Hardi Tamás - Tóth Károly (szerk.): Határaink mentén. A szlovák-magyar határtérség társadalmi-gazdasági vizsgálata (2008) (Somorja, 2009)
Esettanulmányok
Summary 223 Table 4. Breakdown of the travellers by the frequency of the border-crossings, in per cent Country Border section Daily Weekly Monthly Few times a year Every few years Hungary Western* 0.0 3.4 12.7 39.8 44.1 Eastern 0.9 4.3 11.2 39.7 44.0 Total 0.5 3.9 11.8 39.7 44.0 Slovakia Western 3.1 8.4 19.5 48.8 20.2 Eastern 2.1 8.0 13.6 45.4 30.9 Total 2.7 8.2 17.4 47.6 24.0 All Western 2.0 6.7 17.2 45.6 28.5 Eastern 1.4 5.9 12.2 42.1 38.5 Total 1.7 6.3 14.9 44.0 33.1 * Sections: west or east of the Ipoly River. Source; Questionnaire survey of inhabitants (2008) border section that the nearest urban centre with a larger supply of durable goods can be found on the other side of the border. Image of the other people, the inhabitants of the other country In our research we looked at how people viewed the nation on the other side of the border and what characteristics they attributed to the people living there. Hungarians have traditionally considered themselves as a friendly nation. This characteristic is on the top of the list not only in the self-image of the Hungarians; the neighbour nation, the Slovaks also think that the most characteristic feature of the Hungarians is their hospitality, friendliness. This is true for both the Hungarians living in Hungary and the Hungarian ethnic citizens in Slovakia. The average values always reached, in connection with the Hungarians living in Hungary even exceeded four (on a five-grade scale). Besides the above-mentioned trwo characteristics, the Slovaks basically see the Hungarians as a happy, proud, clean, creative, helpful, busy and educated nation (with average values at or over 3.8); this image is by and large identical with the self-image of the Hungarians. Practically these are the traits that the respondents of the survey found most typical for the Hungarians living in Slovakia too, irrespective of the eth-Table 5. Breakdown of cross-border travellers by purpose of the travel, in per cent Border section Western Eastern Total Hungary Slovakia Hungary Slovakia Hungary Slovakia Employment 1.3 4.1 0.4 3.3 0.8 3.8 Business affairs 2.8 3.6 1.7 4.5 2.2 3.9 Purchase of durable goods 6.6 18.7 21.7 22.8 15.6 20.1 Weekly or monthly shopping 24.1 11.1 11.9 4.8 16.8 8.9 Leisure, holiday, sightseeing 44.9 35.2 39.7 46.8 41.8 39.3 Cultural events 2.8 12.9 4.7 9.0 3.9 11.5 Visiting relatives 5.4 10.5 10.0 5.1 8.1 8.6 Other 12.0 3.9 10.0 3.6 10.8 3.8 *Sections: west or east of the Ipoly River. Source: Questionnaire survey of inhabitants (2008).
