Frequency Conditions in the Description of Historical Phonological Dialectal Differences

Abstract The primary and direct source material for describing phonological dialectal differences is represented by linguistic data found in charters. The source value of the data in particular charters for historical linguistics, however, may vary greatly. This is especially true for the earliest attested era, the early Old Hungarian period, which lasted from 895 to 1350. My study deals with the usability of linguistic records of the early Old Hungarian period. In this period the data found in charters are mainly proper names: place names and personal names, accordingly my examples are also of this category.