Igehelyettesítként

Igehelyettesítként is a term used in Hungarian linguistics to describe a function in which a unit other than a finite verb takes the syntactic position of the verb within a clause, effectively substituting for the verb. It is part of the broader phenomenon of pro-forms and ellipsis, where elements stand in for other material to avoid repetition or to manage information structure.

Realizations of this phenomenon can vary. It may be realized by verbal nouns (főnévi igenév) that participate in predicate-like or object-like roles, by participial phrases that compress what would be a verb phrase into a non-finite form, or by other pro-forms that carry verbal meaning or reference to an earlier verb. In elliptical constructions, the verb may be omitted or replaced by a substitute that conveys the action concept.

Function and usage: Igehelyettesítésként is used to maintain syntactic parallelism, to shift focus, or to economize discourse in both written and spoken language. It appears across registers but is particularly common in stylistically marked or tightly structured sentences, including literary prose and formal writing. The phenomenon is described in grammars under headings related to ellipsis, pro-forms, or verb-substitution techniques.

Relationship to theory: The concept relates to the general syntactic theory of pro-forms and to Hungarian-specific processes of nominalization and participial construction. It intersects with broader topics such as ellipsis, verb phrase replacement, and information-structuring in Hungarian syntax.

See also: pro-form, ellipsis, verbal noun, főnévi igenév, participle, Hungarian syntax.