Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1979 (7. évfolyam, 19-22. szám)

1979 / 22. szám

RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

István Fodor (Cologne) and Claude Hagége (Sorbonne U.) are preparing a volume on language reforms. The study will survey the history of reforms, the development of new vocabularies, and documentation of language reforms in the Third World. The constituent essays of which 33 have already been written by specialists of each language, will be prefaced by Joshua A. Fishman. The Hungarian essay is being written by István Fodor, who says that aside of Sauvageot's L edifice de la langue hongroise (Paris, 1971), this will be the only such work written for linguists not specializing in Hungarian or Finno-Ugric linguistics. H. Buske (Hamburg) will be the publisher. G

László L. Kovács (Purdue U.), author of “Cleveland Public Library” in East Central and Southeast Europe; A Handbook of Library and Archival Resources in North America (Clio, 1976), is preparing a major paper on the principal research collections about Hungary in the archives and libraries of North America. Such information is much wanted by all those who are interested in Hungarian-related subjects. Because of the magnitude of the task,Kovács would welcome cooperation of interested persons. HU

ARTICLES & PAPERS (Continued)

Schöpflin, George. THE HUNGARIANS OF RUMANIA.

Minority Rights Group Report no. 37. Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NG, 1978. 20 pages, charts, maps, tables, biblio., illus. 75 pennies plus postage.

The largest single group of Hungarians living outside of Hungary is in Transylvania. In fact, it constitutes the largest national minority group in Europe. This attractive pamphlet presents in a scholarly manner the basic facts about geography, population, history, religion, government policies, principal grievances, and the international aspects of the Hungarian minority. Lists of a few relevant books and documentary films are included. The author is a lecturer at the London School of Economics, and at the U. of London. The Report may also be obtained from the Hungarian Reader’s Service, 908-1356 Meadowlands D rive East, Ottawa, Ont. K2K 6K6, Canada. □

Szohner, Gabriel, The Immigrant (Vancouver: Intermedia Press, 1977); a review by John Miska in Canadian Ethnic Studies/Etudes Ethniques du Canada X (1978):2, pp. 202- 203.

This review discusses the merits of the novel of Szohner dealing with the assimilation of three young Hungarian freedom fighters of 1956 into Canadian society. Miska feels that this is an account of a universal experience of adaptation to a host culture and is,furthermore,atruly “Canadian novel" in its particular attitude to man’s environment. The book is one of the notable examples of Hungarian ethnic writing in Canada. G

Lowy, Bernard “Sándor Petőfi, 1823-1849: an Introductory Note,” Revista/Review Interamericana VII (Summer 1978), pp. 325-329.

The author presents Petó'fi’s poem, Egy gondolat bánt engemet, in English and in Spanish, prefaced by a brief note on the poet’s significance as the Poet of Liberty.

The Rákóczi Foundation (P.O. Box 67, Station “L”, Toronto, Ont. M6E 4Y4) is involved in the preparation of an English language Hungarian Heritage Handbook, with the participation of a large number of Hungarianists. The undertaking has the support of the Canadian government which awarded a non-recurring grant for the publication of the handbook, on the understanding that this will be matched by contributions from private sources. Interested persons may write to Dr. Nicholas Korponay, president, at the above address. D Marilyn Barber is researching a book on immigrant women who came to Canada and worked in private homes before World War II. She would be glad to hear from women who would share their own experiences or family recollections with her by correspondence and/or personal interviews. Write to Prof. Marilyn Barber, Dept, of History, Carleton U., Ottawa, Ont. K1S5B6, Canada.

Martin L. Kovács, U. of Regina, is preparing a volume of essays dealing mainly with Hungarians in Canada. Publication date is set for early 1980. G

Albert Tezla, professor of English at the U. of Minnesota, Duluth, is engaged in five projects which will result in major publications. (1) Ocean at the Window: an Anthology of Recent Hungarian Literature will be a 450-page volume to be published in the spring of 1980. (2) Ferenc Sánta. The Fifth Seal and Selected Short Stories, a 405-page manuscript to be published by the Hungarian Cultural Foundation perhaps in cooperation with Corvina Kiadó. (3) The Hazardous Quest: Hungarian Immigrants in the United States, ca. 1895-1914, a Selection of Letters and Documents. This work has the support of the National Endowment of the Humanities and should be in print in 1982 (4) A selection of István Mándy’s works in English translation is in the early stages of preparation. (5) A history of the literature of post-war Hungary, based on the above anthology is another major undertaking upon the invitation of the U. of Minnesota Press. Persons interested may contact Prof. Tezla, c/o Dept, of English, 420 Humanities Bldg., Duluth, MN 55812. G Stephen B. Vardy (Dept, of History, Duquesne U., Pittsburgh, PA 15219), is in the process of researching and writing a book on Hungarian immigration to America, for the Immigration Heritage of America series (Twayne’s Publishers). With a deadline of summer 1981, Prof. Vardy would appreciate any and all assistance or suggestion on this topic from colleagues working in the same or related fields. G

Stephen B. Vardy has about concluded writing a chapter on Hungarian ethnic politics for Joseph S. Roucek’s America’s Ethnic Politics, to be published by Greenwood Press in 1980. Q

ECONOMIC COOPERATION

We heard much about scholarly cooperation between American and Hungarian economists. So, we asked Edward A. Hewett, a visiting scholar at the Russian Research Center of Harvard U. for enlightment. Here is his somewhat abbreviated reply:

In 1973 IREX and KKI jointly sponsored a conference at Balatonfured on the possible collaboration and joint research in the areas of management science, law, and economics. We discussed potential research projects of which East-West trade was most prominent, but nothing really came of it.

In 1974 I spent five months at the Világgazdasági Kutató Intézet working on a study of East-West trade. As a direct

6

NO. 22, WINTER 1979-1980, HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER