Zmiany obrazu regionu we współczesnej polszczyźnie
CHANGES IN THE LINGUISTIC PICTURE OF REGION IN CONTEMPORARY POLISH

Summary/Abstract: The article attempts to identify the picture of region in contemporary Polish, as well as answering the question whether it undergoes evolution and if so, in what direction. The analysis is based on data collected from dictionaries of Polish, results of questionnaires from 1990 and 2000 (ASA 90 and ASA 2000), as well as jounalistic texts from the period 1990-2003. A conclusion is drawn that although a region is still viewed in cultural terms, as an area with specific tradition, customs and language variety, the last decade has seen a growth of the importance of social and economic factors: emphasis is put on the fact that a region is a self-governing and independent area, with industrial and economic entrepreneurship. At the same time, attention is drawn to the poverty and unemployment among the inhabitants of a given region. In the last ten years, the concept has acquired, in the consciousness of speakers of contemporary Polish, strong political connotations: a region is not so much a cultural and educational centre but an administrative one, with local authorities playing a major role.

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