Interjúkkal

Interjúkkal is a Hungarian term that combines the noun interjú (interview) with the instrumental suffix -kkal, meaning “with interviews.” In Hungarian usage, it signals that a work or a method is based on or enriched by conversations with people, and that their firsthand accounts are a primary source of information.

In journalism, research, and documentary work, interjúkkal denotes that interviews are a central data-gathering method. They can be conducted face-to-face, by phone, or online, and may use structured, semi-structured, or unstructured formats. The resulting material is often integrated with analysis, narration, or other sources to build a story, profile, or report. Interviews can provide voices, perspectives, and details that are not available from documents alone.

Techniques and ethics are essential when working interjúkkal. Researchers and journalists design questions, obtain informed consent, record and transcribe conversations accurately, and, where necessary, anonymize responses. Ethical practice requires avoiding misquotation, misrepresentation, and manipulation, and it often includes clarifying the limits of the interview as a source.

Strengths of the interjúkkal approach include access to personal insights, context, and nuance, as well as the ability to capture diverse viewpoints. Limitations include potential bias, non-representativeness, memory distortions, and the time required for interviewing and transcription. Professionals typically triangulate interview material with documents, data, and observation to ensure credibility and balance.

In contemporary media and scholarship, interjúkkal remains a common method for eliciting testimony, exploring experiences, and humanizing complex topics, while remaining one part of a broader evidentiary toolkit.