Hungarian Historical Phonology üldöz

üldöz 'verfolgen, nachjagen'

First attestation/Old Hungarian data

[coming]

ildetu 'Verfolgung' (see UEW)

Important dialectal forms

[coming]

Uralic/Ugric/Pre-Hungarian reconstruction

(Disputed)

UEW: PUg *jälɜ- 'go; gehen'

Status of the Ugric etymology

Improbable (phonologically irregular)

Loan etymology

None suggested

Cognates suggested in earlier research

Khanty: East (V) jĕl- 'gehen, wandern', (Vj) jĕl- 'gehen, wandern, irgendwo vorsprechen, besuchen; treffen (der Pfeil)' < PKh *jil- (Zhivlov 2006)

Mansi: South (TJ) jil-, East (KU) jäl- ~ jɑ̄l-, West (P) jäl- ~ jɑ̄l-, North (So) jal- 'gehen' < PMs *jäl- (Zhivlov 2006)

Commentary

UEW considers the Ugric etymology uncertain, seemingly due to semantic reasons. The semantic difference between the Hungarian and the Ob-Ugric forms is notable (UEW presents a possible chain of semantic development: 'gehen' → 'auf der Spur folgen' → 'verfolgen'), and the connection is also phonologically irregular. UEW's reconstruction with *jä- would be impossible for Hungarian ü-, and and the assumed Ob-Ugric cognates do not point to Proto-Ugric *ä.

The Ob-Ugric words are related (both Honti 1982 and Zhivlov 2006 consider them cognates), and Aikio (2015a: 8) has shown that they have a Uralic etymology, reflectings Proto-Uralic *elä- 'to live'. As this etymology presents no phonological difficulties, it is clearly better than the Ugric etymology which should be rejected.

UEW mentions a possible connection of üldöz to Hungarian öl that reflects Proto-Uralic *widə- 'kill' (UEW *weδɜ-). This etymological connection is uncertain, and the different vocalism would point to the forms originating in different Hungarian dialects; further research on this is needed.

Conclusion

The Ugric etymology is irregular and should be rejected.

References

Aikio 2015a: 8: not PUg, Kh and Ms < PU

Honti 1982: 142: POUg

UEW s.v. jälɜ-: ? PUg Uralonet

Zhivlov 2006: 114: POUg