# ajánld



## 123xyz

Hello everyone,

I am curious as to the pronunciation of the word "ajánld", which evidently contains a rather challenging consonant cluster, namely "nld", which doesn't appear to be much in accordance with Hungarian phonological restrictions at all (presumably, this is the only word which contains a sequence of a nasal, liquid, and plosive in the same syllable). So, I was wondering whether some vowels are inserted epenthetically to make this consonant cluster more feasible, or if perhaps one of the consonants is elided, most likely "l", at least colloquially. If not, i.e. if it's pronounced exactly as it's written, is it perceived as somewhat difficult or bothersome by the average native speaker? After all, Hungarian is obviously not big on consonant clusters, hence we have "grabulje" vs. "gEreblye" and "brat" vs. "bArát", among many others. 

Thank you in advance


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## tomtombp

I think we simply don't say the "l" but still insert something because  the end result sounds differently than "ajánd". I may have never used  this word in this form. You're right. Consonant clusters are not common  in Hungarian. This is a very special one and just occurs in informal  addressing (tegező) imperative of "ajánl" which I think we use very  rarely. If we want someone to recommend something or someone else we  usually ask for a favor rather than commanding and we use "tudnád  ajánlani?" instead. "Could you please recommend it?" "Could you  recommend my new book to your friends please." "Tudnád ajánlani az új  könyvemet az ismerőseidnek?". "Ajánld az új könyvemet az ismerőseidnek"  sounds impolite, too direct, demanding, even if "please" is added. There  are other meanings of ajánl (offer for example) but the same applies  there too.
This is just my opinion. Let's hear others.


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## Zsanna

It seems to me that it is rather the "n" that is "swallowed" (not totally, though) to arrive at something like: "ajál(l)d"*. 

You can see that already in the indicative, in *spoken*, everyday Hungarian (= pronounced but never written like this!): _ajállom/ajállod/ajállja/ajálljuk/ajálljátok/ajállják_. 
The imperative does not make this form much more difficult to pronounce: _ajálljam/ajálljad or ajálld/ajállja/ajálljuk/ajálljátok/ajállják_. (Still in the spoken form!)

It is difficult to pronounce and it's longer equivalent - ajánljad - is not much easier. The "n" is still partially "swallowed" even in this form.

*For me it is a double "l" but in this imperative form, it could be pronounced with just one "l".


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## AndrasBP

_>I think we simply don't say the "l"_

I'm quite surprised you hear it that way. I think it's exactly the "n" that disappears, by assimilating into the "l" sound.
I say "ajáld" and "ajállat".


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## AndrasBP

_>You can see that already in the indicative, in _*spoken,** everyday Hungarian (= pronounced but never written like this!): ajállom/ajállod/ajállja/ajálljuk/ajálljátok/ajállják.**
*
I think the actual pronunciation of the last four forms is "ajájja/ajájjuk/ajájjátok/ajájják", because the "l" assimilates into the "j" sound.


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## Zsanna

Yes, you are right, András, thanks for the suggestion.

I suppose I didn't think of it partly because it is difficult to concentrate only on the pronounced form.

But I think you can keep some of the "l", too... So, in pronunciation, there is e.g. "ajájja" but, in my opinion, also "ajál(l)jja" (I can't help doubling the "l" because even if it is "swallowed", you can "insist" on that hardly audible "l"...)


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## francisgranada

I agree with tomtombp in the sense that one rarely uses the imperative from _ajánlani_. However, when trying to pronounce it, for me the result is rather "ajáld" than "ajánd" ...


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## tomtombp

Yes you are right all of you  It's much more ajáld than ajánd. But with the *l* pronounced a bit *n*-ish . It starts as an *l* but turns a little bit into an *n* at the end. As if the two letters/sounds were changing places: ajálnd. Obviously it's much easier to pronounce it that way because it flows better.
Now repeating it to myself I'm sure I'm saying *ajálnd*. But honestly I'm not sure I've ever had to say this word.


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## Zsanna

Tom, I was also thinking about the inversion of the "l" and the "n" so it is possible that it is another viable pronounciation.

This concentration of consonants is surely difficult enough for us so it may well allow some variants.

@ francis: I don't think it's all that rare... after all it is a "normal" verb... (We just met it less in the previous era?)


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## 123xyz

Thank you for the very thorough replies - so the cluster is modified, just as I expected. By the way, the word may be rare, but it's not as though I came up with it myself - I saw on it on a Hungarian website, which suggested that I *recommend *the article I'd read to my Facebook friends, or something such


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## francisgranada

Zsanna said:


> ... @ francis: I don't think it's all that rare... after all it is a "normal" verb... (We just met it less in the previous era?)


Not the verb itself, only the imperative. But it's rather my impression than a "real" opinion ... 

For example "Anjánlom Péternek, hogy vegyen magának egy új kalapot": I think in imperative I'd prefer "Javasold Péternek, hogy vegyen magának egy új kalapot" (instead of "Ajánld Péternek ...").


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## Zsanna

Yes, I agree. It (= javasol) fits even the verb _recommend_ that 123xyz mentions, and it is better both in the context and in the imperative (as opposed to _ajánl)_. 
That just reinforces my idea that the verb is used more often nowadays but probably also because of some lazy translation at the beginning.


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