Left Dislocation

Level 5

Left Dislocation is a highly conversational structure used to introduce a new topic, reintroduce a shifted topic, or establish a strong contrast. You place the topic at the absolute front of the sentence, pause, and then resume it with the demonstrative pronoun az.

How It Works

Left Dislocation is extremely frequent in spontaneous spoken Hungarian, though it is generally avoided in formal or academic writing where it can feel stylistically clumsy.

Structure:

  • [Noun + Suffix/Postposition], [az + Suffix/Postposition] [Rest of sentence].

The resumptive pronoun typically sits at the very beginning of the core clause, immediately following the dislocated topic.

Note: When adding case suffixes to az, you must apply Demonstrative Assimilation (e.g., az + -ban = abban). When combining az with bare postpositions (which govern the nominative case), the z drops before consonant-initial postpositions (e.g., az + mellett = amellett) but remains before vowel-initial ones (e.g., az + után = azután). However, for postpositions that govern an oblique case (like kívül, which requires the superessive -n), az takes the required case suffix and undergoes assimilation (e.g., azon kívül).

Unlike the Topic Field in simple topicalization (e.g., A könyvet már elolvastam - I have already read the book), Left Dislocation isolates the topic outside the core clause and adds a resumptive pronoun for pragmatic weight (A könyvet, azt már elolvastam - The book, I have already read that).

Key Nuances for Advanced Learners:

  • Plural Agreement: The resumptive pronoun must agree in number with the dislocated topic. If the topic is plural, the pronoun takes the plural suffix -k (using the linking vowel o to form azok) before the case suffix (e.g., A könyveket, azokat már elolvastam. - The books, I have already read those.).
  • Animacy: While az is the standard, fully grammaticalized resumptive pronoun for both animate and inanimate referents (e.g., Pétert, azt...), you can also use personal pronouns for animate referents (e.g., Pétert, őt...).
  • Proximal Demonstratives: If the dislocated topic is explicitly proximal (e.g., modified by ez), the resumptive pronoun will usually match it using ez (e.g., Ezt a könyvet, ezt már elolvastam.).
  • Hanging Topics: Do not confuse this with Hanging Topic Left Dislocation (HTLD). In HTLD, the detached topic is strictly in the Nominative case, while the pronoun takes the grammatical case (A könyv, azt már elolvastam. - The book [nom], I have already read that [acc].). In standard Left Dislocation, they must match perfectly (A könyvet, azt... - The book [acc], that [acc]...).

Examples (4)

  1. A könyvet, azt már elolvastam.

    As for the book, I've already read it.

    Word by Word: The book-ACC, that-ACC already read-I

    Both the fronted noun and the resumptive pronoun take the accusative case (-t).

  2. A házban, abban nincs senki.

    In the house, there is nobody [in it].

    Word by Word: The house-INE, that-INE isn't nobody

    Both elements take the inessive case (-ban/-ben). Notice how 'az' assimilates to 'abban'.

  3. Pétert, azt ingyen beengedték.

    Peter, they let him in for free.

    Word by Word: Peter-ACC, that-ACC for.free admitted-they

    Demonstrates that 'azt' is perfectly natural and grammatical to resume a human referent in this specific construction.

  4. A főnökkel, azzal nem lehet beszélni.

    The boss, you just can't talk to him.

    Word by Word: The boss-INS, that-INS not possible speak-INF

    Both elements take the instrumental case (-val/-vel), triggering consonant assimilation on both words.

Common Mistakes

  • Using personal pronouns instead of the demonstrative 'az' for inanimate objects

    A könyvet, őt már elolvastam.
    A könyvet, azt már elolvastam.

    English speakers often try to translate 'it' directly using personal pronouns (ő/őt). In Hungarian Left Dislocation, the resumptive pronoun for inanimate objects must be the demonstrative 'az' (inflected for case). While personal pronouns like 'ő/őt' are acceptable for animate referents (e.g., 'Pétert, őt már láttam'), 'az' serves as the standard default for both animate and inanimate nouns.

  • Failing to match the case on the fronted noun

    Different MeaningA könyv, azt már elolvastam.
    A könyvet, azt már elolvastam.

    While the incorrect example is technically a valid 'Hanging Topic', standard Left Dislocation requires strict case matching. The fronted noun and the resumptive pronoun must have the exact same case suffix.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Left DislocationLevel 5

Learn This First

Left dislocation involves placing a noun phrase at the very beginning of a sentence (the 'detached topic') and then referring back to it using a resumptive pronoun (usually 'az') within the main clause. To become confident with this, you need to understand how Hungarian sentences are structured into topic and comment, how demonstratives function as pronouns, and how those pronouns must agree in case with the grammatical role of the noun they represent.