Ikerszavak / Twin words

'Ikerszavak', literally 'twin-words' are important part of Hungarian language. Most of them sound slightly humorous, many have folk traditions, were used by the always ingenious villagers, the so-called 'egyszerű emberek', or 'a nép fiai'. Poets like to use these words too, since they create a playful atmosphere and give special melody to the poems. Also, these are broadly used in the everyday life today.
1. Some very common examples:
egy-egy, éjjel-nappal, körbe-körbe, ország-világ, szívvel-lélekkel apraja-nagyja, jön-megy, többé-kevésbé
Sample sentences:

A hugom néha ír egy-egy levelet.	My sister writes me occassionally.
Az édesapád éjjel-nappal dolgozik.	Your father works day and night.
A gyerekek körbe-körbe járnak.	Children are going all around.
Az énekes megbukott ország-világ előtt.	The singer failed in front of the whole world.
Szívvel-lélekkel dolgoznak.	They are doing this wholeheartedly.
A város apraja-nagyja megnézte a filmet.	Everybody watched the movie.
Többé-kevésbé igazad van.	You are right on the whole.

2. Also common, bringing more melody:
hanyatt-homlok, kígyót-békát, sír-rí, jobbra-balra, tipeg-topog

Sample sentences:

A betörő hanyatt-homlok menekül.	The burglar precipitately flights.
Kígyót-békát mondanak Tamásra.	They cry shame upon Tamás.
Az a néni mindig sír-rí.	That woman always cries.
Nézel jobbra-balra.	You are looking around.
A gyerek tipeg-topog az anyja körül.	The child toddles about his mother.

3. Challenge yourself with the following poem-fragment. The first 4 lines would be really hard to translate, so just try to 'feel the meaning' and the special melody, there is no need of a dictionary. The last lines are easy to understand.

Kis Dénes: Gyárlátogatás / Factory-visit

"Csitteg-csattog,
pitteg-pattog,
dibben-dobban,
kippen-koppan
ez a gyár,
hol a sok gép
a sok ember
fúr, farag, vág,
kalapál..."