Szerint(ünk) – ‘according to (us)’

Abstract

In the paper, we first introduce the several aspects of meaning and sentence-types in which szerint expressions
(‘someone thinks’, ‘in someone’s opinion’, lit. ‘according to someone’) and their declined forms (with personal endings) can occur in. Second, we show how three aspects (meaning, mood, person) can be combined almost freely, resulting in an intricate system of meanings, and how the form–meaning combinations can be systematically characterized using the tools of theoretical linguistics. Third, we propose six further factors that can also be relevant to the discussion of the meanings and usages of szerint expressions in Hungarian Language Teaching (HLT). Finally, we consider how these theoretical findings can inform the practice of teaching and learning of szerint expressions in HLT.