Is the term 'Polak' derogatory??

Because she knows you. She knows you mean no harm by it.



Poles don't like being called Polaks by anyone but Poles, and it usually has to be said in Polish.

Black guys don't want white people to call them n*gg*rs, but they call each other n*gg*rs all the time.

The only difference I see is the fact that one deals with race and the other deals with a derogatory term used by some as an insult.

Well, more like she lives in Poland and never heard it used in a derogatory manner. She just know's that it's used in reference to a person from Poland. I do see your point though. Racial slurs IMO are just a bit more harsh.

Yeah, but then the religious ones start the wars.



Ah, that would explain it :]

I don't really like the word Brit, however it is spoken. If I'm spoken to in English, I'd prefer to hear 'Englishman'. If I'm speaking English, I tend to say Polish man, Polish woman or Polish people. Maybe Poles.

I'm a polak :)

You're a Goonie!

czesc
co to jest jak sie masz bu ca tonas comnaser fntn nared

Yeah now there's a whole other debate opened up right there, RELIGION is the source of most of the wars in history, either linked to, religious beliefs or other elements of religion.

I don't need to list some examples because i'm sure you are all aware of what i mean. Imagine, NO RELIGION, less wars, however its true that if we not waring over Religion it will be about something else.

Just stop for a second and see how ridiculous this all is, we have been waring for centuries over a few fairy tails written by a few people who were bored and as good at telling stories as Terry Prattchet and Steven King.

I could right on and on about Religion and the negative affects on human life and culture but really there would be to much to write :)

As has been pointed out several times, Polak is a Polish man, but it is not enough to say "a person hailing from Poland" because that exludes Polki, who are of course the women hailing from Poland. But that's not at issue here, I know.

I agree with the comparison ArturSzastak made with not using the N word to a black person unless you're black. It's unfortunate that a word should be reserved as appropriate to only certain people, but that is the way it is.

I also don't think it's the same thing for a Ukrainian or Russian or any other Slav to use the term Polak because they are coming from a shared linguistic background, and it is safe to assume that their intentions are neutral. English speakers cannot claim this.

I am Polka, not Polak. The only time anyone ever calls me Polak it is not out of curiousity about my heritage, but in order to reference the "Polack joke" mentality. I find it offensive coming from someone who doesn't know what it means and isn't using it correctly.

It's perfectly fine to mix languages, most multilinguals do so, but if you don't know Polish, this should not be the one Polish word you insert into conversation.

Bottom line, if there's any controversy about a word, I would avoid it just in case. No one will get offended because you DON'T use the word Polak, but since some people might, I'd stay away from it. Unless, of course, you're speaking in Polish.

Amongst black people, it is still a derogatory term used by those who see themselves as more respectable. Those who do not wish to be seen as (that kind of) respectable give it that same meaning, but don't mind calling themselves N-.

So its not that derogatory then, ppphhhhwwww well at least i've not offended anybody :)

In Ukraine they talk about Poliaci and they pronounce like Paliaci,which seemed to me derrogatory.When they say ukrainki they stop at ai like ukraaiinki,which lasts double than simply paliaci.

Ukrainans are weak people as they never had a country of their own. Poles, Lithuanians and Russians dominated over them for a 800 years untill Ukraine was created in 1991. And let us not confuse Kiev Rus which was established by the Varangians or Vikings as being Ukrainian because it wasn't.

Ukrainians claim Kiev Rus,original russians were in fact ukrainians.

Plus, Cossacks where pretty tough madafakers. :)

Priexali kozaky.

Kievan Rus was founded by a Varangian (Viking) warrior named Rurik , who first established the empire in Novgorod and then added Kiev.

[[i]b]These particular Varangians were called Rus, just as some are called Swedes, and others Normans and Angles, and still others Goths for they were thus named. The Chuds, the Slavs, the Krivichs and the Ves then said to the Rus, "Our land is great and rich, but there is no order in it. Come reign as princes, rule over us". Three brothers, with their kinfolk, volunteered. They took with them all the Rus and came[/b].
Viking founded Kiev Rus is a predecessor state to Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.[/i]

we cannot even prove today that Mieszko and the Piast dynasty were indeed Polish.

Most probable is that the Piasts were Vikings similar to the Russian Rukirks.

250pxMieszko1.jpg

that a look at this:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polack


it clears things up.

I don't think that's derogatory and neither does my polish bf. I'm a Canadian and ppl call us canucks, i don't know any Canadians that find this derogatory. If they do maybe they're just hypersensitive to everything and like to cause shit.

As with 99% of these cases, it's all to do with the context of it's use...