Word for the Travel Wise (04/14/06)

It is a firm belief of mine that I will one day return to Budapest. I'm setting my hopes high to reside in the city for at least one year, but I'll surely settle for a quick jaunt if it's the only way to explore my beloved Budapest at least once more. To prepare for the day of my return I like to keep tabs on what's happening via Pestiside.hu - the daily dish of cosmopolitan Budapest. In one of their more recent dispatches a failed shoplifter returns to the scene of the crime to file a complaint. You can read the full account of what went on at Pestiside or Index.hu (a Hungarian consumer blog). Pestiside notes the original letter from the alleged thief claims he was removed from the store after asking to write in the shopper's book, which brings me to the word for today.

Today's word is a Magyar (Hungarian) word used in Hungary:

vásárlók könyve - shopper's book

Now Hungarian speakers out there, please help me out. It is my guess that vásárlók könyve truly means shopper's book, but judging from the piece I'm also going to have to second guess myself. Give me the inside scoop. Dish the deal on this Hungarian language find in parentheses.

The Hungarian lingo is a Finno-Ugric language, which you can learn more about at Wikipedia, right now let's stick to the places you can learn it for free. Hungarotips is a completely free site with beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons. This impulzus web page has everything you'd basically find in a LP guide. There's no audio, so read a little about the alphabet and then find someone who's willing to make sure you speak like a local. The verbal exchange will be very rewarding I am sure. As always remember to scope out the BBC for basic lang downloads.

Past Hungarian words: köszönöm

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Europe, Hungary, Foreign Language