Hungarian ly

[[File:AlphabetiSerborum_1841.jpgAlphabeti_Serborum]</ref>|thumb|AlphabetiSerborum_1841.jpgAlphabeti_Serborum]</ref>]] == Hungarian ly ==

Hungarian ly is a unique digraph in the Hungarian language that represents a single phoneme. It is composed of the letters "l" and "y" and is pronounced as /j/, similar to the English "y" in "yes". The digraph has historical significance and is a notable feature of Hungarian orthography.

History[edit | edit source]

The use of "ly" in Hungarian dates back to the early stages of the language's development. Originally, it represented a palatalized "l" sound, which has since merged with the "j" sound in modern Hungarian. Despite this phonetic change, the digraph has been retained in the written language, preserving historical and etymological connections.

Usage[edit | edit source]

In contemporary Hungarian, "ly" is used in a variety of words, often where it historically indicated a palatalized "l". Examples include:

hely (place)
folyó (river)
lyuk (hole)

The digraph "ly" is also used in some proper names and geographical names, maintaining its presence in both everyday language and formal contexts.

Orthographic Rules[edit | edit source]

Hungarian orthography has specific rules regarding the use of "ly". It is always used in certain words and never replaced by "j", even though they are pronounced the same. This can be a challenge for learners of Hungarian, as it requires memorization of the correct spelling for each word.