Magyar Herald, 1988 (1-4. szám)
1988 / 1. szám
Ist QUARTER, 1988 QUARTERLY NEWS LETTER OF THE MAGYAR CLUB OF CLEVELAND MAGYAR HERALD “PERPETUATING HUNGARIAN CULTURE SINCE 1 9 2 4 ” RA VASZ LÁSZLÓ Elvehetetlen nemzeti vagyon j1 Nekünk a nyelvünk nagyobb kincsünk, mint a földünk, S mert régibb, s akkor is él, amikor már a föld nem a mienk. <, Nagyobb, mint a történelmünk, mert a történelem a nyelv- 11 ben elfér, de a nyelv nem fér el a történelemben. Ezt az élő, 11 zengő testet, ezt az óriási és közös műalkotást, kibeszélhetet\ len szépségű lélekparkot maga az Alkotó teremtette, sok 11 ezer év finomította, fejlesztette, ápolta; dolgozott rajta az 1, idő, az évszakok járása, természeti és történelmi erők. Láng- 11 elmék alkotásaikkal gazdagították, felfedezők kincseiket ide- 11 rejtették el, győzelmeikkel ezt szentelték meg. Igazán közös \ • kincsünk: az egyetlen nemzeti vagyon, amelyből a szegény S embernek is éppen annyi jut, mint a hercegnek, s csak annak nincs belőle semmije, aki maga dobta el magától. (| Titkos jegy, amelyről minden bábeli zűrzavarban egymás-I [ ra ismerünk, címer, amelyet büszkén hordozunk az emberi (' szellem mérkőző porondján. Leghűbb képünk, mert nem ,1 nyelvünk olyan mint mi, hanem mi vagyunk olyanok, mint \ nyelvünk. Bástyánk, lélekgyepünk, védelmi rendszerünk, S hódító hadseregünk; szent kapunk, amelyik kizár és befogad, menedéket nyújt és otthonunkat jelzi. \ ' Nincsen nemzeti vallásunk; művészetünk, tudományunk II és jogrendünk épp úgy Európáé, mint a mienk, egyedül a ', nyelvünk a mi külön sajátunk és senki másé. Ezt beszélni és 11 mívelni: az igazi Ars Hungarica! The Article above in both languages is the most classical masterpiece ever written about the inmost meaning of the mothertounge of most of us or our forefathers and foremothers. It does have an extraordinary message to us, members of the Magyar Club of Cleveland, so close to the beginning of the second Century of our life in this new Land of the free. We are the Eighth Tribe of the Magyars and our city is the cradle of this Tribe. As a lesson to all of us we reprint here a few lines published recently in the Hungarian Heritage Review by one our newest members, James Pavlish. „As parents of our two children Ursula 4‘/2, and Vincent Paul I‘h, we feli that we have a rare opportunity to pass on to them the natural ability to be fluent in two languages. Why would we want to do this? Because we can do it. Since we are both fluent in English and Hungarian, we have the opportunity to accustom the children to two languages, an opportunity that is not available to the majority of parents. The tremendous cultural and intellectual adventages of being able to draw upon two language and thought system. As the saying goes: “He who speaks two languages, is two men. ” The obvious reason which corresponds to the purpose of this newsletter and our whole society, namely, to preserve the beautiful and unique Hungarian language and by means of it, to tap the immense universe of Hungarian culture. ” * * * The Preamble of our Magyar Club sets the purpose of our club as follows: “In order to derive the benefits of Magyar Art, Science, Literature and Music, and to encourage the continuance of Hungarian Culture in all its aspects, and to aid Hungarians in America to achieve prominence in the Arts, Sciences, Literature and Music; shall be the purpose of The Magyar Club of Cleveland. ” Unalienable National Treasure Language is greater a treasure than land, since it is older. It will live on even when the land is no longer ours. It is greater than history, because history can find its room in language, but language can not find its room in history. This living, glittering organ; this magnificent and mutually developed piece of art; this undiscribable spiritual garden of beauty was formed by the hand of the Creator. Thousands upon thousands of years have cherished, refined and nurished it. Time upon time; Seasons upon seasons; natural and historical forces have been working on it unceasingly. Masterminds have made it richer and fuller by their mighty works; explorers have hidden their stored wealth inside it; victors sanctified it by their conquests. Unquestioned truth: our language is the only commonly posessed treasure. It is the only national posession that is given to poor and prince alike in same proportion: the only one that has nothing of it is the one, who casts it away by himself. It is a secret symbol making us recognize each other in any kind of Babel; a coat-of-arms, worn by us with pride, on the wide arena of intellectual competition. It is our truest image, since it is not like us, but we are like ‘if. It is our Bastion; our spiritual threshing-floor; our power of defence; our conquering army; our holy gate; that excludes and includes, gives us asylum and signifies our home. We have no national religion; Art, Science, Juris-Prudence belongs to Europe (indeed to the world) as well as to us. Our language alone is our sole treasure; belongs to us exclusively and no one else. To speak ‘it’ and to cultivate ‘it’: that is the true ‘ARS HUNGARICA!’
