Talk:Polack

Page contents not supported in other languages.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Why Polack a slur?[edit]

why does this say Polack is a slur against Polish peeps? The correct term for a Polish person, or someone of Polish descent IS Polack. Just 'cause some english and american people are offended by it, doesn't make it a slur. It's the correct term! Changing it now. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.97.135.183 (talk) 21:31, 3 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It is an ethnic slur because IT IS AN ETHNIC SLUR. Used by non-Polish people to show contempt or negative sentiment towards Polish people. That's a fact, and nobody cares about your opinion, because you're an American not an actual Polish person against whom these words are used. Your use of the word can be considered "reclamation" of a slur (which I think is not right for you to do, unless you're recent emigration) OR you're using a word you don't understand and thus being offensive. Many white people ask why they can't use the N word, and that's because they are ignorant. Same story here. --109.196.118.133 (talk) 05:51, 16 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]
How can an endonym be a slur? Unlike reclamation of a slur -- ie, considering an exonym acceptable, it's the affected people's own name. And yes, I am a Polack so my opinion does matter. Calling this word a slur can be possibly explained only if you somehow consider us Polacks to be a worse kind of people. KiloByte (talk) 18:48, 2 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]
It's a slur in English, albeit a mild one. The neutral term for someone from Poland is 'Pole'. If an English person calls you a Polack they are probably about to tell an ethnic joke involving lightbulbs. Flameoguy (talk) 17:31, 22 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]
It's not a slur. Y'all shadow boxing. 145.224.96.208 (talk) 17:15, 31 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]
  1. ^ Dictionary.com definition of polack.
  2. ^ Merriam-Webster definition of polack.
  • "Polack: Po"lack\, n. A Polander. --Shak." "polack: noun. a person of Polish descent" "Polack: 'Polish person,' 1574; in N.Amer. usage, 'Polish immigrant, person of Polish descent' (1879) and in that context considered offensive in Eng., even though it is the Pol. word for 'Polish person.'" Say what now? Cancub (talk) 09:15, 19 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • I don't understand why it would be considered a racial slur. I happen to be of Polish decent and I call myself a Polack and make Polack jokes that I learned from my grandfather and great-grandfather. Jake Leonard (talk) 04:33, 9 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]
  • The answer to your question appears to be in your Polish origins. Also, check the two references above for further readings. It apparently has to do with the use made of the word by people of English ancestry. Jazzeur (talk) 13:37, 9 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Right! Only Polack can call another Polack a Polack, such as only niggard can call another niggard a niggard ;-) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.210.177.242 (talk) 22:34, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
The word niggard refers to a miser or greedy, selfish person. While hardly complimentary, it has no racial connotations whatsoever.

86.28.165.76 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 20:48, 22 September 2011 (UTC).[reply]

Polak is the literal translation of how a Polish person would refer to themselves. Jestem Polakiem (I am Polish). I don't understand why wikipedia decided to make this a slur in English. It is the same as getting offended if you're American and someone says you're an American. I don't understand why anyone would be insulted unless they are loyal to another country. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:86:100:4AFA:4DF7:4918:C063:A65A (talk) 23:32, 3 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia decided nothing. Wikipedia just collected information published elsewhere. Please read the article and follow the footnotes leading to sources of information added to wikipedia. Staszek Lem (talk) 23:41, 3 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]
WHO gets to decide whether or not 'Polack' is a slur or not, though?? Or, to put it more specifically, (since I already know what the automated response to that question will be), whose sources on the topic of Polish people ought be given the greatest weight regarding 'reliability'? Are Poles afforded their own say I the matter, or is it another rendition of 'Anglo-Saxon knows best'? the latter practice can be seen as severely offensive, and borders on implicit claims of racial and ethnic superioriy. Firejuggler86 (talk) 22:37, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

71.97.135.183, you are clearly NOT Polish. You are clearly an American (or a German, Germans were also mean and they actually INVENTED the Polish Jokes. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A00:23C7:5882:8201:E4ED:5198:6424:2CFD (talk) 20:38, 25 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Slur?[edit]

That's BS, how did it become a slur? That's like saying "Jew" is derogatory and "Jewish" isn't. That's more insulting to say that word is a slur than to call me it. I guess the decades of "dumb Polack" jokes just screwed up the word. Whatever, whether there are others who do the same or not, I will continue to use the word in neutral/positive self-reference, and proudly, much like "nigga" for some blacks. Quite unfortunate it somehow got to the point I must relate to that. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.231.72.139 (talk • contribs) 16:29, 12 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'm Jewish AND Polish - so I get it from both sides. Anyhow, "Jew" (vs. "Jewish") could possibly be offensive, depending on who's using the word and also the context in which it's being used. I tend to tell people (who ask!), "I'm Jewish", rather than "I'm a Jew", just because when I hear the word "Jew", it tends to come from someone who I would consider prejudiced. Same thing with Polack (or Negro in the US) or whatever. Today I think they're both "outdated" terms. There's not necessarily malice behind them, but I would prefer being referred to as a Pole and Jewish vs. a Polack Jew (you see what I mean?!).

Look, back in Martin Luther King's time, "negro" wasn't considered offensive at all--he even used it in his famous speech. Language changes, evolves, and words that used to be okay are not anymore. So be a good little kid and don't use a derogatory term when describing yourself, okay? Chinawoman (talk) 04:27, 17 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

In reply to your comment about nigga, I'm not black but I believe it is used in a sense of "reclamation" (of usage that is) by blacks (mainly by those of questionable cultures though, eg gangsters) so when they use it it's not a slur but rather a term of friendship or camaraderie much like the completely non-derogatory terms homie (homey, homeboy, homegirl, etc.), (these next ones may be more Irish than anything else) cuz (cousin, perhaps akin to how the term was used in the same general sense in Shakespearean times) and kid PalkiaX50 (talk) 18:56, 19 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I think that the first person is right. Just like you said, language changes and evolves, and just because something was once offensive doesn't mean it still is (e.g., Negro was the common term for black people at a time when black was considered offensive, while in modern times, the latter is a more positive term than the former). Ergo, it's not impossible for Polack to be an inoffensive term. In my hometown, it is used commonly by people with and without Polish ancestry as a perfectly acceptable synonym for "Pole" or "Polish person." I think that it should at least be mentioned in the article that the term is not exclusively offensive. And while on the topic of "don't use a derogatory term when describing yourself," I believe that Chinawoman is considered an offensive term in the modern day, just so you know, Chinawoman. Mhavril39 (talk) 06:00, 2 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I remember when Polack was a slur, and I have worked with many Poles, Yugos, Ruskies, Czecks and the like and know when they are offended. Some Poles found Polack offensive, some didn't. One of my best friends is 10 years off the boat and calls himself a Polack. So it's really kind of individualized now. In the 50's - a real slur. In 2010? No one gives a flying ball of monkey fat except for over-protective the-internet-is-for-pc-speak activists.Eedlee (talk) 13:17, 24 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Agree with last comment. Also: the word Polack may be/have been a slur in North America, but it isn't anywhere else in the English speaking world. I am of Polish descent and describe myself as such, with no use of irony intended. The trouble with Americans is that they think their stereotyping of Poles is an universal phenomenon. It isn't. America is the only place in the English speaking world where Poles are made fun of. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.1.154.23 (talk) 15:46, 31 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Total agreement with previous comment. Americans attribute stupidity to the Polish in some of their jokes. The same joke in England would refer to an Irishman. It doesn't mean the word Irish is derogatory. ( I'm told that the same joke in Ireland would refer to a Kerryman - and so it goes on ) 86.28.165.76 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 22:38, 21 September 2011 (UTC).[reply]

Making fun of Polish isnt really a thing anymore, though. it was likely more common in yester-generarion, but it's not something I've ever come across. Only place I ever seen it is on the 70s tv show All in the Family, on which the patriarch, an over-the-top fiery bigot, frequently calls his son-in-law 'dumb Polack' and 'meathead'. Firejuggler86 (talk) 22:54, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Polack - ethnic slur similar to the N-word[edit]

Someone said - "That's BS, how did it become a slur? That's like saying "Jew" is derogatory." Well, Ok my dear friend... The fact that Poles call themselves "polaks" doesn't mean, that you can do it. It's the very same situation as in case of the word "nigger" ("nigga") and Black people. The fact they call themselves "niggas" doesn't mean they won't get mad if you use it towards them. It's the very same situation - African Americans have their "N-word" and Poles (including Polish Americans) have their "P-word". Now listen, try calling a Jew by the word "Yid" which was once neutral way to call a Yiddish-speaking Jewish person, or try calling a Black person a "Negro" while it was also accepted back in the day. Try that, and then, if you pass this test, feel free to call a Polish person a "pollack". The word "pollack" ("pollock", "polack") in Polish means "polaczek" (plural: "polaczki") which is in fact nothing but a diminutive form of the word "Polish" and in the Polish language it's used as a derogatory word for Poles, it's used by Poles sometimes when they ironically refer to themselves, a very similar situation as in the case of the N-word. I think the similarity to the N-word concerning the meaning and usage should be mentioned in the article. Yatzhek (talk) 16:03, 30 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know where you live, but where *I* do, you can *certainly* call anyone by any name you want. That doesn't mean it's tasteful, wise or even a good a idea -- but that's a different concept than "you can't do that", because clearly I can. Valgrus Thunderaxe (talk) 05:16, 28 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Here's where a wp:rs explaining both derogatory words side by side would come very handy. We should definitely include such sources in our Wikipedia article. Poeticbent talk 23:31, 30 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]


There should be four categories added:

- Category:Racism in the United States

- Category:Racism in the United Kingdom

- Category:Racism

- Category:Profanity

Thanks 192.162.150.105 (talk) 08:16, 18 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Nonsense[edit]

Articles like this are the reason that most people don't take Wikipedia seriously and why some people will NEVER donate to this claptrap.

English-Language Spelling[edit]

The article uses the spelling Polak, which is consistent with usage in Polish. However the spelling Polack is more common in English and has prevalence in certain historical and culturally relevant sources. Shakespeare's Hamlet and Larry Wilde's The Last Official Polish Joke Book are both prominent examples where the word is spelled 'Polack' in English. My suggestion is that this spelling be given more prominence since English is the article language and the English-language term is the primary topic. Flameoguy (talk) 17:28, 22 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Polak[edit]

Lisen polak people is veey nutricios vegetable its like lamp if you try to light it to hard it wil explode 86.100.8.86 (talk) 18:05, 27 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Polack&oldid=1204810214"