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Druszlak or cedzak?

posts: 6

♂

Nov 18, 11, 12:08 #1

Without trying to take sides as to the advisability of this practice, it is a fact that after the Second World War a strong de-Germanisaiton backlash swept across Poland, some of it imposed from above but usually with grass-roots backing. This affected the Polish language. In officialese (and that includes schools, the media and cinema) ziemniak was propagated in place of kartofel, although the latter was the normal word in many parts of Poland. Others included poziomica instead of waserwaga (spelling?), kołpak in place of dekiel and cedzak instead of durszlak (from German durchschlagen - to force through). Have all those de-Germanising changes taken hold in modern Polish or are some of them still felt as artificially imposed? Any other examples you know?

CosmopolishThreads: - Posts: 14 Joined: Oct 31, 11 ♂	Nov 18, 11, 13:11 #2
We use both forms of the words you quoted although in some regions of Poland one is more popular than another. And I think that nowadays most people don't realise they are of German origin.

grubasThreads: 20 Posts: 1,452 Joined: Feb 1, 10 ♂	Nov 18, 11, 13:14 #3
Durszlak not Druszlak.

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Nov 30, 11, 22:09 #4
Both forms -- durszlak and druszlak -- exist in contemporary Polish usage. It may be a regional thing to prefer one or the other form.

ShAlEyNsTfOhThreads: 8 Posts: 232 Joined: Feb 5, 11 ♂ [Suspended]	Nov 30, 11, 22:13 #5
my mom uses kartofelki b/c that's how russians say it as well. my dad, on the other hand, only uses ziemniak

♂

Nov 30, 11, 22:44 #6

Polonius3:

ziemniak was propagated in place of kartofel

pyra (Great Poland), kartofel (from German), barabola (Lwów), kompera (Łemko - Beskid), grula (górale - Eastern Podhale), bulwa (Kashubian), perka (from Peru), rzepa (Western Podhale, Orawa).

So it was not just the fight between ziemniak and kartofel. :-). I can confirm that pyra and grula are definitely still in use.

Other examples that I remember:
- szlafrok => podomka = dressing-gown
- nakastlik (from German: Nacht (night + something)), apparently still in use => szafka nocna = bedside table, bedside cabinet

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