Torsello, Davide - Pappová, Melinda: Social Networks in Movement. Time, interaction and interethnic spaces in Central Eastern Europe - Nostra Tempora 8. (Somorja-Dunaszerdahely, 2003)

Interethnic spaces

Between cultural and geographical borders 161

is no information on the relationship of the dialectal breakdown of the region and its reflections in the folk culture.

Within the Mátyusföld region, it is difficult to identify subregions although residents of Mátyusföld are aware of their existence. Historically, we know some sub-regions; the “Vfzköz” expression, for example, has disappeared from common usage. It first appeared in Canonica Visitatio in 1634 (Püspöki 1989: 181). According to 19lh century sources, the Vfzköz region lay on a land circumscribed by the Čierna Voda, Dudváh and Small Danube Rivers. As stated by other sources:

According to the popular approach, the land embraced by the Small Danube, Dudváh, and Váh Rivers is called “Vfzköz". This area, lying in the north-western9 part of Mátyusföld, already bears Palóc dialectal features. That is the reason why it is regarded as the westernmost part of the extensive Palóc dialectical region.

(Danter, Gudmon and Csfk 1995: 55;

c.f. Danajka 1993: 13)

Summary

1. Since Mátyusföld received its name after Máté Csák, the petty monarch of the 14th century, it is obvious to base the circumscription of the region on historical sources. According to this approach, the region is bordered by the Small Danube on the south, the Váh River on the east, the Little Carpathians on the west, and an imaginary line above Trenčfn on the north. As for its population, there are ethnic Hungarians in the south, Slovaks in the north, and some Germans living scattered in the western corner of the region, around Bratislava and Sládkovičovo.

2. The local Hungarian language in many cases includes also the territory enclosed by the Váh and Hron Rivers. In contrast to this, Slovaks do not consider this area to be a part of the Mátyusföld region. At the same time, in the Slovak language the name Mátyusföld is not a living geographical