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Beáta Bálizs Institute of Ethnology, Research Centre for the Humanities, Budapest

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The present study summarizes the key findings of a multi-year interdisciplinary investigation, performed using specific (ethnographic, anthropological, and linguistic) research methods, into the two color terms mentioned in the title. Originally intended as empirical research involving all Hungarian color terms and individual community-dependent relationships with colors, it was eventually supplemented by a text-based examination of the history of the color terms piros and veres/vörös. A further objective was to answer questions raised in the course of international research concerning the reason for the existence of two color terms with similar meanings in the Hungarian language to denote the red color range. Earlier studies had already suggested that the modern use of vörös, which has more ancient roots in the Hungarian language, may be related to the fact that this color term was previously used more extensively. However, the present research is unique in demonstrating the substantial changes that have taken place in the Hungarian language in relation to the role and meaning of these color terms. It has already been established that the two color terms switched places historically, and that piros today fulfills precisely the same function that for centuries belonged to veres/vörös, until the color term piros began to gain ground in the 19th century.

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  • Bálizs, Beáta 2016.a A sárga és színtársai A sárga-fekete, illetve a sárga-zöld jelentése [Yellow and Its Color Associates. The Meaning of Sárga-Fekete (Yellow-Black) and Sárga-Zöld (Yellow-Green)]. Erdélyi Múzeum 2016(2):3759.

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  • Bálizs, Beáta 2018. “Veres vagiok, piros vagiok”. A piros-vörös színnévkettős a magyar nyelvben és kultúrában [“Veres Vagiok, Piros Vagiok.” The Dual Color Name Piros- Vörös in Hungarian Language and Culture]. Pécs: PhD dissertation.

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  • Bálizs, Beáta 2020. “Veres vagiok, piros vagiok”. A piros-vörös a magyar nyelvben és kultúrában. (Studia Ethnologica Hungarica XIX.) Budapest: L’Harmattan (in Press).

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Senior Editors

Editor-in-Chief: Ágnes FÜLEMILE
Associate editors: Fruzsina CSEH;
Zsuzsanna CSELÉNYI

Review Editors: Csaba MÉSZÁROS; Katalin VARGHA

Editorial Board
  • Balázs BALOGH (Institute of Ethnology, Research Centre for the Humanities)
  • Elek BARTHA (University of Debrecen)
  • Balázs BORSOS (Institute of Ethnology, Research Centre for the Humanities)
  • Miklós CSERI (Hungarian Open Air Museum, the Skanzen of Szentendre)
  • Lajos KEMECSI (Museum of Ethnography)
  • László KÓSA (Eötvös University, Budapest)
  • lldikó LANDGRAF (Institute of Ethnology, Research Centre for the Humanities)
  • Tamás MOHAY (Eötvös University, Budapest)
  • László MÓD (University of Szeged)
  • Attila PALÁDI-KOVÁCS (Institute of Ethnology, Research Centre for the Humanities and Eötvös University, Budapest)
  • Gábor VARGYAS (Institute of Ethnology, Research Centre for the Humanities and University of Pécs)
  • Vilmos VOIGT (Eötvös University, Budapest)
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Translators: Elayne ANTALFFY; Zsuzsanna CSELÉNYI; Michael KANDÓ
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Acta Ethnographica Hungarica
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2023  
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Acta Ethnographica Hungarica
Language English
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1950
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ISSN 1216-9803 (Print)
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