HUNGARIAN
(Hungary; Uralic, Ugric)		 For more information about metathesis in this language, click on the following links:
Summary:
Metathesis involves alternations in three stems; they end in Ch before a vowel and in hVC word-finally and before a consonant (where C is a liquid).
Examples
Conditions
Motivation
Related processes
Comments
References
Examples:
Before a vowel ('ly' = [j]):
terh-ek 'load-PL'
pelyh-ek 'fluff-PL'
kelyh-ek  'chalice-PL'

Word-finally: It is assumed that the stem-final vowel in these next two sets
of forms is epenthetic. See Related processes. 
teher 'load'
pehely  'fluff'
kehely  'chalice'

Before a consonant:
teher-nek 'load-DAT'
pehely-nek 'fluff-DAT'
kehely-nek 'chalice-DAT'

Conditions:
Metathesis only occurs when the sounds involved are /h/ and a liquid.
Motivation:
In progress.
Related processes:
In some verbal and nominal stems, a short vowel is epenthesized word finally and before consonant-initial suffixes. No epenthesis is observed before vowel-initial suffixes. One could then assume that the final vowel of the stems which undergo metathesis is epenthesized.
 
bokor  'shrub'
bokor-ban  'shrub-Inessive'
bokr-ok  'shrub-PL'
Comments:
Last updated: 3/18/2002
References:
  • Vago, Robert M. 1980. The Sound Pattern of Hungarian. Georgetown University Press: Washington, D. C.
  • Kenesei, Istva!n, Vago Robert M. & Anna Fenyvesi. 1998. Hungarian. Routledge: London and New York.
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