Toldaléka

Toldaléka is a term in Hungarian linguistics used to refer to an affix that attaches to the base form of a word to form a new word or to indicate grammatical function. In Hungarian, the majority of word formation and inflection is suffixing, and the element that attaches to the stem is described as a toldaléka.

It can be derivational or inflectional. Derivational toldalék create new lexical categories and meanings, such as -ség producing abstract nouns from adjectives (szép → szépség, beauty) or -ság in barátság (friendship) from barát (friend). Inflectional toldalék express grammatical features such as number and case, as in ház + -ban = házban (in the house) or ház + -ak = házak (houses).

Most Hungarian suffixes follow vowel harmony and can appear in different phonological forms, such as -ban/-ben and -val/-vel, with the form chosen to match the stem's last vowel. Some suffixes trigger consonant alternations or require the stem to undergo minor phonological adjustments.

Etymology and usage: The term toldaléka appears in some grammatical descriptions as a way to discuss the tailing unit attached to a stem. The more common term for this concept in Hungarian is toldalék; toldaléka is used in some sources to refer to a specific instance of a suffix within a word, or more broadly as the suffixal element in a word-formation description.

See also: suffix, affix, Hungarian grammar, morphology.