I'm trying to find further information on my "Klepacki" relatives, who came to the US from Russia/Poland around 1900. I believe my grandfather was from Lublin, or close by - and I've found about a dozen spellings of "Klepacki" - but - recently I found something odd - in running a query on Klepacki and Lublin - I've run across several entries - all in polish - of surnames - "KLEPACKI-EGO" - what is meant by "EGO" - is that actually the spelling of the name?
I've not run across this before. Can someone help?
Also - if this has been posted elsewhere - I truly apologize. I tried to search here to be sure - but I'm relatively 'new' to this site, so I may have missed something.
Thanks to any/all replies. This is a wonderful forum.
The endings of polish nouns and adjectives change depending on the part they play in the sentence. “Klepacki" is the basic form and is used for the subject of a verb. "Klepackiego" is used for a variety of functions amongst which are the direct object of a verb and the sense of "belonging to Klepacki". To complicate matters further, there are female forms (eg Klepacka) and plural forms (eg Klepaccy).
Ziutek - you, dear heart - are my personal hero today! I am new to this and do not speak Polish. My father spoke it often and I remember how many words 'sound' but no idea as to how they are spelled or rules of grammer. Again, many, many thanks.
You can also say, using "Klepackiego" not only as possesive like: "Spotkałam Klepackiego." In the case, it means "I met Klepacki"; "I met him". Just one of many examples to illustrate what Ziutek mentioned in his post.
I thank anyone who helps me to understand Poland, Polish and the people of Poland. I find that life here is good, but I'm constantly annoyed by my own lack of understanding. Anyone who helps me through, is a friend as far as I'm concerned
Oh, now I catch your post, thank you for your answer. :) Everything what helps me to understand better English which is my passion and my favourite language can be my virtual friend to I hope, so thank you and to all who write in English and with whose posts I can read more and understand more.
Chrisoz, I know exactly what you mean. It's frustrating and it is very sad. My cousins tell me that when they were young, our Grandparents and their brothers and sisters would only speak Polish when they did not want the children to understand what they were saying. None of us speak any Polish and I feel that we lost a great deal - not only of our families stories, but our heritage as well. People are people - as humans we sometimes do foolish/stupid or 'bad' things - I would love to know of our history both the good and bad. I feel as if there are links out there but my lack of understanding keeps me from finding those links and making connections. I look up "Klepacki" and pictures of people in Poland and often, I see strong resemblance to my father's family. Like ghosts.
Well, I do know one thing for certain - nothing beats a home-made, properly cooked Keilbasa and some pierogies!
Thanks again to all of you for helping us 'newcomers' to understand.
Why, how and what meaning exactly should I understand from the fact that a Polish last name ending in SKI now gets written, said, read & published as ...skiEGO as never before did I ever heard, read etc. the last name with those letters at the end.
I'm seeking as much details and clarification please.
I don't speak Polish but if anyone wonders, there's a much more long version of the same question right after.
Thanks in advance!
Not that short version of the question :
Why is it that a particular Polish last name ending in "...ski" - my last name for that matter - why is it that I always heard, wrote, read & said it as corresponding to the only way we ever wrote it, here in Canada, in my non-Polish-speaking-family, as : "...ski" →
(We know the feminine version would be "...ska" but as people are already destroying the sound of the name every day since I was born as they can't start and even begin to comprehend the name which to English or Latin-languages speaking people there are too many nonsensical-looking combination of letters in the said name that if the women in the family had to have different last names than their husband, brothers, sons, father etc., people would go from destruction to mutual madness and frustration, if I'm clear enough about the situation so far).
SO..! It's a very long & interesting subject, totally related to Polish history and culture but I'm trying to be as brief as I can; sorry it's hard to ask my question and be precise at the same time.
Facts are :
Few years back I started to study Poland and its history and culture, families, values etc. + my ancestors and their history, all the stories, wartales etc.
& I found amazing facts about many ancestors of mine and one stood out recently and this is why I write this today.
As I've been searching about his life for years, suddenly, more or less three years ago he went from being a deceased total stranger to the world and now to the world but especially to the Polish war historians, certain patriots and definitely some members of the actual government and army, he becomes a mega war hero (which he actually was but it was classified); all this turnaround in one day.... - that would be the very long version of my post if I go on about this
SO, again, the facts are that as what I just wrote happened to the public eye, he - my particular ancestor -now gets called and gets his name written and pronounced in the Polish media and some publications as "...***skiEGO. Only with "ego" at the end.
All and every file, book or document I read prior to this event that mentioned his name - or the same last name of everyone else in the family actually never once had his name written with this "ego" ending.
So it's now clear that : 1. It's definitely not the first time I read my last name in Polish documents etc. and never ever had I read our name written like that and 2, not once since the particular mentioned ancestor got "famous" has our last name been written anywhere I could see coming from a Polish media | publication | article etc. without the "ego" attached to the name.
Just like if it was two different family names (!?)
I somehow understand the explanation up there from you guys that certain Polish last names - and other Polish words I logically guess- have their spelling and suffixes modified by grammar declinations and / or contextual elements.
I get that for the first time officially, thanks to the person who wrote the posts in this page. Thanks. It helps but does anyone understand what is it that I don't so they could please help?
Z góry dziękuję bardzo za poświęcony czas, cierpliwość i pomoc!
Short answer- grammar. Let's take the name Sikorski. You may see it in many forms: Pan Sikorski Panu Sikorskiemu Pana Sikorskiego Panu Sikorskim All are correct depending on the structure of the sentence.
Ulica/Plac (kogo? Czego?) Sikorskiego, Chrobrego etc. That ending shows up when you answer who's the author/patron/ responsible for something. For example a book written by Mr Sikorski would be 'ksiazka Pana Sikorskiego'
My theoretical grammar is not that great and rusty as well so I'm sure someone will come along to explain in more detail.
That ending will also appear if talking about pure ownership 'Mr Sikorski's car ' is 'samochod Pana Sikorskiego'
Ulica/Plac (kogo? Czego?) Sikorskiego, Chrobrego etc.
That makes me smile. That's exactly how my husband explains grammar to me, with the question form and answer. He says that was the form in which grammar was taught in school - it's very effective I think.
That ending will also appear if talking about pure ownership 'Mr Sikorski's car ' is 'samochod Pana Sikorskiego'
it is called genetive case - one of the most important roles of genetive is to mark possession (ownership)
as for why genetive is used for street names (also schools have patrons in their names - like Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza): it's a matter of convention
