Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]


In fact Suchowola is 28 km from pre-war Polish border with Eastern Prussia (Germany). Moreover this segment of German border was one of the most stable in European frontiers (from early 14. century to 1939). 28 km it's not so much - only 4 Polish miles.

Genealogy / DOLOVITZ - LAST NAME; NEVER SEEN IN AMERICA [11]


It should be something like that, I suppose:
Hungarian: Dolovics, Dolovicz
Hebrew: דלבץ
Yiddish: דאלאװיץ

Language / Polish Swear Words [1242]

Once again Krawczuk missed the point. If it was from Mur/Mauer, why is it so popular in all Slavonic languages, even in these having no contact with German.

According to Linde (1808) is quite the opposite: murwa is to soften the word (or to replace a taboo word kurwa).
He cited funny proverbs:
Ożenił się kołodziey, pojął murwę sam złodziey. (A wheelwright married one, took a whore while himself a thief.)
Póty murwa miłuie, póki w mieszku czuie. (Whore loves till she sniffs out money).

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]


Exact spelling Płonka-Strumianka. In 1879 it was in £omża governorate.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%82onka-Strumianka

18-100 Płonka-Strumianka, Powiat Białystok, Woj. Podlaskie
maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=pl&geocode=&q=P%C5%82onka-Strumianka&sll=54.385376,18.57051&sspn=0.006598,0.013733&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=P%C5%82onka-Strumianka,+Bia%C5%82ostocki,+Podlaskie,+Polska&ll=53.003628,22.83474&spn=0.109085,0.219727&z =12

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]


It's bureaucratic disease. Some kind of fashion or fad. There were no dysortography 20 years ago. It was a trick to make better exam results (as the dyslectics or as you say dysortographers have more time to resolve tests and write essays), so some lazy or unproductive teachers can be proud of better learning effects.

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]


The Borderland regional accent preserved H(voiced)/CH(unvoiced) distinction. I've heard it from my grandfather in HERBATA - CHERLAK. In H the larynx vibrated clearly.

In many Polish words H was borrowed from Czech for example:
HAŃBA (dishonor) was till XIV century GAŃBA in Old Polish.

Polish used to have G where Russian has G and Czech H:
GRÓD - GOROD - HRAD (castle, city)
G£ĘBOKI - G£UBOKIJ - HLUBOKI (deep)
GĘŚ - GUŚ - HUS' (goose)

H is present in borrowings from Czech, Germanic, Greek...

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]


1527, in Actis terrestribus Zamboviensibus. Albertus Perka de Magno Ducatu Lithuaniae scribit se.
1544, in Actis terrestribus Surasensis. Mathias et Georgius filii olim Felicis Golk de Perki scribunt se.

Former Perka, later Perkowski from Perki in Bielsk Land, Podlachia Voyevodship.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]


Thanks for the input. I'll be cautious not to address you as murzyn.

Genealogy / What are common Polish character traits? [417]


What a stupid factoid. I live here for quite a lot years, and lost only old mobile 3 years ago. While when I was on my journey to Spain, I was expropriated the very first day from all my credit cards and some euros.

Poles have this wonderful opinion since 70s in Germany, when there were some gangs there stealing cars with Poles as bosses. By the way the biggest figures were connected with commie secret police or spying agency. But please stop repeating these nonsenses even now. Let's look at some statistics in this field.

What is really shameful, it is the way Police treat theft victims. They are just awfully impertinent and blaming the victim not excusing their inefficiency and incompetence.

Language / Etymology of pan /pani [18]


But it used to be... Some 1000 years ago.


Nice story. Send a script to Hollywood and they call you.

Pantofel < Germ. Pantoffel < Fr. pantoufle < It. Pantofola < Lingua franca < medieval Greek meaning. whole made of cork.

Nice journey and not be made in pantoffles.

Life / Feeling ashamed of my Polish heritage. [237]


As you didn't want to check your deep observations about Polish irresponsible indebtedness against some statistic sources, so it was me to do it.

It wasn't so easy as I thought. But I succeeded, partly however.
According to data from 2 banks:
Poles spend 12% of their income for handling their debts, while Britons 25-30%.

It looks like 2 times less in Poland. However it could mean even lesser debt since Polish interest rates are a bit higher.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]


You've said the Jaraszkiewiczs were from Posadowo. And they are stiil there as you may see on the map here: moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/jaraszkiewicz.html.

The name could be a toponymic from a village name Jaraszki or Jaryszki
maps.google.pl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=pl&q=Jaryszki,+62-023,+Pozna%C5%84ski,+Wielkopolskie&sll=52.495323,16.651154&sspn=0.300156,0.878906&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FRWLHgMdW6cDAQ&split=0&hq=&hnear=Jaryszki&ll=52.409121,16.87088&spn=0.402113,0.883026& z=10&iwloc=A

And the village is probably patronymic from given name Jaras, which is augmentative from Jarosław, very popular Polish first name.

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]


They missed the point. The pronunciation is the some now.
But in medieval Polish it was quite another thing:
może sounded the same, but morze had its origin in Old Slavic mor'e with soft R (the same as you can hear in Russian even now).

As some authors say the difference started to disappear from XIV to XVII centuries.
Transformation of the word was as follows:
mor'e > morże > morze.

Old midway pronuciation of RŻ was heard in peripheral archaic dialects for example in South-Eastern Borderland, precisely in Podolia - east of Lwów, near Tarnopol.

I have heard it from my grandfather in a word GORŻKI = GORZKI (bitter).

Life / Feeling ashamed of my Polish heritage. [237]


So you're bulletproofed for arguments. Always ad personam. It's so unAmerican. ;-)


Don't bother. You can easily manage to catch it, if you only want.


But... It's very dark here, as you may know.

But the only foreclosure notice boards I've seen before houses for 10 years were in CNN reports from LA, SF and Nevada and lately in Spain during holidays.


Is it a job placement proposal? ;-)

Life / Feeling ashamed of my Polish heritage. [237]


Figures please or stop bamboozling.


Yes I know this kind of knowledge: 'I know a guy who has an uncle in Poland who has bought a house in Poland, and who has so tiny salary, so he'll pay it off in 100 years. This guys are so irresponsible'

In my meaning stereotypes have no negative connotations they are just sociological facts which make life easier but not wiser, anyway.

Life / Feeling ashamed of my Polish heritage. [237]


The really big mess is coming from USA. Totally corrupt crediting process politically fueled to increase homeownership especially in minority societies:
1. irresponsibly easy money by Federasts,
2. easy solvency check thanks to Lawmakers,
3. corrupt (not greedy - everbody's greedy - but corrupt) traders,
4. irresponsible investment banks - putting all these derivatives securitized on derivatives on loans with no price settled,
5. incompetent and irresponsible credit rating agencies - it's funny they still exist after all their ratings proved so glamorously adequate,
6. corrupt credit brokers with their 'yeah, you'll have 3months payment vacancies here, and next we'll move your loan to another bank and you'll have another 3months vacancy, and then again and maybe buy new SUV as an addendum',

7. corrupt home brokers,
8. corrupt appraisers with their 'you have so precious collateral' (2-room wooden hut),
9. illiterate & indebted or cunning borrowers with their excuses.

They destroyed global credibility and even now making money on the debris like Goldman Sachs.

Life / Feeling ashamed of my Polish heritage. [237]


What a funny statistics. What are your sources. Don't spread factoids. Give numbers. I've heard just the opposite.

Life / Feeling ashamed of my Polish heritage. [237]


Responsibility - yes, but only when someone is responsible.
Excuse - fact, Poles especially in middle age or older are accustomed to make excuses, but once again - it's really easy to stop, just freeze an excuse maker with "bad to you". It's only a folk custom-speaking not a real thing.


I suppose you have never seen Frenchmen in real action: all these greves, management by meetings, sulks and bloats, and money-for-everything attitude. Ou la la. Merde actually. But of course it's only a stereotype. However what we are still talking about here - STEREOTYPES & PREJUDICES.

Life / Feeling ashamed of my Polish heritage. [237]


Sebastian you have 3 choices:

A. Change your Nameski to English or any other equivalent in more 'happy' languages (you can even find an advice here - many linguists and family name researchers available and eager to help). By the way you're lucky enough in this case with your first name so international and Bachese.

B. Rethink your complexes
1. You insist that whole Poland is total hillbilly real hole! Yeah, Poland is still poorer than many other countries (I think this is why your family emigrated).

2. Yes, in Poland there are many morons - like in most countries.
3. Yes, in Poland there are reported many thefts - but I lost only an old mobile 3 years ago (maybe dropped by me) in 30 years period in Poland - but found all my credit cards and money stolen in Madrid in the very first day of my 4 days journey, almost ripped off in Rome, almost beaten in London - all in the very first days. Thieves have no nation.

4. Yes, there is a total bullsh*t with Polish democracy - like unfortunately in most modern democratic countries - there is no discussion out there, only partisan clashes and lobby smearing. The only thing Poland outperforms in this discipline The Golden Guiding Light of Western Liberal Democracy is irresponsibility of administration clerks - however it's slightly and very slowly improving.

5. Corruption - yes it's called a tax on bad legislation - look at Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain, France - ClearStream, Germany - NordStream, Belgium - helicopters, England - MP costs refunding, Canada - add something you know.

6. Folks complaining - yes very often, but it only appears, when you have nothing real to talk to or as a kind of mannerism. I know guys with such an annoying habit. Simple "bad to you" or "it's your problem" acts like a refreshing shower.

7. Awful roads - the most serious - but it will never change (I'm only here a pessimist). There were very old saying in 17th century: Polish bridges, German jokes, Swiss frankness and French integrity - all the same.

C. Go and drink some Polish beer of your choice and don't think so much. One of your problem is you're spending too much time comparing. In fact nations are incomparable. I'm proud to be a Pole (while my family is of Austrian origin and polonized in the middle of present day Ukraine), so I would probably be if I were of Jewish or English descent or even Italian (Madonna mia, che cosa parlo).

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]


That depends how to count. If you'd like to be precise you'll end with 5 genders in Polish examples in Accusative:

1. Masculine animate personal (nowego ucznia | nowych uczniów)
2. Masculine animate impersonal (nowego psa | nowe psy)
3, Masculine inanimate (nowy kapelusz | nowe kapelusze)
4. Feminine (nową uczennicę, nową książkę | nowe uczennice, nowe książki)
5. Neuter (nowe dziecko, nowe krzesło | nowe dzieci, nowe krzesła)

Sometimes you can even meet additional 2 for plural:
6. Masculine personal (plural for gender 1)
7. Not Masculine personal (plurals for genders 2-5)

Language / Etymology of pan /pani [18]


Papagarth has thought about gospod, gospodzin, I suppose.

Language / Etymology of pan /pani [18]

According to Aleksander Brueckner, polish etymologist, pan has its origin in old word żupan meaning a tribute gathering officer or administrator of some territory called żupania. The word was known in Czech, Croat and Hungarian (ispan). Later the word was shortened and simplified to pan.

In Kingdom of Poland pan was used as a short name for a kasztelan (castellan) ie. caretaker of one of main royal castles. This title was in most cases lower in precedence to the voivodes (with the exception of the Lord Castellan of Cracow who had precedence before voivode of Cracow). For example castellan of Cracow was called Pan Krakowski. In colloquialese pan was lately used to address any powerful person.

'Pan' is a root word for verb 'panować' - to rule, 'państwo' - estate, realm, state.

But due to both inflation of dignities and growing politeness now you should use it as common style to address any stranger by: pan, pani, państwo.

The same as in Spanish Usted (going back from Vuestra Merced = Your Mercy). By the way, the old style - now obsolete - to address stranger from noble class was Wasza Miłość (Your Mercy) shortened to Waszmość, or together with pan: Waszmość Pan > Waćpan > Acan.

And żupa is allegedly of Avarian (Avarian) origin as Slavic people were so peaceful and so classless that there had to be some warrior element adding some power distribution tools.

As most historians think Slavonic tribes invided Central and Southern Europe under Avarian command in VI-VIII centuries. Having in mind Avars ruled or have some influence on Slavs through 2-3 centuries, Avarian żupa could infiltrate Slavonic languages.

History / What are Poland's pagan roots? [62]

The Polish pagan roots are Indoeuropean ones.

There are a few traces of it in documents from X-XIII century left by monks or priests trying to convert folk and expel any superstitions, old wives' tales or pagan rites.

Unfortunately they were too much erudite. They knew Roman and Greek gods, goddesses and daemons. And they used to use their knowledge while describing awful pagan activities. As an effect there is a big mishmash of Slavic, Greek and Roman entities. Many researchers fought to resolve this puzzle. Some of them adding even more confusion by adding some Baltic and Germanic parallels.

There were many potential mythological figures identified: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Slavic_deities but they are from different areas and times.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]


Have you made some research about what Polish Blacks think about word Murzyn?
And the same with Poles living in Anglosaxon zone about Polack?

Anyway, no matter what will be the answer.
Most Poles think that Murzyn isn't derogatory
and most Anglosaxon think Polack isn't derogatory (maybe a little ironic).

This is language. You must learn it - not change it from outside.

History / Polish-German alliance. [489]


Thanks. Wow. I haven't realized Ossie-Komuch relations will be the answer.

However, you can add in this category:
- STASI-SB co-operation in bugging and listening in on Solidarity activists in 80s
- supporting, training and arming (you can add here comrades from Ceskoslovensko) Carlos and some more freedom fighters of his sort (capitalist mendacious chauvinists call them terrorists)

But something earlier?

History / Polish-German alliance. [489]


It would be better, anyway, than earlier less pacifist attempts.
However it doesn't seem to match the reality now.
More procreational power would be needed ;-)
...Or you have in mind some support from more 'productive' ethnoses of your Turk-Arabian-Kurdish co-patriots, developing Europeanness to some new yet higher levels of evanescence.


No need for. You are already in. On the captain's bridge of Un-holy Empire. ;)

History / Polish-German alliance. [489]


Beware! You can hit an eagle flying.

And that's it. The more Germans think about themselves as a great monolithic nation, the lesser their possessions become as an effect.

Helmets hit the eagle???

History / Polish-German alliance. [489]

OK. BB has frozen us with all this flying eagles full of sharp beaks and nails.

Let's stop for a minute and think. The origin of the thread was Polish-German alliance.
Let's try to find some examples of it in history. It could be funny.

History / Polish-German alliance. [489]


Unfortunately it is not always true.

In German and English from Latin Bohemia means the greatest region of the Czech Republic, in Czech called Čechy
cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%8Cechy

On the other hand you have a term Česko which means the whole Czech state consisting 3 historical regions: Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia.

Česko in English should be called Czechia, German Tschechien.

Poles have problem with this distinction because Polish equivalent should sound like Czeska (the same as Polska) however Poles don't use this suffix anymore. So they are using Czechy for both Čechy and the whole Česko.

History / Polish-German alliance. [489]


Don't blame anybody. I've tried only to rectify your mem - it wasn't German university. It was Prague University or Bohemian university if you really need some country assignation. Both nations, Germans and Czechs have some title to be proud of the history of this uni and they are, as you can see in the Leipzig Universitaet (where not Czech professors migrated after Hussite coup in 1409) and Carolinum in Munich (after WW2).