THE INTERPRETATION OF DEFINITE OBJECT CONJUGATION IN HUNGARIAN

In Hungarian, there are two conjugational paradigms, known variously as subject vs. object conjugation, indefinite vs. definite conjugation, or common vs. definite conjugation. In conformity with the principle of nomen est omen, the author proposes the terms subject conjugation (intransitive verbs, as well as transitive verbs without a direct object or with an indefinite direct object or else with a first or second person personal pronoun for direct object have inflectional forms varying in accordance with the number and person of their subject) and definite object conjugation (transitive verbs with a definite direct object, including third person personal pronouns, have inflectional forms varying in accordance with the number and person of their subject but also referring to the third-person character and definiteness of the direct object). Compare: Olvasok egy konyvet 'I am reading a book' vs. Olvasom a konyvet 'I am reading the book'. - In a recent paper, Huba Bartos does not see any difference in definiteness between first/second persons and third persons of personal pronouns. Banhidi (1972: 439) and Comrie (1977: 10), on the other hand, argue that the diverse persons of personal pronouns differ in terms of definiteness. The present paper surveys the members of the lexical category Determiner which require definite object conjugation in Hungarian and criticises several Hungarian examples discussed by Marcel den Dikken.