Why are we called Poles instead of Polans?

Nomsense:

There is an interesting article on Polans: "Polan nigdy nie było" ("Polans never existed", Wprost, 36/2009). According to its author there has never been such a tribe and the name was given to the people under the Bolesław I Chrobry's rulership by some foreign travellers/scholars. Unfortunately, I don't remember the whole story but the article suggests a different point of view on the early history of Poland - that Poland was a "collection" of many Slavic tribes and even less homogenous than we thought.

KsysiaThreads: 39 Posts: 545 Joined: May 6, 09	Oct 8, 09, 15:25 / #
everybody else is an -an Slovakian Russian German Norwegian Argentinian Catalunian with the exception of peoples with adjectives instead of names English French Finnish but I think nobody else is constructed like Poles. How would that be? Eng Frank Argent ??? I try to use the older form, Polan instead of Polish or Pole, because they have other meanings as well.

PolsonThreads: 15 Posts: 2,812 Joined: May 9, 07	Oct 8, 09, 15:30 / #
Ksysia: but I think nobody else is constructed like Poles Turks, Swiss, Serbs, Croats... ;) It's said that Poland's name come from 'pole' (plain?). Btw, the Polans were a people living in today Poland before Poland was created.

ZiemowitThreads: 10 Posts: 1,063 Joined: May 8, 09	Edited by: Ziemowit Oct 8, 09, 15:45 / #
Polans (Polanie) is the name of the tribe that used to live in what is roughly today's Wielkopolska (Great Poland). The name Poles or Polish referred (and refers) to all inhabitants of Poland which included the tribe of Wiślanie (Little Poland), Mazowszanie (Mazovia), Ślązacy (Silesia), Pomorzanie (Pomerania), althoug the latter belonged to the non-Polish, but Slavic tribes of Pomeranians that inhabited lands along the Baltic coast from the river Elbe to the river Vistula (of which the Kashubians with their own language are the only Slavic, non-Germanized descendants) and many other, minor Polish tribes.

DavidTThreads: 1 Posts: 14 Joined: Sep 23, 09	Oct 8, 09, 15:56 / #
Swedes and Kiwis (to throw some fruit and veg in the mix)

MagdalenaThreads: 5 Posts: 1,389 Joined: Aug 15, 07	Oct 8, 09, 16:05 / #
I think you are a bit confused here. You can say: Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Finns, Danes... or the Polish, Czech, Slovakian, Finnish, Danish, English (people).

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Edited by: MareGaea Oct 8, 09, 17:03 / #
Ksysia Nah, you're not the only ones who are called different than the name of your country... Did you ever meet somebody from the Netherlands that was called a Netherlander? No? Thought so. We are from the Netherlands, but we're called Dutch. Now there's something different, isn't there? And you know why we are called like that? Because the Americans thought we were speaking German and German in German (nice:) ) is called Deutsch. Of course the Americans couldn't pronounce that, so it rapidly became Dutch. So, you think you can complain or wonder. Wonder how it must be to be a citizen of your own country, but abroad being named as citizen of your neighbouring country! In Dutch, a person from Poland is called a "Pool" and two or more ppl from Poland are called "Polen", the Dutch name for Poland is also "Polen". And you guys call our country and the ppl who are from it after two provinces in the West of the Netherlands: North Holland and South Holland. Tsk! Tjechen, Hongaren, Bulgaren, Polen, Slowaken, Slovenen, Russen, Kroaten, Serven, Grieken, Albanezen, Bosniërs, Italianen, Fransen, Spanjaarden, Portugezen, Zwitsers, Oostenrijkers, Duitsers, Denen, Zweden, Noren, Finnen, Engelsen, Schotten, Britten, Ieren. Moldovaren, Oekraiënzers, Georgiërs, Cyprioten, Turken, Armenen, Azeri, etc. >^..^< M-G (global village)

gumishuThreads: 17 Posts: 3,943 Joined: Apr 6, 09	Edited by: gumishu Oct 8, 09, 17:18 / #
MareGaea: And you guys call our country and the ppl who are from it after two provinces in the West of the Netherlands: North Holland and South Holland. isn't where Amsterdaam, den Haag and Rotterdam are? you should now know why btw in the past Niderlandy was much more common name - it is still used as a historical term - the reason (why it is not used for the name of the country) is not the whole of historical Netherlands is within the borders of the present Netherlands btw the English (and Germans as far as I can tell) also often call the Netherlands Holland while Nizozemsko (translation of the Netherlands) is the name of your country in Czech language, the Czechs still often call your compatriots Holandiane (you can here it watching football games)

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Edited by: MareGaea Oct 8, 09, 17:31 / #
gumishu: you should now know why I know, it's the most well known part of the country, so I understand why. But me being from Gelderland, doesn't like to hear that he's actually from Holland. But that's just a little Dutch thing :) Most ppl around the world call my country Holland and most have a word in their language for it. Because it doesn't look good for politicians on visit to use a kind of slang name for the country they are visiting on high levels. >^..^< M-G (nah)

benszymanskiThreads: 9 Posts: 510 Joined: Feb 29, 08	Oct 8, 09, 18:07 / #
Ksysia: I try to use the older form, Polan I had in fact noticed you do that and presumed you were just making a mistake. Before reading this thread I had never heard about Polans and I suspect most English speakers (at least those who aren't on this forum) will wonder what you mean by a "Polan".

gumishuThreads: 17 Posts: 3,943 Joined: Apr 6, 09	Oct 8, 09, 18:25 / #
I don't think there is any need to call ourselves either in English or in Polish Polanie/Polans - we're just Polacy/Poles - and that's it

derek trotterThreads: 12 Posts: 252 Joined: Apr 10, 09	Oct 8, 09, 18:36 / #
MareGaea: Oostenrijkers who are they? east nickers? thieves form the east ? :)

derek trotterThreads: 12 Posts: 252 Joined: Apr 10, 09	Oct 8, 09, 19:03 / #
interesting fact is that description of Welsh people came from germanic/nordic languages and means deaf just like invaiding germanic/nordic tribes called Slavic people in Kiev area ( west Ukraine ) - walachs or like we ( Poles) call Germans - Niemce - means deaf.

ArienThreads: 6 Posts: 1,604 Joined: Oct 20, 08	Edited by: Arien Oct 8, 09, 20:21 / #
krysia: Holland rhymes with Poland, No it doesn't? krysia: why aren't they called "Holes" or "Holish"? That would be Holles, or Hollish, following your logic. :) Share whatever you're smoking?

ArienThreads: 6 Posts: 1,604 Joined: Oct 20, 08	Oct 8, 09, 21:03 / #
French - Franks? German - Germs? English - Angles? Scottish - Scotch? Catalonian - Cattle? Irish - Irie? American - Yeswecans? Belgian - Belch? Swiss - Switch? Czech - Check? Romanian - Roman? Italian - Italics? Swedish - Sweets? Mexican - Mexists? Portuguese - Geezers? Texan - Texies? :) 3 beers and counting..

ZiemowitThreads: 10 Posts: 1,063 Joined: May 8, 09	Edited by: Ziemowit Oct 8, 09, 18:25 / #
Ksysia: I try to use the older form, Polan It's not an older form. As I said, the name denotes something different than "the Polish" or "Poles", and the two names should not be confounded.

NomsenseThreads: - Posts: 47 Joined: Sep 20, 09	Oct 8, 09, 18:41 / #
Ziemowit: Polans (Polanie) is the name of the tribe that used to live in what is roughly today's Wielkopolska (Great Poland). There is an interesting article on Polans: "Polan nigdy nie było" ("Polans never existed", Wprost, 36/2009). According to its author there has never been such a tribe and the name was given to the people under the Bolesław I Chrobry's rulership by some foreign travellers/scholars. Unfortunately, I don't remember the whole story but the article suggests a different point of view on the early history of Poland - that Poland was a "collection" of many Slavic tribes and even less homogenous than we thought.

gumishuThreads: 17 Posts: 3,943 Joined: Apr 6, 09	Oct 8, 09, 18:52 / #
Nomsense: There is an interesting article on Polans: "Polan nigdy nie było" ("Polans never existed", Wprost, 36/2009). According to its author there has never been such a tribe and the name was given to the people under the Bolesław I Chrobry's rulership by some foreign travellers/scholars. Unfortunately, I don't remember the whole story but the article suggests a different point of view on the early history of Poland - that Poland was a "collection" of many Slavic tribes and even less homogenous than we thought. don't believe that actually - there were Polanie around Kyiv (Kijów) as well - Slavic tribes would often split with parts wandering away quite far - see Chroats, Serbs, Volinians=Volhynians, Golęszyce/Golędzice some of these tribes had other than Slavic origin as probably the Serbs, Croats and Golęszyce

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06	Oct 8, 09, 19:04 / #
Ksysia: Why are we called Poles instead of Polans? If we called you Polans, you would ask "why are we called Polans"? Holland rhymes with Poland, why aren't they called "Holes" or "Holish"? And so on....

MichalThreads: - Posts: 2,408 Joined: Feb 27, 07	Oct 8, 09, 19:47 / #
MareGaea: hat was called a Netherlander? No? Th Yes you can! A Dutchman is a nederlander in Dutch. Also someone from Slovakia can be a Slovak.

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Oct 8, 09, 19:51 / #
Michal I know, I am Dutch :) Slovakians can be called Slovaks indeed and Poles can be called Polaks as well? Or is that a curse-name? >^..^< M-G (happy because he actually bought 3 compact cassettes for only 3 Euros! Didn't know they still sell them)

derek trotterThreads: 12 Posts: 252 Joined: Apr 10, 09	Oct 8, 09, 21:30 / #
Arien: rFench - Franks?German - Germs?English - Angles?Scottish - Scotch?Catalonian - Cattle?Irish - Irie?American - Yeswecans?Belgian - Belch?Swiss - Switch?Czech - Check?Romanian - Roman?Italian - Italics?Swedish - Sweets?Mexican - Mexists?Portuguese - Geezers?Texan - Texies? Swiss ? switch hmm... Romanians-Roman? what about Romans, how you call them Swedish - sweets nice :) Portuguese - Geezers hahahhaahhahahahahahahahahaha

ArienThreads: 6 Posts: 1,604 Joined: Oct 20, 08	Oct 9, 09, 20:55 / #
derek trotter: Romanians-Roman? what about Romans, how you call them Roms? Romeos? :)

KsysiaThreads: 39 Posts: 545 Joined: May 6, 09	Oct 9, 09, 21:03 / #
Arien: Roms? Romeos? I like that one! Romeos - Polonos - Americanos - Englos - Skotios - Portos - Argos - Hispanos

ArienThreads: 6 Posts: 1,604 Joined: Oct 20, 08	Oct 9, 09, 21:06 / #
Dutchos (Sounds like machos!) ;)

KsysiaThreads: 39 Posts: 545 Joined: May 6, 09	Oct 9, 09, 21:12 / #
Turkeys!

ArienThreads: 6 Posts: 1,604 Joined: Oct 20, 08	Oct 9, 09, 21:18 / #
Oh, I'm sure they'll love that one around Thanksgiving! xD

KsysiaThreads: 39 Posts: 545 Joined: May 6, 09	Oct 9, 09, 21:44 / #
The OED says: Polan, n. Now hist. and rare. A native or inhabitant of Poland, a Pole. 1502 in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. 1st Ser. I. 50 The Hungaries, Boyams, and the Polans. 1581 J. BELL tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius III. f. 373, French men also, Germaynes, Dalnes, Switzers, Bohemyans, Polans, Rettes, Scottes & all other nations. 1604 T. WRIGHT Passions of Minde (new ed.) I. x. 44, I might discourse over..Italians, Polans, Germanes. 1665 B. GERBIER Subsidium Peregrinantibus ix. 117 The Polans well accustomed to Pump those forraigne Inquisitors, by setting close mouthed..Masters of Ceremonies on them. 1864 New Englander (New Haven, Connecticut) Apr. 276 Originally they were known as Polans, Masovians, Lenczycans, Kurjavians, [etc.]… A thousand years ago..they appeared in history under the name of the leading tribe, as Polans or Poles. 1873-6 Amer. Cycl. 644/1 The Polans..formed the most conspicuous group, and eventually gave their name to the whole nation.

stellitThreads: 3 Posts: 5 Joined: Sep 2, 09	Oct 9, 09, 22:41 / #
MareGaea: So, you think you can complain or wonder. Wonder how it must be to be a citizen of your own country, but abroad being named as citizen of your neighbouring country! In french we call you "Hollandais". I just discovered that we shouldn't by reading the wikipedia link ! :) So "Hollande" is only a part of the Netherland (that we call "Pays-bas")? According to wikipedia, we should call you Néerlandais (that's rather close). We call Poles "Polonais" and Poland "Pologne". I find ironic that calling a Pole "Polak" in french is an insult as in english... Someone know why that happened ?

tornado2007Threads: 20 Posts: 3,497 Joined: Jul 11, 07	Oct 9, 09, 23:58 / #
krysia: If we called you Polans, you would ask "why are we called Polans"? Holland rhymes with Poland, why aren't they called "Holes" or "Holish"? And so on... your speaking a lot of sense, i always like your posts Krysia, marry me :) lol

osiolThreads: 59 Posts: 4,714 Joined: Jul 25, 07	Oct 10, 09, 01:39 / #
Where is Polanland?