Termmegszólítás

Termmegszólítás is a linguistic concept referring to the system of forms used to address other people in speech. It encompasses the words and constructions that signal social relationship, degree of formality, age, status, and familiarity. The category includes pronouns used as address terms, vocatives (the specific form used when directly calling someone), titles and honorifics, and kinship or occupational terms that function as forms of address. Together these elements convey politeness, solidarity, distance, or hierarchy in interaction.

In Hungarian linguistics, termmegszólítás is often analyzed through the distinction between tegeződés (informal, using te and related forms) and magázódás (formal, using Ön, maga, and related forms). The choice between these modes governs which address forms are appropriate. Vocative use is central: direct calls such as “Pista!” or “Doktor úr!” alongside more formal salutations in writing or speech. Titles and honorifics—such as úr, asszonyom, doktor, professzor—also function as stable address markers, particularly in professional or public contexts.

Several factors shape termmegszólítás: social distance, age, gender, occupation, regional norms, and the setting (family, workplace, service encounters). Transitions between forms—esteemed politeness to casual familiarity—are common in many communities and can reflect evolving social norms. Cross-linguistic comparisons show wide variation in how languages encode hierarchy and solidarity through address terms. Understanding termmegszólítás thus illuminates everyday social interaction and politeness strategies.