Alapmondat

Alapmondat is a linguistic term used to describe the base or core form of a sentence. In studies of sentence structure, it refers to a simple, independent declarative clause that can stand on its own and serves as the foundation for more complex constructions. The term is especially common in Hungarian grammar discussions, where it is connected to analyses of how sentences are built from a core proposition.

Typical features of an alapmondat include a finite predicate and a subject, forming a complete proposition. It generally follows the language’s canonical word order and can be expanded by adding modifiers, objects, or adverbials, or by attaching subordinate or coordinate elements to form more complex sentences. As a unit, it provides a reference point for describing how deviations, tenses, moods, or voices are applied in related forms.

Function and usage vary by linguistic tradition. In teaching and descriptive grammar, the alapmondat is used as a starting point for illustrating sentence types, transformations, and the relationship between a core statement and its elaborations. It is often contrasted with subordinate clauses or with non-declarative sentence types to show how deeper syntactic layers are built from a simple base.

Example (Hungarian): A fiú eszik. Translation: The boy eats. This simple sentence can be modified or expanded to demonstrate how more complex structures are derived from the alapmondat, such as adding relative clauses or temporal modifiers.