Stereotypes about Polish people being stupid?

So it be, but include buroki from the cities as well.

I only counted a small part of the common population, legend ;) ;) It's a selective figure ;)

Hehehe, buroki is Silesian. Buraki is Polish.

That's a good one, didn't know about it. :)

actually 'buroki' in Polish too, if we're literally talking about beets then buraki ,if we're referring to a hick/yokel then it's buroki because that's how they would say it. other words jo instead of ja, czorny instead of czarny, idziewa instead of idziemy ex. idziewa do sklepu?

It's not hick, Penn, it's a thing of dialect. My mother in law is most definitely not a hick but she changes the vowels in the way that you outline. It can make people sound stupid to some but I think an element of snobbery is in those that say so.

In Silesia it's the dialect and it just so happens to be similar to hick talk in the rest of Poland. My family is from the Subcarpathian Voivodeship I lived in the city no one talks like that, my fathers family is from a village 30km away they talk like that. Grandpa's family is from the country in the Lublin area they too speak like that, although in Lublin itself (the city) they don't. In Silesian they speak like that in the city and country because it's their dialect, like in Podlaskie they don't pronounce the letter Ś only say it like a S among other things being influenced by Eastern Slavic tongues.

Yeah, there are a few variations. It's quite interesting how it is seen as hick. The focus is more on the language than on the person. Strange as we often call the person a hick (as a noun) rather than the language as being hick (adjective).

It's typical arrogance, really. Colonial and idiotic empires that are still causing unnecessary problems. Poles are certainly smart in their anti-war stance. Tusk is using troops to placate NATO and keep them sharp but most Poles don't see the benefits and they are clever for that.

I just wish Poles were a little tougher on hawks in the government. I think Radosław Sikorski is one such hawk but he has been Westernised.

Yes. I think Poland like Germany/Russia should just stay away from these things.
If Britain France and Italy want to keep fighting these unnecessary wars (i.e. Libya) then they are painting a target on themselves.

Just for your information I am very opposed to the war in Libya and I do not hate Ghadafi at all.
Looking at American history we see that the Americans send their own people/dictators/CIA and cause commotion around the world. South America, Central America, Asia, MiddleEast, Africa have all felt the wrath of those idiot Americans who follow their government like dogs.

The US has caused millions of deaths since after WWII.

Just in Libya and I quote:

NATO terrorism and crimes against the civilian population have included the bombing of 294 civilian targets, killing and wounding a total of 6,232 according to the Libyan Red Crescent Society statistics. These civilian targets include the Libyan Down's Syndrome Society, a school for disabled children, Tripoli's Nassar University, homes, schools, medical facilities and food storage warehouses, Bombing these sites are all outlawed by the Geneva Conventions and constitute NATO war crimes.

In summary they go to wars to prevent problems while causing the most harm. Hypocrites.

Well typically if this 'hick' goes go school, college, he'll stop talking like that. It's a sign of being uneducated and backward, that's why those people are labeled that.


I've met a few guys here who recently got their degrees at good Polish universities and claim it's mostly due to the budgets that good western schools have and the amount of scientific research they do, not that Polish Universities are so much worse as they appear on the rankings.

This is exactly , what I was trying to explain in some other threads , but I was criticized as usual.

My dad who came from Poland to Canada several decades ago came with a Masters degree.
The Canadian government wouldnt accept it. He had to work in the toughest jobs from scratch until we became midclass citizens. I hope this has changed by today.

So I was glancing through one of Sowell's older books, Race and Culture, and came across this little tidbit. Taking over 10,000 study samples for each group, Sowell compiled the IQ's of Polish and Italian americans for varying decades:

Italian Americans Polish Americans
Decades Median IQ Median IQ
1920's 92 91
1930's 93 95
1940's 95 99
1950's 99 104
1960's 103 107
1970's 100 109

The Polish American iq in 1940's was already higher than the American iq of 98 from today.

From this study Poles are up there in the EU.

He concludes that in Europe, adults in Germany and the Netherlands have the

highest average IQ at 107, compared with 100 across Britain. The UK is also beaten by Poland (106), Sweden (104), Italy (102), Austria (101) and Switzerland (101).

But Britons are brighter than people in Belgium (99), Spain (98), Hungary (98), Russia (96), Greece (95), France (94), Romania (94), Turkey (90) and Serbia, which finishes bottom with 89.

Adults in England and Wales have an IQ of 100.5, ahead of Ireland and Scotland, both with 97. Residents of London and the South East average 102.

Boy Crow is gonna be upset with Serbia score :|

If the Polish American iq is 109 & the Polish Iq is 106.
This could actually make Poles the highest Iq scoring ethnicity in the world.

I mean Ashkenazi Jews score a 114 iq in the West but Israel scores a 94 iq.

Poles would do well to vociferously state their opposition to the war in Libya. They had a big march in Warsaw in Feb about Kosovo being stolen and should do the same here as NATO goons could place Europeans, and thus Poles too, under direct attack. Many Poles are not stupid and they have to show the world that they reject what their govt is doing in taking part in wars.

The problem is I am not sure what year that study I pasted took place.
Article was 2006.

Additionally....

His conclusions are that the East Asians (Chinese, Japanese and Koreans) have the highest mean IQ at 105. These are followed by the Europeans (IQ 100). Some way below these are the Inuit (Eskimos) (IQ 91), South East Asians (IQ 87), Native American Indians (IQ 87), Pacific Islanders (IQ 85), South Asians and North Africans (IQ 84). Well below these come the sub-Saharan Africans (IQ 67) followed by the Australian Aborigines (IQ 62). The least intelligent races are the Bushmen of the Kalahari desert together with the Pygmies of the Congo rain forests (IQ 54).

Please remember, legend, such people need to make money. I don't believe you can accurately assess the IQ of a whole population, I really don't. Besides, there are so many forms of intelligence these days. Long gone are the days when it was perceived as 'Einstein-style' in form. Representative samples also don't work as an effective measurement technique.

I might begin to pay attention to huge gulfs but only then. Also, people in different countries have access to different facilities and tools and have the benefit of their use. There are so many factors which could distort the measurement process.

I absolutely agree. For example its kind of unfair to test Africans were a good portion dont even have schooling.

And yes there are different forms of 'smart'.

So called Polish stupidity I can illustrate by two examples taken from my own experience :

my sister in law graduated from Polish Medical University was forced to take her dental exams in Canada (which cost her about 50 000 Canadian $ ), but fortunately she only wasted 2 years of her life and accomplished her goals , now she has got a thriving dental practice in Toronto.

A friend of mine, a Polish architect before nostrificating his diploma, worked for the Canadian architect who signed his projects as his own ( deplorable but true ), it took him few years to pass exams , but now he is on his own and very successful.

BTW , when they came to Canada they were not able to speak english ( german and french were their foreign languages ) .

But they were just smart people, like many other Polish nationals in Canada .


Poland already shows our attitude to the current war in Libya through the lack of our participation in that war. I guess that last time we were manipulated, it was the war in Afghanistan .

I read a book by an ex German general of WWII Friedrich von Mellenthin about his experiences on the eastern and later western fronts. This book was published in the late 50s and in conclusion he says something about the current situation in the Soviet Union " The Slavs have show much capability to my astounding in being able to operate advanced computers and technologies" this moron actually believe that Slavs have some mental deficiency for learning not that they just simply didn't attend schools in those days and didn't get a chance to learn and be educated, not literately stupid.

It'd be interesting to see the how the stereotypes have changed over time. Quite a few Poles were in Scotland long before 2004 and the stereotype was one of a hard worker, whether it be connected with harbour work (no, not that, lol) in the NE of Scotland or as determined pilots dedicated to saving lives, both Polish and British I might add. They earned the respect of many Scots.

Now, I feel that many are unjustly viewed as a kind of parasite for allegedly being a drain on assets. The stereotype may be more one of a job thief but that would be grossly unfair. Many Scots tend to remember the good things Poles have done for us.

Today here in Canada there is about 1 million Poles. And tbh were a quiet bunch very much like Germans.
Rarely I see people making Polish jokes compared to 10+ years ago.
There is 2 smaller groups who are quite loud in comparison: Greeks (danforth stuff), Portuguese (when soccer comes around). And Italians they are quite loud too lol (not a bad thing).

Ask the average Canadian and theyll say Poles are considerate/kind people (in Poland).
Some also know of our rough history being stuck between two giants Germany and Russia.
Little offensive stuff nowadays thats about IT EH?

Monia, when was it?

Are you sure you are not mixing two issues here? To register your engineering company, or even to sign engineering/architectural projects - especially those contracted-out by the government - you and/or your company must become certified by APEO, Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario. Other provinces have similar regulations. You are then entitled to add the little "P.Eng." (Professional Engineer), after your other "scholarly" titles: B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., or whatever.

In 1980s, when I came here, anyone who graduated from a recognized University of Technology in Poland would be almost automatically accepted. Hey, they were even willing to accept my papers, even though I did not study engineering. But my university was on their list and my physics/mathematics background was good enough for them. Few years later, after I decided to actually do something about it, the rules have changed and they wanted me to go through two engineering exams ("Heat engines" and something else) and the "Engineering Ethics". But since I was already wearing another professional hat, I skipped their offer. I have never regretted it since I have never really needed it. But several of my friends are P.Eng. and they need the tittle to run their business effectively, to bid for governmental, or international offers, etc.

In a Canadian society a level of trust is still very high. I was never asked for any papers proving my education level I received in Poland. Well, with one exception - a secretary at my first job asked me to lend her my original diploma in order to hang it on a wall of our boardroom, to impress the customers. I obliged: so there was my diploma hanging in company of others - all in Polish but in decorative calligraphy and handmade paper. :-)

Oh, I've chatted to 3 Canadian Poles and they are well thought of there. According to all 3 of them, 1 whom I met in Japan, Poles are fun and love partying. This is a stereotype that is true to a point. It depends which part of the country you live in. Many here in Gliwice are conservative and boring but you can still see the party instinct. They are all aware of the dumb Polak jokes but, like anyone else who is comfortable with the truth, laugh them off.

Boletus, Monia's post was swept off to random so you too are off-topic here. This is about stereotypes.

not quite. it's about 'stereotypes about Polish people being stupid'

There are various stupidity stereotypes ;) The focus is on those stereotypes.

Thanks. Then I must be stupid not to notice it. So now I am back on topic, am I not? :-)

I have not met any Canadian yet who would tell me to my face that Poles are stupid. Drunks? Yes. Stupid? No. It has nothing to do with a stereotypical Canadian politeness.

But I cannot count a number of Polish-Canadians using the term "stupid Kanadol". And I am tired listening to "other" Canadians calling Americans stupid. I always stand up for "other" Canadians and for Americans. The stereotypes here are twofold.

(1) If one is at the bottom of a social ladder one can easily find that many of one's co-workers are not that bright. But this particular person has no chance to meet really bright, intelligent "others".

(2) "Stupid Americans, they do not even know where Canada (Toronto, etc.) is. They teach them so little about geography, and only about the US one."

To this I usually reply, that many of my friends and co-workers are highly educated and intelligent Americans, that know more about the world than I do. Then I remind them about Internet, NASA and all those thingies invented by supposedly "stupid" Americans. It helps - for a while.

The stereotypes are being reinforced by TV programs, such as CBC comedy "This hour has 22 minutes", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Hour_Has_22_Minutes, which had a section "Talking to Americans":


In conclusion, stereotypes are being created by people least qualified for judging other people. For example, I have met many Ontario residents, so proud of their supposed superiority over Americans in such matters as geography, etc. but who have never set their foot outside Greater Toronto Area. Never - in their 45 years of life, or so. But yet, they yap.

"stupid Kanadol"

oh man I here this a lot.
but more often is glupi Amerykanin

They start teaching world geography in third grade in the US. So if there are some Americans that forget this when old, so what. They knew it at one point in their lives. As a Pole where is Iowa. How many will answer that?