Beszéltetni

Beszéltetni is a Hungarian verb that means to cause someone to speak, typically to elicit information or a statement. It is used in contexts such as interviews, interrogations, or investigative reporting, and it often carries a nuance of pressure or coercion, though it can be used more neutrally to describe simply obtaining a statement.

Etymology and form: the word is formed from the verb beszélni (to speak) with the causative suffix -tetni, yielding beséltetni or beszéltetni, literally “to make speak.” It can be inflected for tense and mood like other Hungarian verbs, and its passive-like formation can appear as beszéltette ki (to cause someone to speak out) in the past tense.

Grammatical use: beséltetni valakit is the common pattern, where valaki is the agent causing the speaking and the person spoken to is the one from whom information is elicited. In legal or formal discourse, phrases such as beszéltette ki a tanút or beszéltetés kerül alkalmazásra may appear, indicating the act of eliciting a statement from a witness or suspect.

Nuances and related terms: beséltetni emphasizes the act of elicitation, which may involve persuasion or pressure, rather than ordinary conversation. Related terms include kihallgatás (interrogation or questioning) and vallomás (confession or testimony). In everyday language, more neutral verbs like beszélgetni or beszélni are typically preferred for ordinary talk, while beszéltetni carries specialized or evaluative connotations.

Examples:

- A rendőrség beszéltette ki a tanút.

- A nyomozók megpróbálták beszéltetni a gyanúsítottat a vallomásra.

See also: vallomás, kihallgatás, kényszerítés.