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"Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use?

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JustysiaSThreads: 15 Posts: 2,868 Joined: Oct 14, 07 MEMBER ♀	Jun 1, 08, 07:01 #61
southern: Polaci is good.And polky for women. Polacy, Polki for women

♂

Edited by: Puzzy Jun 1, 08, 07:24 #62

Frank:

which is frowned on by Polish people?

- What specific word is 'frowned on' by Poles?

Shakespeare refers (in a positive manner) to the Poles as 'Polacks,' but in America the word has been used bizarrely as a derogatory term. We should repossess the name, because its pronunciation is practically identical as the Polish pronunciation of the word 'Polak' - our term for a Polish man. (The term for a Polish woman is 'Polka.')

Both 'Pole' and 'Polish' can evoke both negative and positive associations in English (six-foot pole, earth poles; shoe polish, polish = refinement).

MrBubblesThreads: 13 Posts: 768 Joined: Nov 13, 07 ♂	Jun 1, 08, 09:36 #63
Germanic Slavs?

takeitasitcomes

Aug 4, 08, 20:05 #64

I'm Polish. I didn't realize anyone cared what to call us. I'm cool with Pole, Polak, Polish person... The white girl over there from some slavic country in europe... People are too damned up tight. Get over it. Us Polish have taken it from just about oh...everyone including Prussia which doesn't even exist anymore. I didn't realize I should care that people make dumb Polish jokes, call Polaks weird things, and I really don't care that Im blond too due to being Polish and that there are jokes about that.

osiolThreads: 59 Posts: 4,714 Joined: Jul 25, 07 ♂	Edited by: osiol Aug 4, 08, 20:18 #65
I've never heard anyone say Polonian. Any Polanders here? takeitasitcomes: I'm cool with Pole, Polak, Polish person I would have thought you might not like to be a Polak (masculine) and might prefer to be a Polka (feminine). You did say you're a girl, right?

EurolaThreads: 6 Posts: 2,647 Joined: Dec 2, 06 ♀	Aug 4, 08, 20:19 #66
Good for you. I never paid attention to any of that either. If I detected anything with an undertone to it, I reacted. I can be snippy too. Usually, the person would become embarrassed and apologetic. Good enough for me and a lesson for the offender. Some get way toooooo sensitive for no reason! :)

Cardno85Threads: 33 Posts: 857 Joined: Jul 11, 08 MEMBER ♂	Aug 10, 08, 16:20 #67
Kubelek: Scottish / Scotsman Actually we just get "Scot" most of the time. The English call us Jock a lot which annoys the tits off us.

kubakhan

Sep 4, 08, 02:49 #68

Most dictionaries I've come across define 'Polak' as a racial slur/derogatory title for a person of Polish descent. From my own experience it can certainly be used that way. I think it is comparable to 'nigga' and I wouldn't want someone non-Polish using it unless they know that I'm cool with them. Having said that, of course it's ok for other Polish people to use it among themselves.

'Pole' just sounds stupid to me.

I also identify as a Slav. So I say I'm a Slav or a Polish person.

Del boyThreads: 22 Posts: 318 Joined: Jun 29, 07 ♂	Edited by: Del boy Sep 4, 08, 06:15 #69
I am reading a book published in 1948, written in English by Stanislaw Mikolajczyk, Prime Minister of the Polish goverment in exile during World War II( second important persona after Sikorski ). Every time when he did mention about Polish people he was using the term "Poles". So when Polish exile elite had to use that term it looks like a proper one

kubakhan	Sep 5, 08, 23:22 #70
I don't think the term 'Pole' is derogatory; just stupid sounding. 'Polak' can be used in a derogatory way when used by anyone non-Polish.

SomerledThreads: 6 Posts: 106 Joined: May 31, 07 ♂	Edited by: Somerled Sep 6, 08, 03:33 #71
I use Pole because saying "polish people" is too long. Its like calling Blacks in the states "African Americans". I wouldn't expect someone to call me a Scottish person or an American when they can just say Yank or Mick (or sh*thead). That being said, I was told that "pollack" just means male Pole and I use it extensively. Is someone playing a mean joke on me?

HelenaWojtczakThreads: 31 Posts: 156 Joined: Aug 5, 08 ♀	Sep 7, 08, 07:21 #72
Funny to object to English speaking people using the term Pollack, when the Polish people use the word "polak" !

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06 ♂	Sep 7, 08, 07:44 #73
youre quite right helena but for some reason im not suprised ;)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,160 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Sep 7, 08, 11:02 #74
The usual situation, it's OK for them to use it but not outsiders. I guess certain outsiders gave it a negative connotation.

kubakhan

Sep 8, 08, 13:33 #75

Although there are some Polish people who do not find it offensive when non-Poles use the term 'Polak,' (e.g. HelenaWojtczak) I imagine that they have not experienced that unhappy occasion of being discriminated against due to their cultural background. How lucky you must be to either not have experienced an anti-Slavic prejudice that is really prevalent in the West (it was acknowledged in popular culture as far back as 1951 in a Streetcar Named Desire), or to just manage to just be oblivious to it. I wish I could pretend that the term Polak does not conjure up 'dumb polak' joke references and other negative stereotypes.

If you, however, consult most dictionaries you will find that there is an acknowledgment and explicit mention of the derogatory meanings associated with the term. According to dictionary.com:

Po·lack Audio Help /ˈpoʊlɑk, -læk/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[poh-lahk, -lak]
–noun
Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a Pole or person of Polish descent.

Rab35	Sep 15, 08, 14:46 #76
Cardno85: Actually we just get "Scot" most of the time. The English call us Jock a lot which annoys the tits off us. Its more annoying when they call us "sweatys", makes me want to stick the heid on the morris dancing f***ies!!!

Cardno85Threads: 33 Posts: 857 Joined: Jul 11, 08 MEMBER ♂	Sep 16, 08, 12:37 #77
I have never been called a sweatz (mz kezboard hates me since i changed the lazout). Jock is bloodz annozing though.

tygrysThreads: 2 Posts: 402 Joined: Dec 28, 07 ♂	Sep 16, 08, 12:51 #78
Cardno85: (mz kezboard hates me since i changed the lazout). click on shift and alt to get back typing the y when u need to

Cardno85Threads: 33 Posts: 857 Joined: Jul 11, 08 MEMBER ♂	Sep 16, 08, 13:09 #79
marvellous, thanks very much :)

Tobiasz

Oct 3, 08, 03:05 #80

I'm really surprised how strongly some people feel about the word Pole. As has been pointed out, it is a perfectly legitimate way of referring to a Polish person and it corresponds to words like Dane, Swede, Fleming, Briton, Spaniard etc. in that it is a noun, which Polish is not. You can use the Polish as a collective term, but you cannot use it in the singular form (*a Polish). And circumscribing a Pole as a Polish person is, if done consistently, pretty awkward. Also, at least in the UK it doesn't carry any connotations that Polish would not carry. It is used, and has been used, as a standard term in the British media. Use it and be proud of it.
As for Polak, Polack, Pollock etc., the ones ending in -ck are obviously anglicized spellings, which again is legitimate. Polish is polaco in Spanish and there the c has the k sound too.

Gurl

Dec 3, 08, 16:41 #81

"I'm also polish and Ive been tested to be a genius i do know however that we are very stubborn and opinionated with a wicked temper we strive to learn new things everyday but we can be somewhat lazy our attitudes may have evolved over the years from constantly being told we are dumb but i ask everyone that is not polish can you speak our language ?no then how does it feel to be dumber than a Pollock"
-Quote from Y!Answers
that guy call him self a polish person & polak(lock)
i don't mind what people call me as long as they don't call me russian after ive told them im not russian

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,160 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Dec 3, 08, 16:44 #82
You are a genus of what, a newt? LOL Yes, I can speak Polish, and what of it? I know other non-Poles who can. Get over yourself mate

Guest	Dec 4, 08, 06:29 #83
In Scotland it is seen to be derogatory and racist if you call someone from Pakistan a Paki. So maybe some Polish people feel the same about being called a Pole? Not sure the reason or history behind it?

♀

Dec 4, 08, 06:50 #84

"Polak" is the word most Poles find offensive. I don't think "Pole" is a problem at all. You can avoid using it though if you're worried. Rather than say "He is a Pole" you can say "he is Polish". Then again, where does is end? Should we say "Guest is a Scot" or "Guest is Scottish"? Which offends the least? I think they're both equal just as I think "Pole" and "Polish" are equal. "Polak" and "Jock" are seen as derogatory.

(I'm saying Scot/Scottish Guest because you wrote "Scotland" so was assuming you are from there. :)

Saergas	Mar 24, 09, 01:42 #85
Best said you don't call someone Polish a pollack, its the same thing as calling and African American the N-word, its just that people don't see it the same way.

Cardno85Threads: 33 Posts: 857 Joined: Jul 11, 08 MEMBER ♂	Mar 24, 09, 01:53 #86
I agree, although I think Jock is really quite a soft derogatory term. I amn't too bothered by it. I would prefer something else but hey, who cares. I think people are just too PC in the UK.

ZIMMYThreads: 10 Posts: 2,243 Joined: Feb 21, 09 ♂	Mar 24, 09, 16:49 #87
ola123: I think that if ppl from Poland are called Poles then ppl from Holland should be called Holes . People from Germany should be called Germs? People from Brazil should be called Bras? People from Italy should be called Its'? You can take it away from there.

MrBubblesThreads: 13 Posts: 768 Joined: Nov 13, 07 ♂	Mar 24, 09, 17:08 #88
ZIMMY: People from Germany should be called Germs? People from Brazil should be called Bras? Mongolia - Mongoloid Lesbos - Lesbian Crete - Cretin ?

Uptight	Aug 13, 09, 03:41 #89
Honestly, don't go calling Polish people Poles. It's degrading. I'm Polish and really it's just you being lazy. The origin is actually a Polish word meaning field dwellers but I'm not sure what that word is. Does anyone know? That's what I'm trying to figure out.

pgtxThreads: 48 Posts: 6,268 Joined: Feb 14, 09 ♀ [Moderator]	Aug 13, 09, 03:44 #90
Uptight: It's degrading. why?