beszél

Forms

beszél^[1]

Etymology

It is from Hungarian beszéd (“speech”) + -l: the noun with the suffix that forms verbs, so that the original form was ⟨beszédl⟩.^{[2][3][4][5][1]} The cluster /dl/ became /ll/ and then /l/, as in vall and hall; the form with ⟨ll⟩ was common in the old language, in forms such as ⟨beszéllek⟩ and ⟨beszéllett⟩.^[2][6][1]

The noun is a Slavic loanword, from Proto-Slavic *besěda (“talk, word”); compare Serbo-Croatian beseda (“speech”), Slovene beseda (“word, speech”), Slovak beseda (“conversation”) and Russian беседа (beseda, “conversation”).^[4][2][3][5] TESz does not name the Slavic language it came from;^[4][7] Kniezsa took it from South Slavic, without deciding whether from the east or the west.^[4][7] The Slavic word is not clearly explained; it may be *bez (“outside”) and *sěda (“sitting”), a “sitting outside”.^[2][3][5] Kniezsa found neither this nor a derivation from a root meaning “to sound” satisfactory.^[7]

The final ⟨-a⟩ of the Slavic word was probably dropped because speakers took it for the Hungarian possessive suffix, as in kolbász and lapát.^[2][3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb is first recorded as beʒellenem “to speak” in the Jókai Codex, copied about 1448 from a text written after 1372.^[2][4] The noun is older: perhaps in a personal name, Besedi, in a charter of 1138 known from a copy of 1329, and certainly in the place name Bezedkeu of 1318.^[4][2][7]

Semantic evolution

From “to speak, talk” the verb took the senses “to tell, relate” (1517), “to speak a language” (perhaps 1626, certainly 1799) and “to speak ill of someone behind their back” (1843), now mainly in kibeszél.^[2][3] Transylvanian records of the 16th century use it for talking with someone and for saying or reporting something, often in witness statements.^[8] The NSz adds the senses of a writer expressing ideas in a work, of a thing that points to or reveals something, and of something that counts or carries weight.^[9]

Its derivatives include beszélés “speaking” (1470) and the frequentative beszélget “to chat” (1584).^[2][4][5] In the language reform beszély “short story, novella” was made from the shortened stem ⟨besz-⟩, probably on the model of veszély; it was proposed in 1833 as a Hungarian name for the novella.^[4][2]

In the dialects it can mean “to gossip about someone” and, as a euphemism, “to kiss and cuddle”, of a couple;^[10] in the Ormánság it is used of a young man privately asking a girl to marry him.^[11] Around Szeged it is also said of the chirping of the cricket.^[12]

Timeline

• c. 1448 – beʒellenem “to speak” in the Jókai Codex (a copy of a text written after 1372).^[2][4]
• c. 1450 – bèzellèttèc in the Vienna Codex.^[2][3]
• 1470 – beszélés “speaking” in the Sermones Dominicales.^[2]
• 1517 – “to tell, relate” in the Domonkos Codex.^[2][3]
• 1584 – beszélget “to chat” in Bornemisza's sermons.^[4][2]
• 1799 – “to speak a language”, after an uncertain record of 1626.^[2][3]
• 1833 – beszély “novella”, a word of the language reform.^[4][2]
• 1843 – “to speak ill of someone”.^[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To speak, talk: to put one's thoughts into audible words: Kérlek, beszélj lassabban!^[13][9][1]
2. To talk with someone, converse, discuss or negotiate (with -val/-vel): Holnap beszélek az igazgatóval.^[13][1]
3. To say, tell, relate; to spread (news or rumours): Mindenfélét beszélnek róla.^[13][9]
4. To speak a language (with -ul/-ül): Jól beszél németül.^[13][1]
5. Of a writer, to express ideas in a work.^[9]
6. Of a thing or fact, to point to, reveal: magáért beszél “it speaks for itself”.^[9][1]
7. (rare) To count, matter, carry weight.^[9][1]
8. (dialectal) To gossip about someone.^[10]

Word family

• beszélget
• beszéltet
• újbeszél
• beszélés
• beszély
• kibeszél
• elbeszél

Related words

• beszéd
• Proto-Slavic *besěda

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 r Gerstner, Károly (ed.) (2006–), Új magyar etimológiai szótár, Budapest: Nyelvtudományi Kutatóközpont; online at uesz.nytud.hu
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1993–1997), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Ungarischen, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1967–1976), A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 1, 289
5. ^ a b c d e Zaicz, Gábor (ed.) (2006), Etimológiai szótár: magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete, Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó
6. ^ Horger, Antal (1924), Magyar szavak története: közérdekű magyar szófejtések gyűjteménye, Budapest: Kókai, p. 27
7. ^ a b c d Kniezsa, István (1955), A magyar nyelv szláv jövevényszavai I/1–2, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 90
8. ^ Szabó T., Attila (ed.) (1975–2014), Erdélyi magyar szótörténeti tár, 14 vols., Bukarest: Kriterion / Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Kolozsvár: Erdélyi Múzeum-Egyesület, p. 1, 838
9. ^ a b c d e f Ittzés, Nóra (ed.) (2006–), A magyar nyelv nagyszótára, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Nyelvtudományi Kutatóközpont; online at nagyszotar.nytud.hu
10. ^ a b B. Lőrinczy, Éva (ed.) (1979–2010), Új magyar tájszótár, 5 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 1, 456
11. ^ Kiss, Géza (1952), Ormánysági szótár, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 38
12. ^ Bálint, Sándor (1957), Szegedi szótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 1, 147
13. ^ 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