Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1976 (4. évfolyam, 9-12. szám)

1976 / 12. szám

supported language maintenance, the Catholic and Jewish churches did not. The second important study is John Kosa’s Land of Choice; The Hungarians in Canada, which examines the importance of the extended family or sib system as a factor in preserving Hungarian traditions. Linda Degh’s studies focus on the “need to define the social and cultural identity of immigrants with respect to their native traditions and also in relation to the social structure of the receiving country." She recommends the study of ethnic groups as multicultural subsocieties, and suggests concentration on two essential aspects of ethnic life: the retention of cultural traditions and the impact of the American social environment. An extensive documentation provides a valuable bibliography on immigration studies.

It is worth noting that an extensive essay, entitled Ungarn- Forschung in Nordamerika in den Jahren 1960-1972 (Hungarian Research in North-America during the Years 1960-1972) by Prof. Body has been published in the UNGARN-JAHRBUCH, Vol. 6, (1974-75) of the Ungarisches Institut, 8 München 40, Clemensstrasse 2, West Germany. Prof. Body is at Ohio State U. □

R. Hetzon, “Where the Grammar Fails,” Language 51 (December 1975) 859-872. This article uses the Hungarian-/* verbs as an example of a gap in the morphological system of languages: these verbs lack the paradigms which would normally be formed by a consonantal suffix. The author groups the verbs according to types and seeks the historical explanations in epenthesis. O

Alan A. Brown, Joseph A. Licarl and Egon Neuberger,

“Productivity Measurement in Socialist Economies Using Divisa Idexes and Adjusted Factor Shares,” Southern Economic Journal 42 (Jan. 1976) 482-485.

The authors present a formula for partially purging price distinctions between capitalist and socialist economies. They give an “empirical method of computing synthetic factor shares from official socialist data” and show the “sensitivity of Divisa index productivity calculations.” They use Hungarian data for their calculations. □

“Poxes on Boxes,” The Economist, 258 (Feb. 7, 1976) 52.

In late January, as a result of public protest, a decree providing for all school children to be classified according to social origin was withdrawn. The opposition centered on fears that this “rating,” which was to accompany students from kindergarten through the university, might be detrimental to certain classes, as earlier quota systems had been to students from a non-worker or non-peasant background. □

The Chicago Review 27 (Winter 1975-76) 97-105, brings translations of several Hungarian poems: “Father” of Tibor Gyurkovics and two poems by Gyula Illyés, “Katalin’s Children” and “Budapest 1945” in the versions of Nicholas Kolumban; Attila József's “Elegy” and “Winter Night” by Steven Polgar, and Miklós Radnóti's “Lover’s Play” by Nicholas Kolumban again. All are accurate and quite effective as English poems: the Hungarian authors can be recognized in the verses, and the words, images and metaphors generally convey the sense of the original. □

Szuprowicz, Bohdan O. “Computers from Communist Countries,” Datamation 22 (Sep. 1976) 79-86.

The author reviews the notion that COMECOM countries are becoming important customers for American computers,

ARTICLES (Continued)

and concludes that most of the trade seems to be conducted within the Eastern bloc - partly because of the lack of hard currency. Hungary, which manufactures the ES-1010 and which is developing the ES-1005 and ES-1008, contributes a minicomputer to the RIAD system. Each manufacturing enterprise, however, is authorized to operate its own foreign trade organization as well as to take advantage of Metrimpex, the centralized agency. Videoton RT is the best known electronics manufacturer, and has been licensed by Dataproducts to manufacture the 2310 and 2410 line printers. Minicomputers are also manufactured by the institute of the Hungarian Academy of Science, MTA-KFKI, and Orion- Radio’s GD-71 was purchased by Control Data Corporation for its RIAD ES-1040 installation in Washington. Other firms involved are Hungarian Optical Works (MOM) and TRTOrion. In 1973, a total of $25.2 million worth of data processing equipment was exported, chiefly to the Soviet Union and the GDR. □

Gömöri, George. “Tradition and Innovation in the Literature of the Hungarian Diaspora," Books Abroad 50 (Spring, 1976) 303-307.

Although Hungarian literature in exile dates back to Kelemen Mikes in the 18th century, it was not until the early nineteen sixties that a literature in diaspora really emerged. The Kossuth emigration did not create a literature of its Own, and the large wave of intellectuals who left Hungary in 1919- 20 soon worked within the framework of other cultures or returned to Hungary. Some writers (Ferenc Molnár, Ferenc KÖrmendy, Jolán Földes, Lajos Biró) became known abroad, but they wrote for the world market and were not representative of Hungarian traditions. In spite of the exodus of many middle class Hungarians in 1945, no real literature was created by these emigres. The works of the 1956 emigration led to the creation or continuation of two literary journals: Irodalmi Újság (since 1957) and Új Látóhatár (until 1963 Látóhatár). Considering that one of every third Hungarian lives outside the present borders of Hungary, the diaspora makes up a substantial part of the nation. Thus, the question of “how to innovate without losing a sense of identity and how to introduce tradition into the present without hampering progress” becomes a particularly difficult one.

Surveying the current state of Hungarian literature in diaspora, Gömöri concludes that it is weak in fiction, with the best works being essays or reminiscences rather than imaginative works (Sándor Márai, Aron Gábor, and Bela Szász). Other prose writers share the tradition of László Cs. Szabó or have political and sociological leanings. There are more poets than prose writers, and many are up to the standards of their counterparts in Hungary. Their most tangible contribution might be a “bridge-building” between cultures. Finally, there are dramatists of distinction, such as Miklós Domahidy, Gyula Hay, and Gyozó Hatar. The latter one seems to have surpassed the limitations of emigre writings dealing with questions of universal significance, albeit rooted in the theme of exile, e.g. Kötélvilág. □

Dr. Gömöri is at Cambridge U.

Vardy, Steven Bela, "The Foundation of the Hungarian Historical Association and its Impact on Hungarian Historical Studies,” Paper presented at the First Annual Meeting of the American Hungarian Educators’ Association, Cleveland, Ohio, November 1975.

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NO. 12, 1976-77 HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER

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