szerint

Forms

szerint^[1]

Etymology

It is a fossilized case form from Hungarian szer (“manner; order”) + -int.^[2][3][1] ÚESz and Zaicz analyse the ending, -ént ~ -int, as the old lative -é with the locative endings -n and -t, of which the last only adds emphasis.^[2][3] TESz instead takes the ⟨é⟩ ~ ⟨i⟩ for the third-person possessive ending, so that the word would mean by its manner, comparable to gyanánt; ÚESz finds that less likely.^[4][2] The old forms without ⟨t⟩, such as zerin (1520) and zeren (1522), either dropped it or keep the plain locative form.^[4][2]

The meaning keeps the sense manner, proper way of the noun, as the case ending -képpen keeps that of kép.^[4] The noun itself is inherited from Proto-Uralic *śerɜ (“row, order”).^[5] TESz rejects a Turkic origin.^[4]

The form zereient of the Döbrentei Codex (1508) is a different formation, the noun with the possessive ending and the ending in ⟨-ént⟩, meaning according to its order.^[4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is ſerent in the Jókai Codex (written after 1372, copied about 1448), in a passage saying that according to the Gospel something should be given to other poor people; the sense is “in accordance with”.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

The Jókai Codex also has “with regard to”; after a place noun, “all over, everywhere” appears in the Vienna Codex, and the time phrase now kept only in ez idő szerint “at present” in the Munich Codex.^[4][2] Szere szerint “in order, one after the other” is recorded in 1519, valaki szerint “as someone wishes” in 1568, and the now commonest sense, “in someone's opinion”, only in 1799.^[4][2]

The personal forms szerintem, szerinted “in my, your opinion” are strikingly late: a grammar of 1818 mentions them as possible but unused, and they are recorded in use in 1844.^[4][2][3] The older form szerént is now archaic, and dialects have szörént;^[6][7][8] Szeged also used ország szerint for “all over the country”.^[6][7][8]

Timeline

• after 1372 (copy of about 1448) – ſerent “according to” in the Jókai Codex.^[4][2]
• after 1416 (copy of about 1450) – “all over, everywhere” after a place noun, in the Vienna Codex.^[4][2]
• 1519 – szere szerint “in order”.^[4][2]
• 1568 – valaki szerint “as someone wishes”.^[4][2]
• 1799 – “in someone's opinion”.^[4][2]
• 1844 – the personal forms such as szerintem in use.^[4][2]

Meanings

Postposition

1. according to, in accordance with: a szabályok szerint “according to the rules”.^[6][1]
2. In proportion to, as befits: érdeme szerint “as he deserves”.^[6]
3. With regard to, in terms of: foglalkozása szerint orvos “a doctor by profession”.^[6]
4. According to someone's statement or opinion; with personal endings, szerintem “in my opinion”.^[6][1]
5. In order, one by one: ábécé szerint “alphabetically”.^[6]
6. ez idő szerint: at present.^[6][4]

Word family

• szerinti
• aszerint

Related words

• szer
• gyanánt

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 Gerstner, Károly (ed.) (2006–), Új magyar etimológiai szótár, Budapest: Nyelvtudományi Kutatóközpont; online at uesz.nytud.hu
3. ^ a b c Zaicz, Gábor (ed.) (2006), Etimológiai szótár: magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete, Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1967–1976), A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 3, 739
5. ^ Benkő, Loránd (ed.) (1967–1976), A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára, 3 vols., Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, p. 3, 731
6. ^ a b c d e f g h 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, 499
8. ^ a b Szinnyei, József (1893–1901), Magyar tájszótár, 2 vols., Budapest: Hornyánszky