Learn what topics you should avoid during small talk in Polish
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Intro |
|---|
| Michael: What topics are taboo in polish? |
| Igor: And what are some things you should avoid doing? |
| Michael: At PolishPod101.com, we hear these questions often. In the following situation, Jarosław Jabłoński and Andrzej Adamski met by chance in a supermarket. They started to talk, and the atmosphere was good until Jarosław asked about the past elections. |
| "Who did you vote for?" |
| Jarosław Jabłoński: Na kogo głosowałeś? |
| Dialogue |
| Jarosław Jabłoński: Na kogo głosowałeś? |
| Andrzej Adamski: Nieważne. |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Jarosław Jabłoński: Na kogo głosowałeś? |
| Michael: "Who did you vote for?" |
| Andrzej Adamski: Nieważne. |
| Michael: "[It] doesn't matter." |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: You might have heard that people in Poland are very outgoing and talkative. Even a simple question like |
| Igor: Jak się masz? |
| Michael: meaning “how are you?” might result in learning everything about someone's life. |
| Under these circumstances, one could assume that there are no |
| Igor: tematy tabu |
| Michael: or “taboo topics” in Poland. |
| But what topics are actually taboo? Well, these are topics that are commonly avoided in public discussions, or things that shouldn’t be mentioned while talking to strangers or acquaintances. |
| But do Polish people have taboo topics? |
| [Recall 1] |
| Michael: Let’s take a closer look at the dialogue. |
| Do you remember how Jaroslaw Jablonski says "Who did you vote for?" |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Igor: Na kogo głosowałeś? |
| Michael: This question can trigger a lot of disagreement between even really close friends. Poland has a very turbulent history, and the last few decades in particular have left their mark on society. After the fall of |
| Igor: komunizm |
| Michael: or “communism,” a few different ideas arose about how Poland should develop after becoming a democratic country, and, over the years, these ideas have become more and more different, resulting in a very polarized society. |
| While some groups want Poland to open up more to Western countries, others are afraid of Polish traditional values getting lost in this process. |
| Although in Poland |
| Igor: kościół oraz państwo, |
| Michael: or “church and state” are technically separated, some political groups are culturally close to the Catholic church, which is why a discussion about politics could easily ignite into a discussion about religion and the philosophy of life. |
| Igor: We don’t recommend starting this discussion, since many people could disagree about their beliefs or their way of life and be personally offended by any differences of opinion. |
| [Recall 2] |
| Michael: Now let’s take a look at our second sentence. |
| Do you remember how Andrzej Adamski says "[It] doesn't matter?" |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Igor: Nieważne. |
| Michael: The best way to make friends not enemies in Poland is trying to avoid discussions about politics and religion. People might be curious about your beliefs or political views, but if you’re not sure if someone is on the same page as you, it’s better to change the topic. |
| [Summary] |
| Michael: In this lesson, you learned that you shouldn’t discuss politics and religion with Polish people unless you know someone really well. Those topics might cause unnecessary arguments between you and your potential new friends. |
| Expansion |
| Michael: Depending on the environment, the taboo topics in Poland might change. While the previously discussed topics are universal, the ones we’ll have a look at now are topics that shouldn’t be mentioned at work. |
| The first one is |
| Igor: pieniądze |
| Michael: or “money.” This topic is best to mention outside of the workplace. In Poland, you may hear people say, |
| Igor: dżentelmeni nie rozmawiają o pieniądzach. |
| Michael: meaning “gentlemen don't talk about money.” Today, this stereotype has become an unspoken rule, and Polish people don’t feel comfortable talking about money. |
| Back in the day, being a gentleman was strictly connected to a certain wealth status. As money was an obvious thing to have, talking about it was seen as unimportant, and going into details about it may make someone seem not wealthy enough to be worthy of the title of a “gentleman.” Another topic that should stay outside of the workplace is |
| Igor: życie prywatne |
| Michael: meaning “private life.” Of course, if you consider your coworkers as friends, there’s nothing bad about sharing updates about your private life with them, as long as it happens on your lunch break. Talking about private problems, crushes, or future plans is considered unprofessional in Poland, and, if overheard by other coworkers or the boss, may make someone look unqualified for their position. |
| Our next taboo topic is |
| Igor: plotki |
| Michael: or “gossip.” Gossiping at work is not a good idea in Poland for a couple of reasons. First of all, gossip likes to spread, and talking badly about co-workers might get the attention of the HR department. Secondly, gossip can make one the topic of even more gossip that may spread around the office or workplace. And, thirdly, talking badly about people one has to see on a daily basis might result in being excluded from the social life in the workplace. |
| The next topic is |
| Igor: kobiety o wiek się nie pyta |
| Michael: meaning “a woman shouldn’t be asked about her age.” This one isn’t really limited only to the workplace, although you should be extra cautious there. Talking about a woman’s age is a big taboo in Poland and could make someone feel uneasy. |
| If you decide to ask this question, be prepared to get an evasive answer, such as |
| Igor: jestem już pełnoletnia |
| Michael: meaning “I’m already of legal age.” |
| We mostly covered topics here that are serious and related to work. As a bonus, we want to introduce one other topic that is more trivial, but still handy to know about. |
| Many Polish men are very invested in soccer and have their favorite teams. If you’re talking about soccer with some strangers that you meet in a Polish bar, it’s always better to not reveal your favorite Polish soccer team, as it might end in very emotional discussions. |
| Sometimes, you might get asked directly |
| Igor: Komu kibicujesz? |
| Michael: meaning “Who are you cheering for?” It's better to answer evasively, and ask your new friend to tell you more about Polish soccer, or just tell him that you’re a fan of the soccer team in the city you’re currently in. So, for instance, if you’re in Warsaw, it’s relatively safe to say that you’re a fan of |
| Igor: Legia Warszawa |
| Michael: Warsaw’s biggest soccer team. |
| Cultural Insight |
| Michael: In Poland, people have a stereotype of the |
| Igor: pijany wujek |
| Michael: or “drunk uncle” who always destroys the family reunions, such as, at |
| Igor: kolacja wigilijna |
| Michael: or “Christmas supper,” by provoking other people at the table by asking, for example, |
| Igor: Dumni jesteście ze swojej partii? |
| Michael: meaning “Are you proud of your political party?” |
| Igor: I think in Poland most people have experienced such a gathering, and it usually ends with the whole family not talking to each other for weeks. |
| Michael: This stereotypical uncle and those family arguments have become the topic of many jokes and cabaret sketches in Poland. These can be found easily on the internet. |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We’re here to answer them! |
| Igor: Do usłyszenia! |
| Michael: See you soon! |
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