ANTHROPOS 99.2004: 161-175 Ideological Linguistic Nationalism Within a Homogenous Nation Contemporary Hungarian Rune-Writing Alexander Maxwell Aabstract

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ANTHROPOS 99.2004: 161-175 Ideological Linguistic Nationalism Within a Homogenous Nation Contemporary Hungarian Rune-Writing Alexander Maxwell Aabstract ANTHROPOS99.2004: 161-175 IdeologicalContemporary Linguistic NationalismAlexander Hungarian Maxwell within Rune-Writing a Homogenous Nation enthusiastscompetencygarianaAbstract. nationalist runes Thiswithassubculture.typically a writingarticlewhich have Itanalyzesthesystem, gives script a high aexplaining Hungarianbriefcan level be explanation written. ofdifferent rune education, Rune-writingenthusiasts of degrees the Hun- and ofas nationalism,velopmentnationalGlobalization(1983), evenmovement inside merely hasdeveloped not the internationalizedto done Empire discuss a awaygeneric of its with Megalomania. historical "Ruritanian" theparticularist arena de- in suggestsspontaneously,ofassociateddensehave this organizedcorrespondence script that with communityideology a but arevisionist semischolarly the network. limited is shows cosmology.insufficient Interestsocial journal, that basis in nationalismThe forthe a of ideologicalbookstore, arunes massthe movementis emergesnationalstrongly natureand ajorityciallywhichstarts nationalfromDanforthnationalist the culturesassumption 1995). symbols objectivelyThis are that literature, contested minority differ, however,(see and though espe- ma- ofAlexandergraffiti]movement. Wisconsin [Hungary,Maxwell, Madison Ph.onrunes, 19th-centuryD. innationalism, History Slovak at thesociolinguistics, nationalism, University gyselectingsociallythis Hungarianemphasizing difference and group historically rune-writing is withautochthony routinely a distinct constructed. enthusiasts acknowledged and nationalist antiquity. are ideolo- a They toself- be theDialectsUniversityMaster's Sociology indegree Chinain ofBudapest. Language.in and Nationalism Slovakia" He has inStudiesrecently the International at published Central EuropeanJournal"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 ofclaimingdirectednationalistineHungarian 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, inin innumerableturnHroch national sharpen schematized (1985: move- theo- case23),useduniversallyaderline linguisticHungarian by case other minority.familiar in rune Hungarians,the enthusiasts degreewith Hungarian the to Latinand which also rune-writers do orthography form theynot aclaim form bor- are amongstateterest"the development theory toEast-European "mass which national such continues groups specialists) movement" fromto attract "scholarlyErnst in admirersa Gellnerfamous in-any1 Magocsi linguistic 1989:50; distinctiveness. Kaiser 1994:34; Books Johnson on 2001. Hungarian runes,less,phabet,rune-writing162 rune-writers nothing and while generally is publishedconsciously much appear is publishedin cultivatethem. in the Neverthe- aboutLatin linguis- theal-itspaperJensenwhich interests istypically 1935; primarily concern Sebesten discusses an the analysis 1909; present. the script's Nemethof a Alexandersubculture, origins 1971). Maxwell (e. This and g., Jungmann,tic1792thanhave skills. the writtenhistory objectHistorically, the books of famousof the adoration: published Czech several Czech language forlanguage-cultivators inlinguist, example,languages and wrote Josephlitera- other hisRovcisircisRoveisireis isas an a Writingalphabetic System system of writing, sev- Hungariantention,3guage,standardizedture and are1809 the script the literaryconscious Czech true deserves codifications,grammarobject cultivation attention, of in nationalist German.2 not of evenspokena different ifSincecon- lan-theletterstheSzikely,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 Thisseparatists. subculture.script, article the examinesrovasirds Itdo begins not see ("runethe withthemselves Hungarian writing," an overview asrune-writ- from linguis- ró,ofdinavianismirrorbackalso read supports and (Royasircisimage runes; forth dependingboustrophedon, downsee shares Ditwel the onthesepage. 1968: which i.features Letters e.,8; way textMorris with appear thethat 1998: scriptScan- runs in withapromotehas"to "revisionist" carve"),been respectable this written a script topic national Hungarian in promote about English. cosmology which nationalism. what The hardly could authorsincompatible beSinceanything called who in-lefttions.poraryright-to-left69-74). proved Cajoling specimens Modem beyond the my correct enthusiasts wordofmy rovcisirds abilities; direction,processor generally samplerun tothough inprint bothroycisfreis contem-right-to-declare direc- andgytherevisionistterest and individualsgeographical in provide the ideological runic espousing adistribution. scriptbrief beliefs, sketchis this highly Then I will nationalof correlated I their alsowill discussideolo-social toaTosontexts typeface Roycisircisthe (1991) in best the hasforoftext has my Hungariancalled of never knowledge, this a "nationalessaybeen runes, what run no print norBenedictleft-to-right.printer haslanguage." ever a Ander- book cut istionallivingroveisfrksthree worthBefore contemporarylanguage-planning in statingBudapest plungingsubculture what specimens Theinto inthis movements.conclusionthethe essay contextanalysis, I encountered overlooks. ofsituates perhaps other while The thena- ittheSciences,linguistictostitutionsever use Latin been Ulrich serving divisionalphabet.forprinted example,Ammon's as inof Hungarian"authorities them.the concerns (1987:Hungarian Rovcisirds state328)of itself prescription," Academy schoolsphrase: hasonly no with thein-do of rune-writing.attentionwingeasilyreactionary politics lead to politicssourcesto generally, Thea discussion analysis ofwhich rovasinis but discussed also ofI have Hungarian enthusiastsmentions restricted or employed analo- right-could mymasshasdonotscouting not teachever literacy, use triedthecamp them. runes,though to in make No Canada and children mass Hungarianrovcisircis learneducational attending to bureaucracies the carve Hungarian basis system runic for writing;hereraryingous passing rune-writing. wereTurkish many Finally,less and comethan ScandinavianAlmost I focus tenfrom years allexplicitly online the old runesources newspapers at oncultures the contempo- discussed time only orofstudyattendWithmessagesThere thevoluntarily. Canadian possibletoare each many summerother exception variants (Siket, camp, of pers.of children roycisfras.rune comm., enthusiasts forced 2003). One to paperwebpages.2 Other from examples mostThis are modemscholarly easy to find.focus literature Iludovit differentiates on'8u1r, rovdsircis, the Slovak thispopular4 Jensenletters, (1935:299) instructionwith a few derivesGreekbooklet, androvdstreis GlagoliticKldrafrom letters Siberian Friedrich's thrown Turkish in, alsoMagyar"guageeducationnational felt teacher more leaderwho in establishedcomfortableCzechin and his language youth. and Hungary's evenin Istvan codifier,German worked Szechenyi, Academy receivedthan as Hungarian. a theCzech ofhis Sciences,"greatest primary lan- man:"Thefromnoting Indiantoinventor C. represent L. Fabri'sBrand of the the characters.hypothesis Hungarian sound a Nemeththathe script took Hungarian over(1971:39... was the runes a Greek f.)learned writesderive 'a'; 3 See1966: Anderson 18-24; Geary 1991:48; 2002:30 Hobsbawm E 1992:54; Haugen enthusiasts,showingfor the e thatthe derive Glagoliticrespectable national `e'; Hungarian pride for the from oscholars, the theAnthropos Glagolitic runes. like amateur99.2004 "Rovdsirdsgyakorlatok,Contemporary[Runic Writing Hungarian Workbook, Rune-Writing nem not csak only gyerekeknek" for Children] numerals.Ten, five, and one are identical to the Roman163 Forrai's,longAdorjan(2000) {ü} gives Magyar's,who into twodistinguishes a single differentwhich rune collapses standardshort {0}; short10) and alphabets:and {0}Sandor long andScandinavianitywood, Runesand a angularlaborious are runedesigned appearance processalphabets, to beexplaining Hungarian carvedof the letters.into the rune-writ- simplic-stone Like or different,{CI}.f Robert is reproduced Szabados'AS below. alphabet,+NT again X11 slightlyforho).example,ing(P example,employs LigaturesC) (a,the e,representsseveral rune mayi, o) {3} tocombine ligatures6 yield the(h) three-runecombines 3£ multiple 31as shorthands.3/ 3E withcombinationletters: (ha, vowels he, PPI, For hi, ASi I-11RPOI HGYG II0 CI15 'IF OWNMLYLEKAKJNqX11),EED)10 DCSC A1,01 BA A whichauthorsdiscussingoptionalMPH (vdr,case have (Everson this meaningthe "quite is use appropriate [a] 1998).of "castle"). largeligatures, Gabor freedom" and Use doescomments Heves of decidingnotligatures (1999),confuse that "in is ZS1E ZX0 0 U UXVITY T SZ AS squareinthe the reader." Latinbrackets. alphabet,When rovcisircis ligatures text are isdenoted transcribed with Fig. 1: Hun-Magyar-Szekely1000 100 50 Rovasirds,10 5 a sample1 rovcishtlanguage,(C)Rovasirds (e), the as most a alsolabor-saving
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