New orthographical questions relating to proper names

Abstract

This paper provides a brief historical overview of the treatment of proper noun categories in key Hungarian orthographic codifications. It examines a holistic approach to proper nouns and their corresponding spelling (single initial, hyphenation, all capital initials, and separate spelling with an indisputable suffix). The study categorizes revisions to the proper nouns chapter of the 2015 orthographic codification manual according to the nature of the change: deletion of a rule, amendment of a rule, or introduction of a new rule. Particular attention is paid to the increased optionality of proper noun spelling variations, which is more widespread than previously true, particularly in the case of institutional names, especially those containing initials. The second part of the paper outlines the issues and problems represented in the new Osiris Helyesírás [Osiris Orthography], which are either not reflected in the codification, or which raise new questions deserving further consideration. The focus is on phenomena affecting the spelling of geographic and institutional names, such as the spelling of place names, including district names, and the spelling of localization names. The Osiris Helyesírás offers provisional recommendations on these matters, with the responsibility for final codification being deferred to future scholarly consensus or academic orthographic regulation.