Poles in America: How do you pronounce your Polish surname?

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Jun 26, 10, 13:01 #1

This question is being directed to Pol-Ams, Pol-Canadians and other Diaspora types who have retained the original spelling of their Polish surname. Do you pronounce it the original Polish way, ie, Zając=zaYUNTS, Wróblewski= vroobLEFFski, Chomiński=
hawMEENski, Jabłoński=yab-WOINski, etc.
or Anglo-mangle it: Zayjack, Roblooski, Chaminski, Jablanski, etc.?
Whichever way, is that how your parents and grandparents pronounced it or have you yourself anglicised the pronunciation? Or maybe revertded to the original Polish pronunciation had been anglicised by a previous geenration?

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 ♂ [Suspended]	Jun 26, 10, 15:44 #2
Nothing annoys me more than the ones who can't even pronounce their last name properly, yet claim to be Polish. Adam "An-gee-eff-ski" was a good example of this!

MatowyThreads: 1 Posts: 519 Joined: Jul 4, 09 ♂	Jun 26, 10, 16:24 #3
I find it hilarious when Americans can't even say their last name. "Dźan-COW-skee" sounds ridiculous.

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,835 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jun 27, 10, 18:02 #4
Some Pol-Ams have officially changed the spelling of their Polish surnames name to retain their original pronunciaiton. Common examples: Hominski (Chomiński) Dembkowski (Dębkowski) Yablonski (Jabłoński) Payonk (Pająk) Voytkoviak (Wojtkowiak)

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Edited by: sobieski Jun 27, 10, 19:01 #5

I know in my native Flanders the fact that women's surnames change gramatically - "a" on the end in most cases - at times confuses people in the administration.
But what is think is very confusing is that the fact that women after marriage take their husband's surname - be it gramitacally adjusted -.
Honestly I also do no not understand this. In my country up to the 60's wifes added their husbands' surnames to theirs. But not giving up their own.

beckskiThreads: 19 Posts: 2,148 Joined: May 15, 07 MEMBER ♀	Jun 27, 10, 19:18 #6
sobieski: wifes added their husbands' surnames to theirs. But not giving up their own. Most of the women in my family either keep their maiden name after marriage, or hyphenate her surname with his. A sincere thanks PF, for putting up with me FIVE terrific years, muah!

sobieskiThreads: 82 Posts: 1,143 Joined: Jun 1, 08 ♂	Jun 27, 10, 19:48 #7
Girls in my company systematically take their husbands' names.

HamikaThreads: - Posts: 5 Joined: Jun 30, 10 ♀	Jul 1, 10, 00:10 #8
I'm of a Polish matriline, so... But, I know of a 13 letter name, where only 7 letters remain, with a "rze" changed to "rez." I imagine they probably pronounce it like American-English.

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07 ♂	Jul 1, 10, 01:42 #9
i pronounce mine in polish, others maybe not so much.

Mr GrunwaldThreads: 34 Posts: 2,358 Joined: Dec 16, 08 ♂	Edited by: Mr Grunwald Jul 1, 10, 04:58 #10
Depends on the language I am using, in Norwegian I say it with Norwegian (u) not Polish (u,ó) While in Polish I say it like Poles do :) Of course it's origins are German so wth ^^ (I hate it when they write down Grundvall, or Grundtval or something close)

polskisoldier88Threads: 9 Posts: 14 Joined: Feb 21, 10 ♂	Jul 1, 10, 05:57 #11
how would you pronounce perkowski name in polish ?

MatowyThreads: 1 Posts: 519 Joined: Jul 4, 09 ♂	Jul 1, 10, 06:01 #12
polskisoldier88: how would you pronounce perkowski name in polish ? Perkovvskee Per - Like pear, but faster Kov - Like cough, but faster and with a V sound at the end. This is the syllable where you place the emphasis of the word Ski - Like the sport Your profile does say you know Polish, eh...

josh sklodowski	Aug 26, 10, 19:54 #13
I say Skluh-DOW-skee. I don't like it when other ethnic groups insist that I role my R's or pronounce the Kh's of their names. So, I'm courteous enough to Anglify mine.

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Edited by: trener zolwia Aug 26, 10, 20:17 #14

josh sklodowski:

I don't like it when other ethnic groups insist that I role my R's or pronounce the Kh's of their names. So, I'm courteous enough to Anglify mine.

This is courteous of you. Everyone should abide by the norms of the land where they are rather than trying to inflict their manners/ traditions etc on their hosts or insisting to be accommodated.

How would Vojtal be pronounced in Poland?

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Aug 26, 10, 20:19 #15
trener zolwia: How would Vojtal be pronounced in Poland? Voytal

trener zolwiaThreads: 5 Posts: 2,786 Joined: Jun 8, 10 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 20:22 #16
pgtx: Voytal Thanks, P. :*

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 20:41 #17
pgtx: Voytal foytal actually but since v is not a polish letter, if your name is of polish descent then it was spelled with a W which is pronounced like a V

trener zolwiaThreads: 5 Posts: 2,786 Joined: Jun 8, 10 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 20:47 #18
plk123: foytal actually but since v is not a polish letter, if your name is of polish descent then it was spelled with a W which is pronounced like a V Oops, my mistake. It is spelled with a W. So would it still be Voytal?

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Aug 26, 10, 20:50 #19
trener zolwia: Oops, my mistake. It is spelled with a W. So would it still be Voytal? always use this :)

trener zolwiaThreads: 5 Posts: 2,786 Joined: Jun 8, 10 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 21:15 #20
pgtx: always use this :) Thanks. :) Hey, what have the Polish against the letter V anyway? Seems a bit discriminatory to me...

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Aug 26, 10, 21:26 #21
trener zolwia: Hey, what have the Polish against the letter V anyway? Seems a bit discriminatory to me... and X!!! i have never understood what have the English against the letters ą, ć, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, ż... such handsome letters... ;)

trener zolwiaThreads: 5 Posts: 2,786 Joined: Jun 8, 10 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 21:29 #22
pgtx: i have never understood what have the English against the letters ą, ć, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, ż... such handsome letters... Those aren't letters! Somekinda crazy pagan symbols...

nunczkaThreads: 17 Posts: 624 Joined: Sep 13, 08 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 21:33 #23
Its sad, but in todays America, there are very few Polish Americans that understand Polish. Names have been changed to the meaning in American Bialek >>>>>white Czarnikowski>>>> Black Jaskowiak>>>> Johns Wisniewski>>> Cherry Krawczyk>>> Taylor

TymoteuszThreads: 7 Posts: 694 Joined: Jul 25, 09 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 22:25 #24
The V and W are transposed as normal. It was written phonetically upon entry and stuck. Also, the ski-ska thing is long gone.

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,835 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 22:30 #25
A last name is one's most precious possession and deserves respect. Only it's owner can say how it should be pronounced. If someone spells his name Smythe and insists it be pronoucned Jones, so be it!

trener zolwiaThreads: 5 Posts: 2,786 Joined: Jun 8, 10 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 22:32 #26
Polonius3: A last name is one's most precious possession and deserves respect. Only it's owner can say how it should be pronounced. If someone spells his name Smythe and insists it be pronoucned Jones, so be it! ...said the resident nameologist. Lol.

NorthMancPolakThreads: 6 Posts: 708 Joined: Jun 13, 10 ♂	Edited by: NorthMancPolak Aug 26, 10, 22:37 #27
pgtx: always use this :) Yeah, but is that pronounced Ivona, or Iwona? :D Polonius3: A last name is one's most precious possession and deserves respect. Only it's owner can say how it should be pronounced. If someone spells his name Smythe and insists it be pronoucned Jones, so be it! http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/raymond.htm :D

trener zolwiaThreads: 5 Posts: 2,786 Joined: Jun 8, 10 ♂	Aug 26, 10, 22:41 #28
pgtx: Voytal plk123: since v is not a polish letter Tymoteusz: The V and W are transposed as normal. It was written phonetically Wait, are you telling me that the Polish alphabet contains no V but yet still has a V sound?? Crazy darn Polish language...

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Aug 26, 10, 22:43 #29

If I ever moved away where no one knew me I'd insist on people pronouncing my name correctly. However, my parents and grandparents never did so it is too much of a pain to try to get people who have known me my whole life to relearn how to say my surname. It makes it a rare treat when I come across someone Polish who naturally says my name correctly, or the odd person who goes out of their way to learn how to pronounce it.

My wife isn't Polish, but I've taught her how to say our name correctly. She even knows her name should end in an "a" instead of an "i".

Des EssientesThreads: 11 Posts: 2,318 Joined: Feb 6, 10 ♂ [Suspended]	Aug 26, 10, 23:13 #30
In America only large intimidating people with Polish surnames, like Larry Csonka, get them pronounced properly.

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