Review article
https://doi.org/10.32004/k.56.1-2.2
MEGYIMURSZKI-SZLOVENSZKI – INCREDIBLE FATE OF THE „MEĐIMUREAN LANGUAGE“ (Part 2)
Akoš Anton Dončec
; Univerza v Ljubljani, Slovenija
Abstract
SUMMARY
Josip Margitaj (1854 – 1934), teacher and pro-Hungarian/Unionist, was the promoter of the term „Međimurean language“. In 1884 he began publishing the bilingual weekly Medjimurje/Muraköz. The language concept he calls „Međimurean“ does actually represent the Međimurean dialect in a minor segment. To a greater extent it has linguistic similarities with subsequent works written in the Kajkavian literary language that was highly influenced by the Croatian Štokavian based literary language. The direct model for Margitaj's language was the neighbouring Slovenian region in Hungary (now Prekomurje in Slovenia and Porabje/Raba Region in Hungary), where a literary language had been construed on basis of the local dialect dating from the 18th century, officially named in Hungary as Wendish. Efforts were made to distinguish this language from the Slovenian language according to the so-called „Wendish Theory “.
After the liberation of Međimurje (in 1918), there were no further efforts to write in „Međimurean“, while local literature was actively promoted in Prekomurje until 1945. The Međimurean issue was rekindled in the period of the Hungarian occupation (1941 – 1944), once again for propaganda and Hungarisation goals, and also in 1942 when two short standard grammars were written (however, those two grammars could not create a real normative language). By the end of Second World War (1939 – 1945), the so-called experiments with the „Međimurean language“ were terminated once and for all. The actually false „Međimurean language“ has left no trace in Međimurean cultural heritage, whereas the „Prekomurski language“ still has a live tradition, to an equal extent both in Slovenia and Hungary.
This work by Akoš Anton Dončec, whose domicile is Verica-Ritkarovci (Ketvolgy/Hungary), is the second part of an overall study (in two sequels) in which the program of Josip Margitaj’s so-called “Međimurean language” is examined in the context of the accession of Međimurje and Prekomurje to the Kingdom of SHS in 1918 – 1919; of Međimurje and Prekomurje under the Hungarian occupation from 1941 – 1944; the efforts of Međimurean and Prekomurean languages’ codification in the context of scientific research, and finally, crushing of the “Međimurean” language heritage.
The work was translated into Croatian by Elod Dudaš, PhD.
Keywords
: Josip Margitaj; literary language; Hungarisation; Medjimurje / Međimurje; “Međimurean language”; Prekomurje; Prekomurean language; Porabje
Hrčak ID:
307101
URI
Publication date:
21.6.2023.
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