4. ^ a b c d e f g Zaicz, Gábor (ed.) (2006), Etimológiai szótár: magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete, Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó
5. ^ Bárczi, Géza (1941), Magyar szófejtő szótár, Budapest: Királyi Magyar Egyetemi Nyomda, p. 174
6. ^ Rédei, Károly (ed.) (1986–1991), Uralisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz; online as Uralonet, uralonet.nytud.hu
7. ^ Szabó T., Attila (ed.) (1975–2014), Erdélyi magyar szótörténeti tár, 14 vols., Bukarest: Kriterion / Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Kolozsvár: Erdélyi Múzeum-Egyesület, p. 13, 713
8. ^ Szinnyei, József (1893–1901), Magyar tájszótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Hornyánszky, p. 2, 849
9. ^ B. Lőrinczy, Éva (ed.) (1979–2010), Új magyar tájszótár, 5 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 5, 538
10. ^ a b Bálint, Sándor (1957), Szegedi szótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 2, 614
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. ^ a b Czuczor, Gergely; Fogarasi, János (1862–1874), A magyar nyelv szótára, 6 vols., Pest: Emich Gusztáv / Athenaeum