# Forms of address after WWII?



## Apa2001

Was a new form of address introduced into Polish after WWII. Did the government use Wy instead of Pan-Pani-Panstwo in spoken language? It seems to me, I have heard this in the movies-"Przesluchanie" oraz "Pulkownik Kwiatkowski"
Dziekuje,
Apa


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## Slovianka

In the army and among the party or youth organizations members. I suppose that the party members could have addressed their collegues at work "wy" whether these collegues belonged to the party or not, and the police (milicja) used to address people "wy" too. 
Never in informal situations.
I've remembered times starting with '70 (how to say this correctly in English?). This means I never lived in times of real terror.

Can you imagine what one may feel when is called "wy" instead of "pan/pani"? I suppose one feels like among strangers and immerged in unknown culture. 
As for young people, they learnt the other, outer world paralelly to what they knew at home.


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## Apa2001

Dziekuje,
Tak jest dobrze '70 albo jeszcze lepsze jest -Starting from the '70s.
Apa


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## Slovianka

Thank you.


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## Cynthia F

Slovianka said:


> I've remembered times starting with '70 (how to say this correctly in English?). This means I never lived in times of real terror.



A more natural way of saying this in English would be simply

In the (19)70's....


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## majlo

Just as a side note: my dad still addresses his mom _wy_ (but his two brothers don't), but they come from the area of the present-day Belarus, so I think it's correlated. 



Cynthia F said:


> A more natural way of saying this in English would be simply
> 
> In the (19)70's....



Without the apostrophe, I believe. (?)


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## Cynthia F

majlo said:


> Without the apostrophe, I believe. (?)



Quite right majlo, it was just a little test to see if anyone would notice (obviously!)


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## Apa2001

Majlo-Is your father's native language Polish? This whole topic of Wy in Polish used in the Russian fashion has bothered me for years.
Is there a word in Polish-Chatskis? Meaning trinkets?
Thanks,
Apa


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## majlo

Yes, his mother tongue is Polish, but he speaks Russian fluently.

As for "chatskis" - I'm not familiar with this word.


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## Slovianka

I think that when we speak about the introduction of the form "wy" instead of "pan, pani" in certain milieus in Poland after the war, we have to recognize that the problem could refer only to the inhabitants of towns and cities. People in the country have never used the form pan/pani addressing one another, because in the country "państwo" were the owners or the ones who were leasing the land.
I remember when I was a child, o friend of mine who lived in the country would address old people "wy", because for them this was a sign of esteem.


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## Apa2001

Thanks,
So, this was not introduced by the Russians after WWII? It always existed?


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## Apa2001

Thanks Majlo,
The word chatski may not even be Polish. It could be Italian. Several of my students of Italian background know the word.


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## Slovianka

Well we may say that this form always existed as a polite one in the country. But to address politely a countryman differs from being a city inhabitant addressed with "wy" (i.e."you, camarade, by no means "pani") by a representant of ideologically distant party that is the only and rulling one in the state (??country again?).


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## Apa2001

Okay, I see.


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