Overseas Language Affiliation Theorists: The Work of Ferenc Jós Badiny and József P. Pesti, S.J., in Buenos Aires

Abstract

This paper presents the activities of Ferenc Badiny Jós and Jesuit priest József P. Pesti in South America, where they sought to promote their theories on Hungarian ethnogenesis—particularly those positing a Sumerian-Hungarian connection—to an increasingly broad audience of both laypeople and scholars. The study highlights the network primarily established by Badiny Jós, which continues to support the survival of this subculture through its various platforms. Beyond reviewing the relevant academic literature, my research also involved analyzing books and publications on the topic, as well as articles published in the periodical Ősi Gyökér. I also examined the correspondence of Father József Pesti, which indirectly contributed to a deeper understanding of key turning points in his life as well. The aim of this research is to explore the intellectual-historical significance of the work of Ferenc Badiny Jós and József Pesti, as well as its impact on identity formation—particularly in light of the global spread of theories asserting a connection between Sumerians and Hungarians.