Hungarian vizsga, vizsgál: Attempt at a Slavic Etymology.

The article explains Hungarian vizsgál ‘to analyze, to examine’ (> Hungarian vizsga ‘inquiring; researching; analysis, study; discussion; experiment; examination’, derived in the period of Hungarian language renewal) as a derivative of an unattested *vizsga ‘testing, trial (of the quality of precious metals through fire)’ < Slavic *vyžega/*vyžьga/*vyžiga ‘burning; treatment with fire, etc.’ (~ Slavic *vy-žegti, iterative *vy-žigati ‘to burn [transitive]’ < Common Slavic *žegti ‘id.’). For the supposed Slavic etymon, cf. Russian výžega, výžiga ‘pure silver which remains after the burning of silver threads’; for the respective extra-linguistic context of ‘trial, examination’, cf. English test, German Feuerprobe.

Some remarks on Ľubor Králik’s Slavic etymology of Hungarian vizsga, vizsgál.

The new Slavic etymology of Hungarian vizsga, vizsgál by Ľubor Králik (see p. 205–210 in this issue) is very convincing. The critical remarks concern some details of word formation. It seems to be more natural that the Hungarian verb vizsgál ʻto examine, to test’ was loaned directly from Slavic *vyžigati ‘to burn; to test by fire’ and the noun vizsga ‘examination’ was derived later on the basis of this verb.
 

Those who are interested in the investigation of the oldest Turkic loan-words into Hungarian have known for a couple of years about the research on this topic conducted in Szeged. It has resulted in a two-volume edition which will certainly inspire many scholars from now onwards. In the present article a handful of remarks and suggestions is presented that were noted down while reading the “new Gombocz”.