Semantic Features of Hungarian Neologisms With the Prefix Be: Analysis of Some Frequently Used Verbs (e.g., bevállal)

Abstract

Abstract:The present paper deals with the semantic features of three Hungarian neologisms (becéloz, betámad, bevállal), and analyzes their semantic structures with the help of the Conceptual Integration Theory (Blending Theory). The words analyzed are verbs that have been used with the prefix be in recent years, although they are wellestablished with other prefix(es). As be is one of the oldest Hungarian prefixes, it has likely gained new function(s) in these cases. To substantiate this claim, data was gathered from two questionnaires (in 2010 and in 2014), and informants' answers concerning meaning and style were analyzed. These data can help the survey in other fields too: firstly, they can help model the processes of understanding (or misunderstanding) of these neologisms, secondly, they can help model the semantic structures of the verbs within the framework of Blending Theory. Thirdly, these data can help indicate language use at a given point in time, from a synchronic viewpoint.