Polish people in the UK using the English version of their name?

My cousin name is Małgorzata but when she moved to Germany everybody changed it into Margot. She didn't want them to call her that and every time she said "I'm not Margot-I'm Małgorzata". Now she's living there 20 years but she still is using her original name. If you want to keep your real name you have to be prepared for problems with pronunciation and spelling.

Hopefully not pronounced with silent 'g' ???

The tendency to use other language's equivalents of first names is rather old-fashioned.

One of my favourites are: German name Ruprecht and Swedish: Björn.

I have another Kasia friend (and a few more) who went on a course in UK. She wrote her name, Kasia, on her badge and everyone kept calling her Kas-ee-ya.

My name is Malgorzata and i always introduce myself as Gosia (shortname) or Malgorzata, which hardly anyone is able to pronounce. I live in uk and i really hate it when people change Polish people using the English version of their name. how pathetic...

the other thing is when i tell Brits that my name translates into Margaret, they ask me: what are you, 80 years old?

Yes lots of Georges ,johns. Part of the briefing they get in Poland before they get to England. Their English is atrocious(not to say non existant) and yet they want to run the show.!!!"

Back to poland, learn English ,pay, your dues and come back Polish fellows. You'll always be despised if you don't.
People have an acute sense of the coucou in the nest scenario.

Cheerio

Briefing from whom?

hhmmmmmm


hhhhhmmm


is that some sort of Greek salad?

If English speakers could pronounce my name correctly i would prefer for them use it.

We are rarely given the opportunity though, if you already know that "margaret" is likely to be Malgorzata and call her that,well,thats great,but you cant expect every english person to know these things.

Ive even had a malgorzata insist I call her margaret even after she realised I could pronounce her real name like a native,had explained that "margarets" are either 80 + or from Zimbabwe and I can sing most of the old uprising song ;)

My daddy was Piotr. He usually went by the name of Peter or Pete.

My grandfather was named Miecheslaw, I guess the Polish for Michael, but on entry to the US it was changed to John. Go figure.

You guessed wrong. His name was Mieczysław and it's not Polish for Michael.

I assume you know better than I. Was it just ethnic? With no connections? No equivalents? I like it better than "John...."

Yes, all the names ended with "sław" are Slavic.

Ah, Micheslaw Golinski has a "son of" 'Miche' with a surname Golinski?

No. Mieczyslaw is a Polish given name. It doesn't mean son of anything. A nice name, rather old-fashioned now.

Mieczysław is a name of Slavic origin, can mean: the one who gain fame with a sword (miecz). Also: a man with the strength of a bear; or to batter, fight gloriously

Possible English equivalents: Mecislaus, Mitchel, Mitch

Thanks looker, Wulkan and Jon for helping me learn about my heritage.

In Google translate if you separate the name as such: Mieczy sław

It translates to "sword of fame."

Who would have guessed?

Almost everybody who speaks Polish.

This has been going on for decades.

Members of my own family have anglicised their names. Personally, I have never agreed with it.

It's easier for English colleagues to remember one name then it is for you to have to remember all of their names.

what if this name has sounds that English language doesn't have?

They can at least make an attempt.

and thay fail and although told that it's wrong they keep saying that way just to annoying name's owner, do you think it's good?

Instead of expecting an English speaker to say Grzegorz correctly you can just introduce yourself Greg, it's absolutely normal.

I get your point and it is upto each individual but a person's name is part of their identity. I was born in the UK with a Polish name and refuse to change my name to make it easier for people. Ok-I am called Marek so it's not THAT difficult but you'd be surprised how people still get it wrong e.g. Merrick and even Maverick ! I just make the other person feel stupid when they get it so wrong.

Funnily enough I was going to give an example of Grzegorz being used correctly. Last year I was in Lytham St Annes and was talking to a Polish chef at the hotel. All the staff called him Grzegorz.

Unlike Poland the UK has been a home for people from different cultures for centuries. Some cultures have adapted to anglicise there names and some haven't. My family name is and anglicized version of an Irish surname and we've been in England since the 1880's and people still can't pronounce it.

Unlike Poland? Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews, Tatars, Romani people, Germans, etc. I don't know, maybe the UK had more and more "exotic" or sth, but it's not like Poland was always so monocultural :)