Etymologically
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is

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Pronunciation

Forms

is[1]

Etymology

Its origin is disputed. ÚESz, EWUng and Zaicz take it for a compound formed in Hungarian: an emphatic particle ⟨s⟩ (compare ⟨S-mongyat⟩ “tell me, then” in the Jókai Codex) was preceded by an element ⟨i⟩ ~ ⟨ë⟩, the demonstrative stem of ez.[2][3][4] Placed after a stressed part of the sentence, the compound kept its emphatic function and also came to express addition, “also”; ÚESz compares Russian и (i, “and; also”).[2][3][4]

TESz instead makes it the same word as és “and”, split in two: the original form had a short vowel, ⟨ës⟩, which gave ⟨és⟩ by lengthening and ⟨is⟩ by raising of the vowel; the emphatic function came first and the sense of addition from it, and the further origin is unknown.[5] Wiktionary also treats it as a doublet of ⟨és⟩.[1] The MSzFE gives two older explanations.[6] In one the word continues a Finno-Ugric reflexive pronoun, ultimately the same as Proto-Uralic *iće (“shadow, shadow soul”), which would have gone from “shadow” through “soul” to “self” and then to an emphatic particle; the dialect word ísz “gangrene” would be its other reflex, and the weakness of the view is that the sense “self” is not found in the old texts.[6][7] In the other, proposed by Fokos, it is the possessive suffix ⟨-s⟩ made independent in pairs such as ⟨férjes asszony⟩.[6] TESz and ÚESz, who spell the dialect word íz, think this link unlikely, and TESz also rejects the possessive suffix, other Finno-Ugric comparisons and Turkic or Indo-Iranian origins.[5][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Both uses are in the Funeral Sermon and Prayer of about 1195.[5][2] As the conjunction “also” it stands in Hug es tiv latiatuc szumtuchel, “as you too see with your eyes”;[5][2][3][6] TESz and ÚESz take another occurrence there, with a question mark, for the emphatic adverb “indeed”, which is certain in the Jókai Codex.[5][2][3][6]

Semantic evolution

The emphatic use is the older one, and the sense of addition grew out of it.[5][2] In the standard and literary language és became the conjunction “and” and is the particle “also, too”; dialects keep es and és for “also” and is for “and”.[6] Old and dialect spellings include ees (1506) and Izs (1838).[5][2]

In negative sentences is can stand for sem, both in Transylvanian records from 1557 and in dialects.[8][9] After words of degree it means “even”, and repeated (… is, … is) it means “both … and”.[10]

Timeline

  • c. 1195 – es “also” in the Funeral Sermon and Prayer.[5][2]
  • after 1372 (copy of c. 1448) – the emphatic adverb in the Jókai Codex.[5][2]
  • 1506 – the spelling ees in the Winkler Codex.[5]
  • 1557 – is for “not … either” in a negative sentence, in Kolozsvár.[8]
  • 1838 – the dialect form Izs.[5]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. also, too: placed after the stressed word it adds: Én is jövök.[10][1]
  2. even: after a word of degree or a comparative: Ezt egy gyerek is tudja.[10][1]
  3. Repeated, “both … and”: a fiú is, a lány is.[10]
  4. After a concessive phrase, “even if, although”: Ha késő is, megcsinálom.[10]

Adverb

  1. After a question word, “again” (asking about something forgotten): Hogy is hívják?[1]
  2. Indeed, sure enough: Meg is jött.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1993–1997), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Ungarischen, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 670
  4. ^ a b Zaicz, Gábor (ed.) (2006), Etimológiai szótár: magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete, Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1967–1976), A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 2, 236
  6. ^ a b c d e f Lakó, György (ed.) (1967–1978), A magyar szókészlet finnugor elemei, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 2, 326
  7. ^ Rédei, Károly (ed.) (1986–1991), Uralisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz; online as Uralonet, uralonet.nytud.hu
  8. ^ 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, 790
  9. ^ B. Lőrinczy, Éva (ed.) (1979–2010), Új magyar tájszótár, 5 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 2, 1100
  10. ^ a b c d e Bárczi, Géza; Országh, László (eds.) (1959–1962), A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára, 7 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online at ertelmezo.oszk.hu