Niemcy i Niemcy
Niemcy and Niemcy

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses two homonymic lexemes − {Niemcy} (as a country) and Niemcy (denoting the inhabitants, citizens of Germany). After the presentation of their inflectional characteristics the author analyses the status of these lexemes (i.e. their presence or absence) in the most important general Polish dictionaries by Linde, Doroszewski, Szymczak, Dunaj, Bańka, Zgółkowa and Dubisz. Furthermore, the author presents the controversial issues connected with the origin of the word {Niemcy}. On the one hand those suggested by Brückner and those presented by Borys´ and Doroszewski’s on the other. In this context, the author carries out an analysis of the origin, meaning and phraseology of the adjective {niemy} (used also as a verb), but also nouns such as {niemowa, niemowlę, niemeczka}. The author also emphasizes the need for further research on the family of words containing the Latin root {german-} e.g.: {germański, germanizacja, germanizować, germanizm} which take origin in Latin {Germanus} (Germanic) and {Germania} (Deutschland, Germany).

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