Demonstrative and personal pronouns in non-subject (oblique) position (Hungarian)

PPNonAnim~DemNonSubj: Facultative use of demonstrative pronouns in non-subject position is permitted for nonhuman or nonliving entities, but only personal pronouns can be used for human or living entities.


(1) lát-od   ott a       fiú-t? neki ad-t-am   egy csoki-t.

see-prs.obj.2sg  there the    boy-acc he.dat give-pst-1sg a chocolate-acc

‘Do you see that boy there? I gave him a chocolate.’


(2) lát-od ott a fiú-k-at?        nekik ad-t-am      egy csoki-t.

see- prs.obj.2sg there the boy-pl-acc they.dat give-pst-1sg a chocolate-acc

‘Do you see those boys there? I gave them a chocolate.’


(3) látod ott a könyvet? az-t neked hoz-t-am.

see- prs.obj.2sg there the book-acc det-acc you.dat bring-pst-1sg

‘Do you see that book there? I brought it for you?’


In Hungarian, the third person personal pronouns (ő ‘he/she/it’, ők ‘they’) and the distal demonstratives (az ‘that’, azok ‘those’) are separate categories. The demonstrative pronouns in non-subject function (e.g. as beneficiary (1)-(2)) can only substitute personal pronouns, if they refer to inanimate entities (3). If the referent is animate, only the personal pronoun can be used in the normative language variant.

Author: 

Nikolett F. Gulyás