ANTHROPOS 99.2004: 161-175 Ideological Linguistic Nationalism within a Homogenous Nation Contemporary Hungarian Rune-Writing Alexander Maxwell aAbstract. nationalist subculture. It gives a brief explanation of the Hun- This article analyzes Hungarian rune enthusiasts as (1983), even developed a generic "Ruritanian" densehaveenthusiastscompetencygarian organized correspondencerunes withastypically a a writingwhich semischolarly network. have thesystem, script a highInterest explaining canjournal, level be in written. the ofadifferent bookstore, runeseducation, Rune-writing is degrees strongly and and of a whichnationalism,velopmentnationalGlobalization nationalist movement inside merely has symbols the not internationalizedto Empire discussdone are awaycontested of its Megalomania. withhistorical the (seeparticularist arena espe- de- in movement.suggestsspontaneously,ofassociated this script that with [Hungary, communityideology abut revisionist the limited is shows cosmology. social that basis nationalismThe ofideological the movement emerges nature runes, insufficient for a mass national nationalism, sociolinguistics, jorityciallystarts nationalDanforth from the cultures 1995). assumption objectivelyThis literature,that minority differ, however, though and ma- Master'sofAlexandergraffiti] Wisconsin degree Maxwell, Madison in Nationalism Ph.on 19th-centuryD. in Studies History atSlovak atCentral the nationalism, University European gyselectingsociallythis emphasizing difference and group historically is withautochthony routinely a distinct constructed.Hungarian acknowledged and nationalist antiquity. rune-writing ideolo- Theyto be enthusiasts are a self- theDialectsUniversity Sociology in Chinain ofBudapest. Language. and Slovakia" He has inrecently the International published Journal"Literary of eventhosearlyproducts,promote journal. haveof othera propaganda nationaltheir Their modern own socialmyth diaspora tracts,nationalist through composition and in even movements;Northpopular a resemblessemischol- America. cultural they unreceptiveTheIntelligentsiaRune-Writing operation to oftheir Enthusiasts nationalist claims has intelligentsiasas beena National the subject in states of claimingdirectednationalistineHungarian communities, against to rune-writers intelligentsia.speak a statefor and the bearinginventso same Yetwould traditions their thenation. seem same movement andtoname form imag- and is a focusingreticalstudies,mentsa tremendous understanding.have the on details thebeen literature. nineteenth explored of whichMiroslav Particular century, in innumerableturnHroch national sharpen schematized (1985: move- theo- case23), universallyaderline linguistic case minority.familiar in the degreewith Hungarian theHungarian to Latin which rune-writers orthography theyrune formenthusiasts are also form a bor- amongstateterest"the development theory toEast-European "mass which national such continues groups specialists) movement" fromto attract "scholarlyErnst in admirersa Gellnerfamous in- anyused linguistic by other1 Magocsi distinctiveness. Hungarians, 1989:50; Kaiser Books and 1994:34; do on notHungarian Johnson claim 2001. 162 runes,less,phabet,rune-writing nothingrune-writers and while is generally published consciously much appear is in published them. cultivate in theNeverthe- aboutLatin linguis- theal- itspaperJensenwhich interests istypically 1935; primarily concern Sebesten discusses an the analysis 1909; present. the script's Nemethof a subculture, origins 1971). (e. This and g., Alexander Maxwell Jungmann,tic1792thanhave skills. the writtenhistory Historically, object the booksfamous of of the adoration: severalpublished Czech Czech language-cultivators language linguist,for in example,languages wrote and Josephlitera- otherhis RovcisircisRoveisireis is anas alphabetica Writing Systemsystem of writing, sev- Hungariantention,3guage,standardizedture and are1809 scriptthe the literaryconscious Czech deservestrue codifications,grammarobject cultivation attention, of in nationalist German.2 not ofeven spokena different if Sincethecon- lan- letterstheSzikely,useeral Szekelyfeild, centuriesis canstrongly a be tribe writtenold, inassociatedof of eastern ethnic uncertainleft-to-right, Transylvania. Hungarians with origin.4 right-to-left, the Seklers ItsRowlyircis living historic and inor ingthisticscript-cultivators subculture. separatists. script, the rovasirdsIt dobegins not see ("runewith Thisthemselves an writing," article overview asexamines from linguis- of ró, the Hungarian rune-writ- dinavianismirrorbackalso read supports and (Royasircisimage runes; forth dependingboustrophedon, downsee shares Ditwel the onthesepage. 1968: which i.features Letters e.,8; way textMorris withappear thethat 1998: scriptScan- runs in withapromotehas "revisionist""to been respectable carve"), this written script anational topicHungarian in promote English. about cosmology nationalism. whatwhich The could hardlyauthorsincompatible beSince anything called who in- lefttions.poraryright-to-left69-74). proved Cajoling specimens Modembeyond themy correct wordofmy enthusiasts rovcisirds abilities; processor direction, samplerun generally to thoughinprint bothroycisfreis right-to- contem-direc-declare andgytherevisionistterest and individualsgeographical in provide the ideological runic espousing adistribution. scriptbrief beliefs, sketchis this highly Then I will of correlated I their alsowill discusssocial to national ideolo- aTosontexts typeface the (1991) in best the hasforoftext my Hungariancalled of knowledge, this a "nationalessay runes, Roycisircisrun no print norleft-to-right.printer haslanguage." has ever a booknever cut been what Benedict Ander- istionalliving roveisfrksthreeworth language-planning in contemporary statingBudapest subculture what The specimens this inmovements.conclusion essaytheBefore context I overlooks.encountered plungingsituates of other The whilethe into na- the analysis, perhaps it Sciences,linguistictostitutionsever use been Ulrich divisionfor serving printed example, Ammon's of asin the "authoritiesthem. concerns Hungarian (1987: Rovcisirds itself 328)of Academy prescription," onlyphrase: has withno of thein- rune-writing.attentionwingeasilyreactionary politics lead to politicssourcesto generally, Thea discussion analysis ofwhich rovasinis but discussed alsoofI have Hungarian enthusiastsmentions restricted or employed analo- right-could my masshasdonotthe not teachLatinever literacy, use triedthealphabet. them. runes,though to make No and Hungarianchildren mass Hungarianrovcisircis educational attending state bureaucracies the schools Hungarian basis system fordo writing;hereraryingous rune-writing. passingwere Turkish many less Finally, comeandthan Almost Scandinavian Itenfrom focus yearsall online explicitlythe old sources runenewspapers at the oncultures discussed contempo- time oronlyof studyattendWithmessagesscouting thevoluntarily. Canadian possibleto campeach summerother exceptionin Canada (Siket, camp, of pers.learn children rune comm., to enthusiasts carve forced 2003). runic to paperwebpages. from2 Other mostThis examples modemscholarly are focus literatureeasy todifferentiates find. on Iludovit rovdsircis, '8u1r, this the Slovak popular instruction4 Jensen (1935:299) derivesletters,There with are a many few Greek variants and Glagolitic of roycisfras. letters thrown One in, booklet, rovdstreis Kldrafrom Friedrich's Siberian Turkish alsoMagyar"guageeducationnational felt more whoteacher leader establishedincomfortable Czechin and his language youth. and Hungary's in evenGerman Istvan codifier, worked AcademySzechenyi, than received Hungarian. as ofa theCzech Sciences,his "greatest primary lan- man:"Thefromnoting to Indianinventorrepresent C. L. Fabri'sBrand of the the characters.soundhypothesis Hungarian a he Nemeth thattook script Hungarian over (1971:39 the Greekrunes f.) writesderive 'a'; ... was a learned 3 See Anderson 1991:48;1966: Hobsbawm 18-24; Geary 1992:54; 2002:30 Haugen E enthusiasts,showingfor the e thatthe derive Glagoliticrespectable national `e'; Hungarian pride for the from oscholars, the the Glagolitic runes. like amateur Anthropos 99.2004 Contemporary Hungarian Rune-Writing 163 longAdorjan(2000)"Rovdsirdsgyakorlatok,[Runic {ü} gives Magyar's, Writing into two a singleWorkbook, differentwhich nemrune collapses standard notcsak {0}; only gyerekeknek"short and foralphabets: {0}SandorChildren] and itywood,numerals.Ten, and five, a angularlaborious and one appearance process are identical explaining ofRunes the to letters.are the designed simplic-Roman Like to be carved into stone or different,Forrai's,{CI}. 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Rovasirds, a sample rovcisht 1000 1E 100 X 50 10 XVI 5 1 fromlanguage,square(C) rovcistrois (e), brackets. asthe a most labor-saving text common conventionally Rovasirdsdevice. vowel replaceinTranscriptions the also Hungarian omitted permits omission of the letter garianWhenas single examining in the letters. Latin Szabados' alphabet{es}, chart, treats {gy}, note six {ly},thatdigraphs Hun- {ny), {sz}, [ty} and {zs} lettersegyetrequiredof Hungarian in superscript. several who minutes Reading assisted to transformtexts me withwhich Itthis employ{WO project intodeletion can be tricky: one native speaker .tc. 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The Arabic alphabet has several, anumberresemblestice thousand, of runic1378, the {X}counting.for Roman example, is a hundred,numerals The is XXXXTXXVIII. runic andin number structure. {T} is system {X} fifty. 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This cludingHungarians.the2001) ancient argues a workbook, Sumerians that Jesus histories were was ethnically FeherlofiaSumerian, of the script, related sellsand thatandmany to rovaarcis products, in- Anthroposneerteachthey atboast at Budapest's universities: 99.2004 a high Technicaleducational Hosszti University, is standard.an electrical Molnos Several engi- is mercialmotespostcards products,revisionist explaining including culture the through rovtisircisrunes. a Feherlofia variety postcards, of com- pro- 168 Alexander Maxwell monthlyandarebelt-buckles soldT-shirts.though only sales, thein T-shirtsseasonally, the heshopkeeper shapeclaimed with offrom rovcistrds pre-Trianon the refused "march shirts inscriptionsto untilprovoked Hungary,estimate fall," concerningHungarian-themedTypicaldabblers postingscontributing rovcisirds include webpages software.one or linksIn two andexamining messagesto announcements dabblers a year. vis-à-vis agitators, rovesircis or I visitorsajscigof"great rain:Lyn-cis tointerest."(Rune-writing Gabor enthusiasts: Heves' Newspaper), webpage, contributorsI will use a"A listserv;totwo magyarRovcistrds sources and to examine the network ingreaderHowever,focusedarticulate was response, Davidon dabblers' possiblethe Csaba'srevisionist one postings particularlyideological denunciation ideology. on Rovcistras successful Measuredof English ajsetg post- by discrepancies. Browncouldoverlaphasrovdstras" a guestbook confirm is very not (The the little; from Hungarian(Hevesonly Brown bothpoint 1999). groups. Runicof is connection theThese Writing), onlyNevertheless, two person between sources which I theinnos.edloanwords, languagetwo so-called 381-383): follow-up including purism. 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Heves'tijscig, and iswebpagetobut presumablyRovcistrasFfir he neverdemonstrably (1999) contrib- tijscig.known also webpageHungarian,Taiirtqan,tionno. from 389).13 on thea encouragedTurkish only contributor runesrune Hungarians enthusiast.(Rovastrds who did to Doquzoguztijscig notexamine post 2002, in a significantly,aboutdistinctThese different two networks, sources, are sections notbut therefore, connectedprovide of aHungarian single instead do to network. notthe information academics formrovaarcis two interested in rowisfrds, writing?rectionrevisionist"related of (I rune-writing views.tothink the so)." ChineseSipi wonderedOther show orVisitors HungarianJapanese that whether rovcisircis to systems Heves'respon- the di- is webpageof also articulated Basin)mendenceben"amongcommentsSandor'snetwork. posted other 1992 None in entries (Rune-WritingeditedlinguisticHeves' of the tovolume guestbook. sevenRovdstrds sources "Rovasircfscontributors in the onCif*This Carpathianthe or isa internet: tokcirpcit-notwrote Klara true orszcigunkkamagyarorszcigasborders dentsNagy clearmade Magyarorszeg (our by their smalldescribed (Rump dissatisfaction country).14 (Great Hungary),their Hungary), country withCriticism and ofHungary's tniCson-origin andkis enthusiasts.Forattracts example, postings Mendelelist, from both devotedacademicsRovasireis to andtijscigYiddish, amateur is the brainchild of Gabor andpostingsutor:were these not14 to outso figures Ravi:birds overwhelming,of 81 should postings tifstig be treatedbut(17%),have he more still asexcluding approximations. thanwas onethe spam. topcontributor, contrib- Some 4jscig.12tributedpagesHosszti, on roughlyan HungarianNevertheless, agitator 40% who runes.of total hasmost Inwrittenentries entries2001, toseveral Hossu comeRovcistrcis web-fromcon- 13 Tafincian sought to derive HungarianandaccountAsiarunes: Shldts called "Gokturk runes ... insteadit Orhun wouldfrom writings of writingsTurkish be'Indo-European' very which shouldhelpful have have languages."beento look beenfound at takenGokturks inTaiffiqan Central into 11 Rovaskis iijscig is cited indefunctserver, this article http://nitnrud.eet.bme.hufrovas. and from the textsits old cited web in this paper This existserver only is now in "Magyarinfluencedintranslatedposted Turkish. to Konyv"Roveisircis histhe The commentbooks Turanian("Hungarian published ajscig into hypothesis, in Hungarian.Book") English,Fellerlefia: described incidentally,but HisLaszlo a listwebpage its memberKaHay's date also of is [email protected]://groups.yahoo.com/group/rovas/.nowthe author'smust offered join personalat the a new group server:collection. by sending [WWW However, Toan document] reademail the the to archive, rovas- listURL. is 14 represented.TheJulianyear."publication names calendar.I do notPannonia,asAdditionally, 1361 know of howHunnia, the four "Turanto translateHungarian-language and peoplesMagyarhon this bookdate were intoprinting respon- alsothe 12 Roveisircis @sag first appeareda2000-2001, month, on Februaryexcluding an average 2, spam. 1999. of twelveIn In 2000, messages Hosszd's appeared contributions each domain.gary,"dents described and another their seven location with with "hu," the EnglishHungary's word internet "Hun- Anthropos 99.2004 Contemporarymayhate mailhave areremoved Hungarian conspicuously them. Rune-Writing absent, though Heves respondents14 revealed listed no city on the of origin.map as Some"other probably Hungary," hail 169 Miksey,effortalguestbookHeves' Hungarians to forpage preserve attractedexample, includes in the our much Americanthankedinformation Nations admirationRovcisircis Heves [sic]diaspora. in English, historyfromCijseig for Steven "thesever- appearsand his in Hungarian, but since Fig.landniainfrom Anglophone contrasts 3,ofBudapest. adoptedthe ancient strikingly countries. Anotherfrom Hungarian an with25 agitator's respondentsThe the culture.lack imagined map of rovelsirks(13%) depictingConsider home- live enthusiasts in Transylva- Yorkfromforrovcisircistreasure." the andclaimed people related fromBrown that and to."thehe culture declared andwebpage,A Hungarian some that her friendsthus I "loveam livingcasting haddescended and inlearned Heves respectNew in findstoeastofrovdstrds Fig.modern (numbers of 2,the notearchaeological mapHungary. 5,that depicts6, onlyand The 7)fivethe finds: lieclump Szakelyfold.(2%) within Only visitorsof sources thethree borders Returningto of Heves' inthese the uniquelyofworkthe a role rovasirds "for of Hungarian-American Magyardomnational homepage enlightener. [magyarscigert]." (Heves versionHeStephen 2000),praised the Paulovitch, givesHeves'"paro- a writing in the guestbook acomeafterhomepage discrepancy thefrom treaty thecome SzelcelyfOld.between offrom Trianon; former the geographical andHungarianThe onlycontrast two landsorigin between (1%) lost of Figures 2 and 3 suggests tory"it-doing-the-real-work"theneanuchial there' (seefetishization 1998: Schlesingers-always-an-Irishman-at-the-bottom-of- 92). John of 1991);nationalapproach Kelleher Paulovitch history" to has American spoken similarly(Tisma- his- of unproblematic:suggested,atherovcistrais discrepancy, actual heritage,social the Aswhile European networkDan as noteworthy, enthusiastsBen-Amos "urbaneof enthusiasts. imagineis (1983) literati,theoretically it, hasSuch who and Nova...posits sailed[Torok,"we" Scotia ubiquitous are with a taught common Eric Hungarians.thethat HungarianRed, the Norwegians spelled surname] "Turrik" only Also, reached these ... ah, but no further. Bull! A Magyar ... Torok? rurality.nessqualityconceived was The of folklore's countryside the idea proper of and folklore," breeding the open ground.attributed space of Man's wilder- to itclose the az54thNYvolInfReg't,gageMinnesota. sameigaz! in fighting[it'sRunes Mytrue!] have goodness,at Thecommandthe been firstbattle found wordsthe byof firstCol.Gettysburg up of Istvan inUSthe Wisconsin battlereg't Kovacs was to could en-the ...and theclaims:consideredcontact modem with Rovcisirds the natureRepublic ultimate in enthusiasts villages sourceof Hungary, ofandFigures hislive hunting myth specificallyin the 2and bandsand cities poetry. 3 was support ofin both of Ben-Amos' KensingtonThisbeenaroundwell have ignoredreference for been a veryRune(Heves Magyar. to long Stone,Minnesota 2000). time My a point?famous surely Magyars hoax refers of have Scandi- to been the ... and their presence has Budapest,sharedenthusiaststo rural by Transylvania.but dabblers supportnevertheless a and coherent attributeagitatorsThe national institutions their alike. heritageideology, Indeed, and social networks of rovcisirds contributorspart.amateurnavian is runology. runology to state Paulovitch to theirits Scandinavian Heves'location, thus linksguestbook, allowing Hungarian counter- unlike an Rovcisfrcis @Mg, asks Despiteogyacademy,workingideology conflicts the in definespresumably higher mythic with the educationaccepted originsmovement. since the ofhistoricalreject revisionist the Even thescript enthusiastsnarratives.Hungarian cosmol-in rural even47theextent.estimate (24%) modern more Of from centralof 192Republic the Budapest. respondents, rowisircis than ofFig. Hungary, Budapest network's2 139suggests: (72%) andis geographical probably ofcome at the least from44 Rovcisircis"EthnicsocialbanTransylvania, areas, network Nationalism revisionism, particularly thishas branchesculturein inBudapest.a Transnationalconclusion, has on its everyNevertheless, centers constitutes World" continent. in (cf. ur-its 15 For information on the KensingtonFred hoax,Hamori, see another Blegen rovrisircis 1968. enthusiast, has also claimed RovcisinisDanforth 1995). Usage in the Twenty-First Century Anthropos 99.2004 chttp://www2.4dcomm.com/milleniadeiferic.htm>inthe American Kensington before rune stoneColombus," as Hungarian, WWW see document. "A Hungarian URL transformThe strong it intoideological a symbol meanings of a specific of nationalistthe script 170 Alexander Maxwell enos.g0 loWestern Europe -21Hellen (Sm. ) Bonska Bysren/Besotexcebinya Self Ptafe^,e1Pleue of ResameeRovestrisGuestbook Homepage Signets .00011ersTnutoMoo. Zurefilumoho Lots BelporoSoodan loorlolart London Haney Osnabrack Gyo ato Vesoprent Ce) szek(3febervar aKeesbnatt Debrecen 144 Other Hungary' sem,0 1,x6o1 IduzegMarsoasarlolyMamma Ciue/Csokszereda 0 New YorkNorth Amence 19 Rest of the World .3 Bujumbun.,N, AustraheiNew Zealand SyMy 5 loanruytvaro,VollungionSallatehewanoml,(e, Carob.. carom. ox. Owl+ Mmou Qao Conon.. 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Other findsNieholsburgBologna, Istanbul -90tit-9141 a, ocr A187319000 IAJ 10111131 00,14119X 4.9411,1011<81 anoff .14:849/11MIX sFig. fras1997). 3: finds (based onMain Kucsera locations of rook- tivatedHungarianmyth"orthographic proclaiming as a people.vehicle act." the Hungarianfor To antiquityliteracy, test this runes buthypothesis,and as gloryare a patrioticnot of consid-cul- the During TradesteredbeganUnnepe many researching and more:Crafts"), (officially whothis which article,seeks, translated I Myfinds.attendedof course, first as thespecimen on I encoun-"FestivalAugust comes of from the Mestersegek threetwoer a seriesyears' specimens of residency rovcisircis of rovcistras in texts Budapest, in by actual chance. I encountered use. After I castle20, 2001. hosted During live themusic, festival, folk dancing,the grounds food of stalls, Buda Anthropos 99.2004 Contemporary Hungarian Rune-Writing 171 megythecommonboastedand inscription various a aMagyart! inszakelykapu, handcraftTransylvania. tAYCC , God, N4 stands.16 a BC* "traditional" bless The P Theszekaykaputhe mainMagyar!, wooden entrance bore gatethe (Isten add inalsonemrovaarcisseveral ligatures (no/not)that ligatures freeware,the for arguablyrune [vii] that including{1} and formingdo appears not[Os] a occursinglean (bothin ideograph. mirror characterin in Hosszil's the image Notefirst for theirshoppingcassetteThefirst secondwordsalbum Imall. purchased "Ethnosphera" ofspecimen theThe Hungarian New ingraces AgeDuna with band thenational thePlaza, cover wordsLux a anthem). decorated of modernBP*PPI a tape betweenthusthisboustrophedon.line), textFig. suggesting the4inspired runs two Thefrom [it] that me orthographic ligatures right-to-left.the to reproduceauthor (in sophisticationtheis The familiar firstit difference by and hand, with last of to-left.thesetheEQ same(Magyar "folkloric" Neither phrase zene, used inspecimens theligatures,Hungarian Latin were alphabet.neither music) written deleted Bothnext right- C.ofto graffiti.lines) reflects a discrepancy in the hand-scrawled)-E. A /KM ,PI} 11 M[it] dr, [ha] [vajr[6s) [is], de beenawhichThe {k}. szekaykapumechanically Bothwas writtenspecimens, text twice.transliterated includedin other Neither words, a by textdouble a couldrovcistrdscontained letter, have S'11M AAtlX1 91-11% .)/-Dfl 0 1419/ 9 ...A0111 A[Cs]ak [it'] pap[ir] [ga]z[da][ja][dm] minden] `m[belirilleg [Ig][amil[b6]I semmi? kdl supposedlyThetions;novice. szekelykapu both createdthe original inscription folkloric medium wasculturalBoth carvedfor specimens rovidstrcis associations. into wood, have in- primarily decorative func- reddapest,Fig. 4:[degree Roveisircis2001. of distinction] ifThe the graffitiperson owning(Fig. 4) it means: "What good is a graffiti in National Szechenyi Library, Bu putativeportance.ofscriptions;context: a stag, "ancient These ana the cassette animal Lux specimens, tradition" cassettetape, of symbolic like however,toincludes the a contemporaryrovcistrcis national adapta picture im- post-the Thetotruth,is aan giant author Englishit matters nothing? of inscription:Fig. only The 4, here in paper the [in "pornchicksThe same isthe nottwo library].18 sophisticated, everything, other RULE!" rowisircis in graffiti responded irrelevantoffromThecards rovdsirds. Hungarian in1823, Feherlofia, to well theHistorical national experienceafter is a anthem, themodern accuracy putative of furthermore, culturalauthenticity: is, golden of artifact.course, dates age as e[rt]ek,handwriting,weak."isligature-employing the only Thediscussed comment second responded above.) rovcisinis handwriting, worth "I anything, agree" author, commented (tr withthe WO; others different egyet "this are Festivalatmospheretraditionsthedemonstrated English of can Trades inventionof bein a invented.Trevor-Roper'stimeless and ofCrafts, the nationalThe Scottish and szacelykapu famous thus tradition kilt fulfilled essay (1992), lent to the onitsan an.seemsinmens their Hungary's not particularly content: only nationalin at their firstfolkloric, technicallibraryglance,These cultural, isnothing sophisticationitself graffiti or aabout symbol Hungari- differ them but of from the folkloric speci- "Orszagossophistication.lyfunction. from the Szech6nyiother In two, Hungary's bothKonyvtdr," inThe contentnational next on rowisirsisaand library,toilet technical paper specimensthe differ significant- actresses.inapparentlyasHungary's conjunctionit does Indeed, the culturalrejects valuewith a scholarlyheritage, Latin-alphabetadmiration of a distinguished yetvalues, for Fig. pornographicgraffiti particularly4, mocking degree, in the authors.handwriting,observeddispenser[CI deletion. Both three in atheymade rovcisirds Theseventh were longestextensive floorgraffiti.17written of theusemen's by threeof Judging two ligatures restroom, (Fig. different by 4) andthe used I themegjegyzesek!"same library!),library's bathroom symbolic shows (Long stall, more value. "Elenek live apparent commentsYet a konyvtdrhozthe appreciation tension worthy between mato' of mainstream scholars 1617 OneWhen of Ithe noticed folkcraft these booths graffiti, sold I booksdidpropagationdid not on counthave differs anythis asphoto- from one ofusage. my "three instances": conscious rovosinis, but I Hungary'srejectionsophisticatedand the of roydarcisacademic book ligatures learning institutions:subculture and is {C}instead deletionsuggests do athe rejection graffiti'snot that stake ofthis a Anthropos 99.2004 removed.agraphic notebook. equipment By 11 with February me and 2002, I copied the graffitithese graffiti had been into 18 For this and other translations,Petra I amHajdu, indebted PNG. to the wit of 172 Alexander Maxwell therefore,genuineposesknowledgecertain as claim thanthe formof guardianofto rovcisn-cis, erudition?Hungarian an integral of a By nationaluniversities. part displaying of tradition the The advancedgraffiti's runes, more the author implicitly runesrillicsetnaryrovciskis byare oppositionis otherhighly the typographical default languages ideological, to the script Latin withculture usedevenLike alphabet.several byfindsinSerbian Serbia; scripts.itself Cyrillic usein Cy- bi- of or German black letter, the standard Hungarian meaningwouldmeaning'beenof the not meantpro-pornography fromthe evoke same theironically, revisionist script sentence itself. messages, nationalist claims.inModern Withthe Latin whichthe connotationsHungarian exception alphabet may have rune-writing thus acquires Latincontexts.lettercosmopolitanism.and letters is worldwide, also indicatesHeavy popular Inmetal also a incontemporary conscious folkloric use fans, black both orcommitment heritageletter.German, in Germany Yet related black toblack fullytered.dominateUnnepe, with In the the more Hungarian officially-recognized specimens moderate revisionism of visions rovcisircis of coexistsMestersegek Hungarian I encoun- peace- nouncedmultipleandletter1998: hyper-nationalists, scripts by 48;and Hitler Schwemer-Scheddin ambiguousalso as appeal "Jewish despitenational to Germanletters" having meanings 1998: (Willbergrevisionists been63). reflect Thesede- provedbetweenignoredloricculture decoration. essentialandin the the history,revisionist bathroom toIdeological decoding and and graffiti,the academic script meaningsthe however: text. serves cosmologies cannot asconflict folk- be muchmissedYvonnepublishingized" wider modern inSchwemer-Scheddin use: comparisonas recently black German letter asto blackthethe dominated nineteenthLatin(1998: letter alphabet, 66)as German century."ghetto-has dis-since HowTypographicalThe does "Vernacular the rovilarcis Nationalism Academy" movement and compare to lin- reality."onlyapplicableit "lacks if However, restricted a to connection roveisirds. thisto ideological critique to current Aseems scriptcontexts: sociopolitical even can sustaingeneralmore a pure ideological meaning example,Thedevelopedmovementsguistic Czech nationalism both into and promoting beganfull-fledged Slovak elsewhere with nationala specificthe nationalist cultivationin Europe?movements, language movements: of Several Slavic have for replacetions.useselectingsignificant. would That the rovcisircisinevitably Latinenthusiasts: The alphabet,subculture enthusiastsdilute by limitingtherefore, restricts do not its itself isaspire highly to self-to ideological associa- scope, it alreadymodeltwentiethandliterature ended for exists. (Hroch atformingrovcisircis the end 1985). nation-states ofculture: theYet eighteenth this a atHungarian hardly the end centuryseems of state the a boastsmoremaintainsrevisionist ghettoized a more its ideologicalnationalism. coherent than Germanpurity. sociopolitical RovcisfreisSome black scholars letter,meaning: is much yetmight hesitate to classify such a canfromwegian,may also choosewithin. famously,take either Domesticnational Cyrillichas and strugglesmultiple linguisticRovcisercis or Latin alphabets,within form. contest a nation with Hungarian national discourses letters; Nor- Serbs doctrine"thatculturalscribing(1993: the phenomenondesire 5)of certain nationalismeven for suggests sortsone's as (Smith of"nationalism," own that national 1983:state"identifying consciousness is21). thebelieving Breuilly should"core and de- not be confused with nationalism." different(Bainblackevenother debated letterscriptand political Shaw (aka (Haugen the "Gothic forces1998; merits 1966); Wehdesupporting letters")of the and 2000). inGermans theone YetReichstag or an-thesehave Roman type and ofcognitivepracticaldeployNevertheless,... nationalism nationalist category,frame," Hungarian(1996: toarguments asuse classificatory16; Brubaker's runesee and also enthusiasts terminology reformulationPorter scheme, 1996: they "as as "nationsanneapparentlyschoolsordisagreements another Wehde andand officialreject administration:people (2000: concern the standard notHungarian 252 stateonly f.) rovolartisalphabet sponsorshiphasbe state considered suggested inenthusiasts toto. of thatasoneSu- a for use in concepttooexcludes1472). narrow. Any of Hungarian a definition"vernacular rune of enthusiastsacademy" Nevertheless,"nationalism" may is probablyYulian clarifywhich Konstantinov's (1997: 36) languagesubjectmunity," ofcommunity, whose analysis. "typographical but also as culture" a script forms com- the "nationalism"provokingthe status endlessof theshould rowisircis arguments denote. movementKonstantinovabout what thewithout devel- word Anthropos 99.2004 Contemporaryadministration,speakingoped this Muslimsterm Hungarian towho discuss living areRune-Writing obsessed theunder Pomaks, hostile "by a Bulgarian- passionateBulgarian siastsparanoia,cultural must inferiority, the be motives sought or someof in Hungarian the variety beliefs of rune ofcollective enthu-enthu- 173 whichofnovstatethesearch 'proofs' official (1997: monopoly forhave 'proofs' 37)areacademy" ... also artifacts,beenover which tells identity-affairs."found in us"reaction documentsare that (while better "the against repairing thanmain andKonstanti- those sources nation-books the of bawmsocialderivedgreatever,siasts. Marxisttends Theoreticalconsequences1992; nineteenth-century to scholarsAnderson emphasize literature ofof industrialization1991).nationalism, material nationalismon nationalism,Vladimir causes.for example,from (Hobs-Tisma- how- The the tilitysameresemblemosquerovcisircis towardobsession in Konstantinov's the theinscriptions village)."with existing "proofs," neverstatePomaks:Rovdsinis andacademy. appear theythe enthusiasts samein show Thoughmosques, hos- the Gellnercultiesalindulgingneanu post-socialist (1998:of (1983: fantasies"the transition"83), 124)societies, comparing of even the explain suggestsrovcisircis declared the their"messianic, "the thattype emergence. main national- in sever- diffi- self- includesFerenctrast:maks Fodor'sPomaksand ten rovasirdsspecimens (1996)have aenthusiasts discovereddifferentlist of Opposingrovcisircis ethnonymlies in churches.19a decisive all artifacts vis-à-visthese con- parallels between the Po- tiongrip"ing."ists' "preciseor between to a viable doctrines groups high that are culture share hardlyYet "access... if, worthbecause as Gellnerto analyz- educa- there argued, "nationalism has no Non-revisioniststherowisircisin the sameBulgarians. 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"viable" to share and howis havescientists,comeno cancultural accessinto the rovcistrcisbeing?chemists, differentiation," to the Electrical same psychologists,vernacular education (1983:engineers, academy 95, and and 89,computer so viablehave97), forth turesgarians.Hungary'sand ignorant, the antistate true ornational motives"human interest, of zeros," theThe rovcisirdsyet concept or remain traitors move-of Hun- a to"vernacular academy" cap- nals,plain"culturalbasedhigh consumer culture the around rovcisinisdifferentiation." as products, rovosirdsother Hungarians.culture and constitute Nor culturalthrough can Clearly, a oneinstitutions self-inducedsocial fullythe class. jour- ex- theiradence.ment groupspoken statewithout Konstantinov whose language is unproblematic,implying cultural with coined hidden thedistinctiveness dominant thethough desires term theyfor groupto vis-a-visindepen-describe share in their a RowisirdsDemocratscallycausal:educated support urban, enthusiasts Hungarians, (the the educated SZDSZ, Liberal-left are but mostly seeHungariansneither Bozoki Allianceurban, characteristic 1999: mostcollege- of 110).typi-Free is state.embryonicenceofficialcan Thedescribe between stateterm nineteenth-century pronouncements. any "vernacularHungarian group contesting rune academy," enthusiastsSlovakPerhaps the however,and validitythe and Roma-differ- the of Revisionistfar-rightology devisedHungarian Hungarians Hungarians to meet Truth share psychologicalpresumably and a Lifeself-glorifying Party vote needs. (M1EP). for ide- the languagezation.thefornian expansion:Latin national Nineteenth-century enthusiastsalphabet, Rovcisircismovements acquiesce tried enthusiasts,to Slovaklies expand in in their theirand their by marginali-Romanian potentialaccepting script to claimstoricallegitimation,identity[W]hen primordiality,to haveall territorial other vanished,myths sources domination culturalare the resurrected of past preeminence,self-pride (Tismaneanu becomes to andjustify a and principle collective1998: superior ... 92).his- of linguisticlightunwillingan illiterate on the tonationalism. peasantry, acceptambiguous the even nationalistWhether role if Thethe ideology from peasantsrovelsircismyths. feelings plays proved vernacular inof academy thus sheds movement,clearlymayTismaneanu's have the its right however, faults, reading path. but suggest of psychological the Thenationalistthat self-limitingideology profiling motives is not aspirationsis of the rovcisircis 19 The church finds are in Bonyha, BOgoz,Homoindkaracsonyfalva, Dalnok, Gelence, Kozep-ajta, Nagykasyon, Pomaz, According to Dtiwel isrowisirtislarsufficient not academy "viable" vernacular on to itsin a themassown academy,sense tonational transform that inindependent movement.its present a vernacu- form,states The Anthropos 99.2004 discovered(1968:4),Szentmihaly, Swedish in churches. and Szekelyderzs. runic inscriptions are also regularly Norwere do founded rovcisircis on Czech enthusiasts or Slovak aspire high to make culture. the runesadministration;174 the basis of indeed, Hungarian many participantsliteracy or arestate not Diiwel,1968 Klaus handlung.Runenkunde, Stuttgart: J. B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuch- Alexander Maxwell claims,naculareven Hungarian willacademy, probably citizens. though remain Thus permeated mostly the rovdsfreis culturalby political ver-and Everson,1998 Michael Draft1 Proposal to Encodeof OldISOHEC Hungarian 10646-2. in Plane