Stanley Bill @StanleySBill Twitter profile

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Stanley Bill

6 months

OUT NOW: "Multicultural Commonwealth", a new book edited by Simon Lewis and me. Featuring a wide range of scholarly perspectives on the historical diversity of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its afterlives in culture and memory. More here:

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Genuine question: have German leaders publicly acknowledged what a colossal mistake Nord Stream 2 was all along - or even apologised, especially given how many partners warned so strongly against it from the beginning (above all, Ukraine)? Has Merkel commented?

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: "onuca" - a pejorative for a person allegedly supporting Russian interests or propaganda. The word literally means "footwrap", a cloth once used in place of socks, especially in Russian or Soviet armies. Often appears as "ruska onuca": "russkie footwrap".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Strange scenes in the centre of Cambridge: Hong Kong student protesters confronted by noisy and well-organised Chinese counter-protesters. Guys who definitely don't look like students walking around taking photos of the Hong Kong group.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Big protests against Poland's abortion ruling in multiple cities: Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Katowice, Poznań, Gdańsk, and others. Unofficial estimates suggest between 10 and 20,000 people in Warsaw alone (pictured below: ).

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: żurek (rye soup), a staple for many Poles at Easter. The diminutive of “żur”, which derives from Old German “sür”, related to “sauer” in modern German and “sour” in English. Hearty, full of tangy flavour, available in a few different variants. A classic.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: wrzesień (September). While English and various other languages have the dull and now inaccurate Latin "seventh" month, Polish (like Belarusian and Ukrainian) has a poetic word derived from the heather (wrzos) that flowers at this time of year.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Still sobering to fly into once sleepy Rzeszów airport and see batteries of US Patriot antiaircraft missiles lining the runway of what is now a major transport hub for Ukraine. In so many ways, the war remains much more concrete for Poland than for Western neighbours.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Poland's government (certainly the president) may now recognise that the "establishment" liberal order and its values are what have always guaranteed Poland's security, even if that establishment underestimated the Russian threat. Trump and Orbán were never Poland's friends.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 years

A "poem" by Stanisław Barańczak to be read simultaneously in Polish and English : Ten pies...I owe forty...A lot much to handle Buddy! Stale pies, but i brew, stale...ale, no — stare my windy fury win... one — to ten Sam stale pies! Wanna...Piece? A top ten list, pal go! I won!

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

11 months

Propaganda on Poland's ruling-party-controlled public TV is on level of a non-democracy - the most extreme manipulation straight from the party room. Especially intense today against opposition march. Nothing new to observe this, but can't be emphasised enough in election year.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

7 months

Poland's final election results, with all districts now counted. PiS: 35.38% KO: 30.70% Third Way: 14.40% Left: 8.61% Confederation: 7.16% Turnout: 74.38%

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

6 years

Let's be clear: extreme nationalism is overall a very marginal phenomenon in Poland today. It's more of a problem in some other European countries. Also, Polish history is rich in very inclusive understandings of nation. This is a preposterous headline.

Extreme Nationalism Is as Polish as Pierogi

It’s entirely fitting that Poland is celebrating its independence with a far-right nationalist parade.

foreignpolicy.com

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

In case you're wondering how things are going in Poland, the interior and defence ministers today stood next to a (lightly censored) photo of a man having intercourse with a cow, claiming it came from a migrant's phone, thus suggesting the threat of migrants - all on public TV.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 months

First thoughts on the new Polish government's changes to public media [THREAD]: A sensational day as media boards replaced by ministerial decision and public news TV taken off air. After turning these media into its own propaganda tubes, PiS now warns of an unfolding "coup". 1/

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Poland really pushing to shape or lead Western responses to Russia, in NATO and especially EU. The PM is energetically making case for stronger action, seeking to convince partners. Poland's capacity to influence has limits, but this ambition is big shift from spoiler role in EU.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

7 months

Poland's election result looking even worse for PiS, with 98% of districts counted. PiS dropping below 36% and trend suggesting further narrowing of gap with KO. We wait for final districts. PiS: 35.86% KO: 30.28% Third Way: 14.43% Left: 8.51% Confederation: 7.15%

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Poland's President Duda will only debate his opponent on public TVP, refusing to participate in debate on private media. In 1st round debate on TVP, Duda had advantage of questions written to suit him, tendentious introductions against his opponent, and extra time after debate.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: dżdżownica (earthworm). Approx. pronunciation: j-jovnitsa. From an archaic Polish word for rain: deżdż (now deszcz). A related term for "rainy" is a real tongue-twister: "dżdżyście". Polish pronunciation is fine once you get used to it, but this is tricky.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

7 months

Big decision ahead of President Duda. If exit polls are right, PiS is largest party (200 seats), but opposition coalition has majority (248). Who will Duda give first shot at forming government? If he sides with PiS, they could delay opposition taking power for many weeks. 1/

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Huge story in Poland, as @AP reports that opposition politician @KrzysztofBrejza had his phone hacked 33 times in lead-up to 2019 election, when he was running opposition KO's campaign. Public TV allegedly published doctored SMS's in a smear campaign against him at the time.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: zima (winter). The word derives from Proto-Slavic term for the cold season. It has same root as Sanskrit "hima" हिम, meaning "snow", familiar from "Himalaya", meaning "abode of snow". The common origin is Proto-Indo-European *gheim-, also meaning "winter".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: zima (winter). The word derives from Proto-Slavic term for the cold season. It has same root as Sanskrit "hima" हिम, meaning "snow", familiar from "Himalaya", meaning "abode of snow". English words with same PIE roots include "hibernation" and "chimera".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

This term has become prominent since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Anxiety about Russian power and strong support of Ukraine unite the otherwise feuding parties of Polish domestic politics (with minor exceptions), based on longstanding fears rooted in historical experience.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: bohater (hero). Derived from Persian via Turkish/Mongolian "bahādor" (brave warrior). Thus linked to Old Persian "baga" (god), Baghdad (gift of God), Sanskrit "Bhaga" (god of wealth), Polish "Bóg" (God) and "bogaty" (rich), from roots for "sharing out".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Sadly, few in Poland are surpised by latest leaked emails allegedly from PM's office to public TV news, requesting attacks on judges and feeding material (aired the same day). Propaganda straight from party room, funded by all taxpayers, degrading public discourse and democracy.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: wihajster (whatsit, thingamabob), a placeholder word for an object (often a tool) whose name is unknown or forgotten. From German "Wie heißt er?" (What's it called?). Growing up in Australia, a common word for this purpose in my family was "dooverberry".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: "hołota" (rabble). Originally "gołota" from "goły" (bare or naked). Once used to describe the poorest, landless members of szlachta. Later a pejorative for vulgar riff-raff. This week Jarosław Kaczyński called opposition "chamska hołota" (boorish rabble).

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Poland has now seen over one million refugees cross its border from Ukraine in the 11 days since Russia's invasion. The majority of Poles are in favour of helping Ukrainians, and many are offering this help in person. The government is making plans to support this effort.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: "bohaterka" (fem. "hero"). The word entered Polish from Ukrainian "богатир", but derives (via Turkish/Mongolian) from Persian "bahādor" (brave warrior), linked with Old Persian "baga" (god). The hero below is Kasia, a Polish nurse at a Cambridge hospital.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: bałagan (mess). Derived via Russian from Persian “balakhan”, meaning upper chamber or balcony. In Russian, it meant a kind of puppet theatre. Like Polish, Hebrew also uses “balagan” to mean “mess”. And Polish took “bajzel” (brothel or mess) from Yiddish.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 months

Tusk's return as PM in Poland is one of the great political comebacks [THREAD]. Before his reappearance from Brussels, his party languished at 16% in polls. He now rejoins Kaczyński as one of the two undisputed giants of post-1989 Polish politics (winning power 3 times each). 1/

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Yesterday I came under sustained attack from mostly anonymous right-wing Polish Twitter accounts for underlining the irrefutable fact that Poland's yearly independence march is founded, organised and led by far-right nationalists. The abuse does not change my analysis.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: mizeria (cucumber and sour cream salad). The much-loved side dish has an incongruous Latin name meaning "misery" or "deprivation". Probably due to its status as a simple, modest, "poor-man's" dish. Today's word brought to you on request from a reader.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

That escalated rather quickly.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 years

There was no "Polish Nazi occupation". Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany, suffering massive destruction. Please correct this error, @DEADLINE . The phrase above is offensive, especially to the memory of Irena Sendler and other Polish Righteous.

Gal Gadot Forms Pilot Wave With Jaron Varsano; She’ll Star In & Produce ‘Irena Sendler’ For Warner...

Gal Gadot Forms Pilot Wave With Husband Jaron Varsano; She'll Star In & Produce 'Irena Sendler' For Warner Bros

deadline.com

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 years

The period after the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 is often called the "phoney war", as Britain and France did little to help their ally, despite declaring war. There was nothing phoney about total war for Poland, which suffered heavy military and civilian losses.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

In Polish, King Charles is "Król Karol". This is a kind of tautology, since the Polish word for king (król) derives from the name Charles (Karl in German; Karol in Polish) - from Charlemagne, the most celebrated European model of a ruler of the Early Middle Ages.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

It's extraordinary to watch the Biden visit now - and Poland's new position - when not long ago Duda and the Polish government were siding with Trump, not acknowledging Biden's election win, while their only allies in Europe were Putin stooges. A huge change in times of crisis.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish words of the day: przeszłość (past); przyszłość (future). From "przeszły" (what has passed - przejść) and "przyszły" (what is to come - przyjść). For long-suffering learners of Polish, these words are very easy to confuse. Perhaps this similarity has a deeper significance.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Sunday visit to local Polish shop in Cambridge. Always amazes me how they recreate the experience of small shops in Poland. The products, and - most evocatively - the particular combination of smells (wędlina, ogórek, Polish bread, etc). Like an extraterritorial piece of Poland.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: niebo (sky or heaven). From this word comes colour "niebieski" (blue). Derived from Proto-Slavic term with origin in Proto-Indo-European *nebh-, meaning "cloud". English words with same root (via Latin) include "nebula", "nebulous", and "Neptune".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: grudzień (December). While English uses the obsolete Latin "tenth month", the Polish word derives from "gruda" (frozen ground). The month may once have been called "prosień" - a word some scholars associate with shining light (possibly sun off the snow).

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

7 months

PiS's decline and the Polish village [THREAD]: A key narrative has been young/city voters coming out in record numbers to sink PiS. Important, but also something going on in the Polish village (where PiS dominates and where 39% of voters live) with a big impact on the result. 1/

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: debil (moron). A pejorative from obsolete medical term for an intellectual disability. From Latin "debilis", meaning "weak" ("-bilis"=strength, from same root as Russian "bol'shoi"). A writer has recently been charged for calling President Duda a "debil".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Dear @NewYorker and @mashagessen , please correct the distortions in this piece on a very important subject. Above all, neither "ethnic Poles" nor "the Polish state" (or "nation") can be held responsible for deaths of 3 million Jews, as the piece implies. Germany is responsible.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: wrzesień (September). While English and most other European languages use the now inaccurate Latin "seventh" month, Polish (like Belarusian and Ukrainian) has a poetic word derived from the heather (wrzos) that flowers (or once did) at this time of year.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: grudzień (December). While English uses the obsolete Latin "tenth month", the Polish word derives from "gruda" (frozen ground). The month may once have been called "prosień" - a word some scholars associate with shining light (possibly sun off the snow).

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: "niedźwiedź" (bear). In Old Polish, the word was "miedźwiedź" (like "medved'" in Russian), which meant "honey-eater" - from roots related to "miód" (honey) and "jeść" (eat). Bears are now enjoying peace in the Tatra Mountains without usual tourist crowds.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: październik (October). From "paździerze" (shives), the woody core of flax or hemp, separated during processing, traditionally at this time of year. Flax and hemp fibres were used for various textiles. Folk wisdom says a warm October heralds a cold winter.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

While Poland, Moldova, and other neighbouring countries have welcomed more than 1.7 million Ukrainian refugees, the UK has so far granted only 50 visas to those with family links here (1% of 5,535 applications, though gov. says this will grow). More needs to be done, and fast.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: "swojskość". Very difficult to translate, as it literally means "one's-own-ness" from "swój", meaning "one's (own)". It gives the sense of the familiar, homey, comfortable, local, down-to-earth, rustic or native. Populist politicians often aim to exude it.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Front page of BBC News now: "Polish President @AndrzejDuda says there should be no negotiations behind Ukraine's back and no concessions to Russian demands". Duda spoke to Ukraine's parliament in first address by foreign head of state there since Russia's invasion.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Driving through lost places in eastern Poland: an abandoned Greek Catholic Church after deported Ukrainians post-war in Oleszyce, and a whole village swallowed by forest after Soviet occupiers deported the inhabitants to Bessarabia in 1941 (it was too close to the new border).

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: ***** (vulg. to copulate). It derives via Proto-Slavic from PIE root "*yebh-" - "to enter". In Sanskrit, "to have sex" is "yábhati" यभति. Recent protests have used ***** and other vulgarisms to attack PiS, provoking criticism from opponents and moderates.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

I'm reviewing some of the propaganda on Poland's PiS-controlled public TV. The example below I can still hardly believe was broadcast: a "news report" in almost North Korean style as part of taxpayer-funded campaign that helped get President Duda reelected.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Package from eastern Poland... My contacts there do not mess about. We are now ready for whatever 2020 has left to throw at us.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Learners of Polish, remember you already understand almost every Polish word beginning with "e", since they're mostly of Latin-based origin with cognate English equivalents (I mean "ekwiwalenty"). So that's one whole letter of the dictionary mastered, and you're on your way.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: żonkil (daffodil), from French "jonquille". For some reason, I like the sound of French borrowings with Polonised spellings: Żoliborz (joli bord: pretty bank), bagaż, żandarm, kloszard, prestiż, niuans, plener, makijaż, bulwar, żaluzja, staż, abażur, etc.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: kombinować (to combine), used informally to mean "to sort something out" by clever but not entirely honest means - to be up to something, to scheme, to wangle. Hard to translate due to specific resonance from Polish history: individual vs bureaucracy, etc.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Poland's government has responded impressively to support Ukraine, its people, and democracy. Yet their own captured public media still pump out vulgar party propaganda in authoritarian style, relentlessly attacking opposition and praising PiS. Now is surely the time to stop.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Very sad news: the great Polish poet Adam Zagajewski has passed away at 75. Associated with the generation of 1968, he joined Miłosz, Herbert, Różewicz and Szymborska as an internationally renowned figure. Read his poem "Try to Praise the Mutilated World".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: maj (May). One of only two Polish month names with Latin origins (in this case, from name of Roman earth goddess), it replaced old Polish "trawień", referring to the time of fresh "trawa" (grass) - still used in Ukrainian Травень. Happy trawniówka!

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: synczyzna (sonland). A neologism made by Witold Gombrowicz in his novel "Trans-Atlantyk" to contrast with "ojczyzna" (fatherland). "Sonland" represents an idea of national community focused on the future instead of the past (though both remain masculine).

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: "świat" (world). The term derives from root words meaning light, brightness or shining. It's related to "swiatło" (light) and "świt" (dawn). And so archaic Polish perhaps imagines "the world" as a space of shining light in the midst of greater darkness.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

In a rare show of unity, Poland's parliament and opposition-controlled senate have unanimously voted in favour of a bill raising defence spending to at least 3% of GDP. The agreed target for NATO members is 2%.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Little-known fact from Polish history: the Black Madonna of Częstochowa inspired images of Ezili Dantor, a senior spirit of Haitian Vodou. The image came with Polish soldiers sent by Napoleon against the Haitian Revolution in 1802, many of whom defected to help the slaves.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: żurek (rye soup). The diminutive of "żur", which derives from Old German "sür", related to "sauer" in modern German and "sour" in English. Hearty, full of tangy flavour, available in a few different variants. A classic Polish dish.

White Barszcz Zurek (Sour Bread Soup)

In its way, żurek—pronounced “zhurek”—is the most humble of all Polish soups, and at the same time the most exotic, at least to the foreign palate. It has traditionally been eaten at Easter, but now...

www.splendidtable.org

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 months

To begin with aims. Public media under PiS have emitted a constant stream of the most radical party propaganda in authoritarian style, defying statutory requirements of pluralism and balance, degenerating public discourse. The aim of replacing the current boards is justified. 2/

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@StanleySBill

2 years

A lot of concern on Polish Twitter over Merkel/Lukashenko and Macron/Putin phone calls to address the crisis Lukashenko has made. Even among opponents of the current Polish government, anything that looks like dealing over Poland's head has very negative historical connotations.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day for @witchernetflix : "wiedźmin" - "witcher". A masculine neologism from feminine "wiedźma", often translated as "witch" - derived from "wiedzieć", meaning "to know". A "wiedźma" was a woman with higher knowledge, later interpreted as dangerous or demonic.

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@StanleySBill

7 months

POLAND'S ELECTION seat projections (TVP): PiS: 200 KO: 163 Third Way: 55 Left: 30 Confederation: 12 Opposition coalition (projected): 248 Majority = 231 seats (of 460 total)

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@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: ogień (fire). Derived via Proto-Slavic from Proto-Indo-European root *egni-, like the English words "ignite" and "igneous" (via Latin "ignis", meaning "fire"). Sanskrit "Agni" (अग्नि) has the same meaning, and is also the name of the Hindu god of fire.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: "lipiec" (July). The word comes from "lipa" (linden or lime tree), which flowers around this time. A famous lyric by Renaissance poet Jan Kochanowski is spoken by the tree, which welcomes a human to rest under the cool of its branches on a hot summer day.

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@StanleySBill

2 years

It's a side note to Ukrainian heroism in face of Russia's invasion, but the huge engagement of Poland and its civil society to help refugees over the border is very impressive. Massive enthusiasm and mobilisation of volunteers and donors.

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@StanleySBill

5 years

The first grammar of the Polish language (1568) was written by a French Calvinist. He warmly recommends study of the language (as do I), though admits that some may find it "unstable, inconstant, unbound by any laws, unconfined by any boundaries . . . arduous and inexplicable".

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@StanleySBill

2 years

My book on Polish Nobel laureate Czesław Miłosz is out now from Oxford Univ. Press. It looks at Miłosz's visions of the human body and sensual experience as sources of ultimate meaning (philosophical, religious, poetic) against the violent reductions of totalitarian biopolitics.

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@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: luty (February). The word comes from an archaic adjective meaning "harsh" or "cruel", referring to the strong frost of the season. Oddly, the same root later transformed its meaning in the word "litość" (formerly "lutość"), which means "mercy" or "pity".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish letter of the day: Ł, ł. Now the equivalent of English "w", the letter was once closer to Russian "Л" ("l"). The current "w" pronunciation was originally a peasant variant, which later became standard. The old form persisted for longer in eastern Polish and in theatres.

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@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: kwiecień (April). In Ukrainian, квітень (kviten'). The month of flowering blossoms, related to "kwitnąć" (to bloom) and "kwiat" (flower). In Czech, the equivalent "květen" means May. The origin of Latin "Aprilis" is uncertain, but may relate to Aphrodite.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Poland in November: migrant crisis orchestrated by Belarus on eastern border, protests against abortion law after the death of a pregnant woman, big far-right march going ahead tomorrow with state support, COVID and inflation spiking. And we're not even halfway through the month.

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@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish and other Slavic languages are admired for charming diminutives: syn (son) --> syneczek (little son); słońce (sun) -->słoneczko (little sun, an affectionate term); Zofia --> Zosia. But augmentatives are also fun: kot (cat) --> kocisko (fat cat); ptak (bird) --> ptaszydło.

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@StanleySBill

4 years

Poland's public TV (a PiS mouthpiece) is still going hard on Trump's fraud allegations (with no mention of lack of evidence), suggesting the result is in question. Interesting to compare with Fox News, which clearly says Biden has won and treats Trump charges with more distance.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 years

All the very best to Polish and other friends for All Saints' Day. I love the traditions associated with this day in Poland. I will always remember my first experience of it - in Lublin, back in 2001. A day for reflection.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Today is a crucial day for Polish democracy [THREAD], as MPs vote on a new media bill that could shut down or change ownership of the leading private TV news channel critical of the government. If this happens, in my view, Poland tips over the brink away from a free democracy. 1/

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Today in 1830 Fryderyk Chopin played his last concert in Warsaw, before leaving Poland forever. His heart returned in 1849, brought by his sister Ludwika from Paris in a jar probably filled with cognac. The heart is now kept at the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 months

To be clear, the current protests of PiS and its public media propagandists are hypocrisy on a staggering scale. PiS purged public media and turned TV news into party propaganda of unprecedented brutality (no comparison with any past bias). It created the mess and much worse. 7/

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: "niedziela" (Sunday). Derived from roots meaning not to work (nie działać), thus denoting the day of rest. The word for Monday (poniedziałek) just means "after niedziela". Saturday (sobota) comes from same Hebrew root as "Sabbath" (via Greek and Latin).

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: żywopłot (hedge), literally meaning "living fence". The word "płot" (fence) comes from the verb "pleść" (to weave), as early fences on the Slavic lands were barriers woven from sticks and branches. Below are some "living fences" at Pieskowa Skała castle.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Poland's presidential run-off first exit polls: Duda - 50.4 Trzaskowski - 49.6 Extremely close. We won't know the winner until official results come in tomorrow or later.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: wiosna (spring). From Proto-Slavic "vesna", derived from earlier terms possibly related to "brightness". Also see the Sanskrit word for spring - "Vasanta" (वसन्त). Some argue the words "wesoły" (merry) and "wesele" (wedding) may have the same root.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: czerwiec (June). Derived from name of insect larvae (czerwiec or czerw) that were harvested at this time of year to make red dye for cloth. The word for "red" (czerwony) has the same origin. Trade in the dye - called St John's blood - was a major industry.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 years

Polish word of the day: bałagan (mess). Derived via Russian from Persian "balakhan", meaning upper chamber or balcony. In Russian, it meant a kind of puppet theatre. Like Polish, Hebrew also uses "balagan" to mean "mess". And Polish took "bajzel" (brothel or mess) from Yiddish.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: październik (October). From "paździerze" (shives), the woody core of flax or hemp, separated during processing, traditionally at this time of year. Flax and hemp fibres were used for various textiles. Folk wisdom says a warm October heralds a cold winter.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 months

Today in 1573, the Warsaw Confederation was signed to affirm religious toleration in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In a religiously diverse state, nobles agreed to keep peace and respect each other's rights to avoid the extreme religious conflict of other parts of Europe.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Happy Independence Day to Polish friends. Independence has a particular meaning in Poland, a country that has been wiped off the map or not fully independent for long periods over the last three centuries. Today marks the reestablishment of a Polish state in 1918.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

2 years

Polish word of the day: pszczoła (bee). From Proto-Slavic "bьčela", which may be related to onomatopoeic "bučati": "to roar". Thus related to Polish "buczeć" and "brzęczeć": "to buzz". So "pszczoły brzęczą" (very satisfying to say!) could be reduced to "the buzzers are buzzing".

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 years

Just had an email from a distinguished professor of Polish literature in which he used the verb "breksitować" (to brexit) - jak się breksitujecie? - in the imperfective, i.e. grammatically suggesting an ongoing process with no immediate end in sight.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

4 months

Polish word of the day: zima (winter). Derived from Proto-Slavic term for the cold season with same root as Sanskrit "hima" हिम, meaning "snow", familiar from "Himalaya", or "abode of snow". English words with same Proto-Indo-European root include “hibernation” and “chimera”.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

5 years

Polish word of the evening: "księżyc" (moon). Very poetically, and unusually in European languages, the word literally means "son of the prince" ("syn księcia"). It's etymologically related to the word "ksiądz" (priest), which also derives from a title for a tribal leader.

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Stanley Bill

@StanleySBill

3 years

Polish word of the day: przedwiośnie ("pre-spring" or early spring). The period between winter and spring, featuring milder weather and early signs of new life. As the title of a famous 1924 novel by Stefan Żeromski, it suggests the first signs of a revolutionary change to come.

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