majd

Forms

majd (dialectal maj, majt, majdég; longer form majdan)^[2][3]

Etymology

It is a word formed within Hungarian, but how it arose is disputed.^[3][4] The likeliest view is that it is a fixed suffixed form: its base is ⟨*maj⟩, the older form of ma “today”, and its ending the locative ⟨-t⟩, which became voiced as in hajdan “long ago”.^[3][4] TESz describes the base as the demonstrative stem shared by that word with más and most, with an early form of the lative ⟨-i⟩ and the locative ⟨-t⟩, and derives the word from an older ⟨majt⟩ by voicing, as in fajd and hajdú.^[2]

The longer majdan adds the locative ⟨-n⟩ in a temporal function, as in mostan, and the ⟨g⟩ of ⟨majdég⟩ is an emphasizing element.^[2][3] Both words probably meant “here” at first;^[2][3] “here” gave “now”, “at once”, and then “soon, later”.^[2][3] TESz finds the old derivation from ⟨ma időn⟩ “at today's time”, held by Czuczor and Fogarasi, unlikely, and rejects a comparison with the Ugric languages.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The longer majdan is in the Jókai Codex, a text written after 1372 and copied about 1448, as maydan and mayan “at once, immediately”.^[3][2] The short form majd is first recorded before 1495 in the Guary Codex, meaning “almost”.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

The sense “almost” grew out of “at once” as the idea of nearness and uncertainty prevailed: “at once, very nearly now” > “nearly”.^[2] “Soon, later” is recorded from 1517, the paired majd … majd “now … now” from 1603 (TESz takes it from the sense “now”), and “indeed, just” from 1794.^[2][3]

With a present-tense verb majd expresses the future; it also puts something off, expresses hope (majd csak) and opens threats (Majd adok én neked!).^[6][5] Czuczor and Fogarasi noted the ironic majd bizony! “certainly not!”.^[5] In Szeged the future was formed with majd and the present tense, and the dialect also uses the word for “lest”;^[7][8] Majd ha fagy! means “never”.^[7][8]

It passed into the Transcarpathian dialects as Ukrainian мойд (mojd, “then, afterwards”).^[9]

Timeline

• after 1372 – maydan, mayan “at once” in the Jókai Codex, copied about 1448.^[3][2]
• before 1495 – mayd “almost” in the Guary Codex.^[3]
• 1508 – maytan, mayten in the Döbrentei Codex.^[3]
• 1517 – “soon, later”.^[2]
• c. 1519 – mait in the Debrecen Codex.^[2][3]
• 1603 – majd … majd “now … now”.^[2][3]
• 1753 – the emphatic majdég.^[2][3]
• 1794 – “indeed, just”.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. later, some time in the future; with a present-tense verb it marks the future: Majd megírom a levelet.^[6][1]
2. In clauses of future time: majd ha “when (in the future)”.^[6][10]
3. Putting something off: Majd holnap.^[6]
4. Usually with csak: surely, it is to be hoped: Majd csak lesz valahogy.^[6]
5. Opening a threat: Majd adok én neked!^[6][5]
6. Ironically, in refusals: majd bizony! “certainly not!”.^[6][5]
7. (stressed) almost, nearly: Majd elestem.^[6][1]

Conjunction

1. Then, afterwards, next: Előbb evett, majd lefeküdt.^[6][1]
2. majd … majd: now … now, at one time … at another.^[6][3]

Word family

• majdan
• majdnem
• majdani

Related words

• ma
• már
• most
• hajdan

Usage notes

Majd meaning “almost” is often written with an apostrophe, majd’, as a shortening of majdnem, although the spelling is not standard.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1967–1976), A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 2, 819
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Gerstner, Károly (ed.) (2006–), Új magyar etimológiai szótár, Budapest: Nyelvtudományi Kutatóközpont; online at uesz.nytud.hu
4. ^ a b c Zaicz, Gábor (ed.) (2006), Etimológiai szótár: magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete, Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó
5. ^ a b c d e Czuczor, Gergely; Fogarasi, János (1862–1874), A magyar nyelv szótára, 6 vols., Pest: Emich Gusztáv / Athenaeum
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Bárczi, Géza; Országh, László (eds.) (1959–1962), A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára, 7 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online at ertelmezo.oszk.hu
7. ^ a b Bálint, Sándor (1957), Szegedi szótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 2, 77
8. ^ a b Csűry, Bálint (1935–1936), Szamosháti szótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Magyar Nyelvtudományi Társaság, p. 2, 56
9. ^ Lizanec, Petro N. (1976), Vengerskie zaimstvovanija v ukrainskih govorah Zakarpat'ja, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 611
10. ^ Szabó T., Attila (ed.) (1975–2014), Erdélyi magyar szótörténeti tár, 14 vols., Bukarest: Kriterion / Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó / Kolozsvár: Erdélyi Múzeum-Egyesület, p. 8, 76