Janoš Kardoš
Evangelical pastor, poet, writer and translator, one of the most important writers of Prekmurje. He was born in Noršinci on the 13th of February, 1801, and died at the age of 73 in Hodoš.
He came from a poor family and went to primary school first in Puconci and later in Hodoš and Senyeháza. Afterwards, he attended the gymnasium in Sopron and then started his theological studies in Germany and Slovakia. After finishing these, he first worked as a pastor in Szepetnek, in Zala County, and then, up until his death, in Hodoš where he succeeded in having a church and a school built, the former of which is still standing.
After 1855, his son Adam helped him perform his tasks for the congregation in Hodoš, thus allowing him to dedicate more of his time to editing and translating. Kardoš´ complete literary opus was produced in Hodoš. In the field of theology, he translated Martin Luther´s Small Catechism, as well as his Large Catechism. He translated textbooks for primary schools from Hungarian to the Prekmurian dialect. His most important works include the translation of two hymnbooks: Keresztény egyházi énekek (Christian liturgical songs) and Keresztény halotti énekek (Christian funeral songs), which were first printed in 1845 in Lendava. However, most literary historians prefer the better-known printing date of 1848 in Körmend. Apart from the aforementioned works, Kardoš also translated the poems of several Hungarian poets, in particular of Petőfi, Vörösmarty and Arany.
With his work, Janoš Kardoš improved the standards of linguistic expression and enriched the Prekmurian dialect.
Sources:
- Vugrinec, Jože. In: Lipnica: glasilo občine Moravske Toplice (Letnik 21, številka 141, 4. dec. 2015, str. 13) Jánoš Kardoš: (1801–1875 – ob dveh obletnicah)
- Kuzmič, Franc. In: Evangeličanski list: mesečnik Evangeličanske Cerkve AV v Sloveniji (Letnik 45, številka 1, januar 2016, str. 6). Znameniti Prekmurci: Janoš Kardoš
- https://www.obrazislovenskihpokrajin.si/oseba/kardos-janos/
