Idegenségként

Idegenségként is a Hungarian linguistic and conceptual construction meaning “as alienness” or “as foreignness.” It is formed from idegenség (alienness, foreignness) plus the suffix -ként, which marks a role or state, roughly translating to “in the capacity of” or “as.” The phrase is used to express that something is perceived, experienced, or presented as foreign or other.

In philosophy and social theory, idegenségként appears in discussions of alienation, otherness, and cultural difference. It can describe how an individual experiences social reality as unfamiliar or estranging, or how a text or discourse presents a person, group, or culture as idegenségként. The formulation allows attention to the subjective modality of perception, emphasizing that foreignness is not an inherent property but a determining stance or viewpoint.

In literary criticism, the expression is used to highlight how narrative voice, characters, or settings render the world or others as alien. For example, a narrator might describe urban life idegenségként, or a protagonist may experience language, customs, or norms idegenségként, thereby signaling estrangement from the surrounding world and from self-understanding.

Related terms include idegenség (alienness, foreignness) and idegen (stranger/foreigner). The concept often intersects with discussions of belonging, identity, and cultural translation, where the experience of foreignness can be central to meaning-making in both individual and collective contexts. See also related discussions of alienation, otherness, and phenomenology.