Nominalszóképzdés

Nominalszóképzdés is a Hungarian linguistic term referring to the process of word formation where a new word is created by adding a suffix to an existing noun. This process is a fundamental aspect of Hungarian morphology, enabling the expansion of vocabulary and the creation of nuanced meanings.

The core of nominalszóképzdés lies in the attachment of derivational suffixes to a noun base. These suffixes alter the meaning of the base word, often transforming it into a related but distinct noun. For example, suffixes can indicate a person associated with a noun, a place related to a noun, or an abstract concept derived from a noun.

Common suffixes involved in nominalszóképzdés include -ság/-ség (forming abstract nouns, e.g., barátság from barát 'friend'), -ász/-ész (indicating a profession or person associated with something, e.g., halász 'fisherman' from hal 'fish'), and -gyár/-üzem (indicating a place of production, e.g., téglagyár 'brick factory' from tégla 'brick'). The choice of suffix often depends on the semantic category of the base noun and the desired meaning of the new word.

This process is highly productive in Hungarian, allowing for the systematic derivation of a vast array of words. Understanding nominalszóképzdés is crucial for comprehending Hungarian word structure and for acquiring new vocabulary. It highlights the agglutinative nature of the language, where grammatical and derivational functions are often expressed through the addition of multiple suffixes.