Polacy o Włochach – Włosi o Polakach. Język, literatura, kultura / I polacchi a proposito degli italiani – gli italiani a proposito dei polacchi. Lingua, letteratura, cultura
Poles about Italians – Italians about Poles. Language, literature, culture
Contributor(s): Magdalena Pietrzak (Editor), Małgorzata Mieszek (Editor)
Subject(s): Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Philology
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: Polish-Italian linguistic contacts; Polish literature of the 16th–20th centuries; loanwords; Nobel Prize in Literature
Summary/Abstract: The monograph is composed of three parts devoted respectively to language, literature, and culture, all examined within the context of Polish–Italian relations. The linguistically oriented section includes lectures devoted to lexis (Polish–Italian lexical borrowings over the centuries, Italian vocabulary in Polish culinary terminology), paremiology (linguistic and semantic similarities and differences), and the history of the Polish language. A separate paper addresses Latin–Polish linguistic contacts. Latin not only gave rise to the Romance languages but also served as the first language of the Polish elite. The section concludes with an analysis of three travel reports by Henryk Sienkiewicz from his journey to Italy. The literary section comprises studies devoted, respectively, to Polish–Italian literary relations from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries and to the influence exerted by the works of Giambattista Marino on Polish Baroque authors in terms of poetics, stylistics, and thematic scope. Subsequent papers explore the impact of Italian literature and culture on the generation of Polish Romantics and post-Romantics. One study focuses on ekphrastic poems by selected Polish poets. The literary section concludes with a lecture presenting the figure and work of Stanisław Lem. The section on culture opens with a paper devoted to Hetman Jan Zamoyski, followed by a study discussing Polish–Italian relations on the dynastic, diplomatic, and political levels, showing how these contacts contributed to the incorporation of cultural and social elements in both Poland and Italy. The monograph concludes with a lecture presenting the five Polish laureates of the Nobel Prize in Literature and outlining the reception of their works in Italy.
Series: Uniwersytet Łódzki
- E-ISBN-13: 978-83-8331-960-5
- Page Count: 490
- Publication Year: 2025
- Language: Polish, Italian
Wprowadzenie
Wprowadzenie
(Introduction)
- Author(s):Magdalena Pietrzak, Małgorzata Mieszek
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Philology
- Page Range:9-14
- No. of Pages:6
Kilka kart z historii języka polskiego
Kilka kart z historii języka polskiego
(Catalog / Poles about Italians – Italians about Poles. Language, literature, culture
Selected Chapters in the History of the Polish Language)
- Author(s):Magdalena Pietrzak
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies
- Page Range:17-37
- No. of Pages:21
- Keywords:slavic languages; polish language; periodization; loanwords; historical texts of Polish
- Summary/Abstract:The lecture addresses several issues concerning the origins of the Polish language, particularly its pre-literary stage. It begins by presenting the two most important linguistic contexts of Polish: the Indo-European and Proto-Slavic backgrounds. The role of Old Church Slavonic is discussed, as well as the contemporary division of the Slavic languages into groups. Selected examples illustrate linguistic similarities within the Slavic language family. The next part focuses on phenomena related to the periodization of the history of Polish. Subsequent sections describe the circumstances in which the Polish state emerged and the significance of Mieszko I’s baptism, which brought Poland into the orbit of Latin culture. The following parts present the earliest phonetic processes and phenomena that are still visible in modern Polish. The oldest lexical layer of the Polish language is also discussed—both the inherited Proto-Slavic vocabulary and the earliest borrowings. The lecture concludes with an overview of the most important monuments of the Polish language.
Polsko-łacińskie kontakty językowe w pigułce
Polsko-łacińskie kontakty językowe w pigułce
(Polish–Latin language Contacts in a brief)
- Author(s):Anna Lenartowicz-Zagrodna
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies
- Page Range:38-67
- No. of Pages:30
- Keywords:Polish–Latin language contacts; history of the Polish language; influence of Latin on Polish language
- Summary/Abstract:The article provides a concise overview of the historical relationship between the Polish language and Latin — from the baptism of Mieszko I in 966 up to modern times. The author shows how the decision to adopt Christianity in the Latin rite determined Poland’s affiliation with Western European culture and how Latin became, for centuries, the language of authority, religion, science, law, and culture. The study traces the evolution of these contacts through five main stages: “Marriage with Latin”, “The Latin Middle Ages”, “The Latin Renaissance”, “The Latin Baroque”, and “The Decline of Latin Dominance”. In the section devoted to the Middle Ages, the author discusses the clergy’s role in spreading Latin writing and the influence of Latin on the development of administrative and chronicle styles in Poland. The analysis of the Renaissance period highlights the humanist return to classical models, the rise of printing and translations from Latin, as well as the influence of Latin on Polish syntax, vocabulary, and style. The Baroque chapter emphasizes the role of Latin in Jesuit education and Sarmatian culture, as well as its status as a symbol of belonging to Western civilization. The phenomenon of macaronism is also discussed as a manifestation of linguistic fashion and noble erudition of the time. The final part focuses on the gradual replacement of Latin by Polish in the eighteenth century, connected with educational reforms, Enlightenment pragmatism, and the introduction of modern languages into schools. Despite losing its dominant position, Latin left a lasting mark on the Polish language – in its alphabet, word-formation system, vocabulary, accentuation, and functional styles (scientific, administrative, and biblical).
Zapożyczenia włoskie w dziejach polszczyzny (XVI-XIX w.)
Zapożyczenia włoskie w dziejach polszczyzny (XVI-XIX w.)
(Italian Loanwords in the History of the Polish Language (16th–19th Centuries))
- Author(s):Magdalena Pietrzak
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies
- Page Range:68-83
- No. of Pages:16
- Keywords:italian loanwords; middle polish period; 19th-Century Polish; language adaptation processes; polish–italian contacts
- Summary/Abstract:The article focuses on three travel reports (letters from a journey) written by Henryk Sienkiewicz during his trips to Italy, as well as on the image of Rome depicted in two of his novels — Without Dogma (1890) and The Połaniecki Family (1894). The first two texts, From Venice and Letter from Rome, document the writer’s first journey to Italy in 1879, while the third, From Italian Impressions. Nervi, describes his impressions from the trip undertaken in 1893. The study draws attention to Sienkiewicz’s methods of depicting reality — monuments, artifacts, and characteristic places — as well as to the perspective and point of view preserved in the descriptions. The analysis demonstrates that in his portrayals of Italian cities and sites, Sienkiewicz employs techniques characteristic of the artistic style. His texts are notably rich in sensory expressions. The sensualism of his descriptions is achieved through a variety of linguistic and stylistic means. Synesthetic expressions, onomatopoeias, and vocabulary related to light and color predominate. Metaphors, similes, and enumerative sequences play a significant role in creating mood and atmosphere.
Lwia część komunikacji – o idiomach w języku
Lwia część komunikacji – o idiomach w języku
(The lion’s share of communication – about idioms in language)
- Author(s):Magdalena Wismont
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies
- Page Range:84-102
- No. of Pages:19
- Keywords:idioms; comparative linguistics; similarities in languages
- Summary/Abstract:The study takes into account Polish and Italian idioms that show similarities in terms of semantics, lexical identity, grammatical model, and stylistic value. Idioms in both languages are presented, along with their definitions and examples of use. The similarity of idioms in different languages is an extremely interesting phenomenon, especially in light of the widely accepted thesis that idioms are untranslatable into other languages. However, research on these expressions indicates that cultures that are close to each other have produced similar linguistic expressions.
Włoszczyzna w polszczyźnie, czyli o italianizmach w polskim słownictwie kulinarnym
Włoszczyzna w polszczyźnie, czyli o italianizmach w polskim słownictwie kulinarnym
(‘Włoszczyzna’ in Polish: Italianisms in Polish Culinary Vocabulary)
- Author(s):Magdalena Pietrzak
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:103-120
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:loanwords; italianisms; culinary vocabulary; history of Polish cuisine; marketing terminology
- Summary/Abstract:The study is devoted to Italian borrowings present in Polish culinary vocabulary. The introduction discusses the reasons behind the popularity of Italian cuisine in Poland and provides relevant statistical data demonstrating the continuing popularity of Italian dishes in the country. The second part focuses on the history of Polish cuisine and culinary vocabulary. The next section examines culinary Italianisms in the context of other Italian loanwords. The fourth part presents examples of Italian names used in marketing terminology, including the names of restaurants, pizzerias, as well as dishes and products. Additionally, attention is given to the processes of assimilation and incorporation of Italianisms into Polish culinary vocabulary.
Podobieństwa w języku zaklęte. O polskiej i włoskiej paremii
Podobieństwa w języku zaklęte. O polskiej i włoskiej paremii
(Similarities enchanted in language. On Polish and Italian proverbs)
- Author(s):Magdalena Wismont
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies
- Page Range:121-150
- No. of Pages:30
- Keywords:proverbs; proverbs in Polish; proverbs in Italian
- Summary/Abstract:The paper takes into account Polish and Italian proverbs. It focuses on presenting the paremiological resources common to the Polish and Italian languages. Maxims with a similar structure and identical meaning will be presented. The observations will therefore be aimed at finding common points between Italian and Polish culture that are evident in proverbs.
Obraz kobiety w języku włoskim i polskim na przykładzie paremii i frazeologizmów
Obraz kobiety w języku włoskim i polskim na przykładzie paremii i frazeologizmów
(The image of women in Italian and Polish as exemplified by proverbs and idioms)
- Author(s):Magdalena Wismont
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:151-178
- No. of Pages:28
- Keywords:paremia; phraseology; image of women in language; stereotypes
- Summary/Abstract:The paper presents proverbs and idioms that refer to women. They often represent stereotypes. However, this does not change the fact that we can see in them a linguistic image of women. The paper includes proverbs and idioms in two languages: Polish and Italian. The examples have been divided into two groups. One presents a positive image of women in Polish and Italian cultures. The other group includes examples that show a negative image of women in Polish and Italian.
Bella Italia Henryka Sienkiewicza (perspektywa językoznawcza)
Bella Italia Henryka Sienkiewicza (perspektywa językoznawcza)
(Henryk Sienkiewicz’s Bella Italia. A Linguistic Perspective)
- Author(s):Magdalena Pietrzak
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Novel
- Page Range:179-205
- No. of Pages:27
- Keywords:Henryk Sienkiewicz; reportage; description; novel; artistic style
- Summary/Abstract:The article discusses lexical borrowings from Italian in the Polish language from the 16th to the 19th century. The first part presents the historical background of Polish–Italian contacts. Particular attention is paid to Queen Bona Sforza and the influence of her circle on the popularization of the Italian lifestyle and, consequently, the Italian language. The article examines the factors determining the presence of Italians in Poland and Poles in Italy. The introductory section concludes with information on the knowledge of Italian among Poles. The following chapters present selected examples of Italian borrowings in the Middle Polish period (from the 16th to the 18th century) and in the 19th century. The study concludes with a discussion of the main adaptation processes.
„Jako Polacy do Włoch się jęli przyjeżdżać, to Rzeczpospolita nasza inkaszy kształt wzięła” — polsko-włoskie kontakty od XVI do XVIII w. (aspekt kulturalno-literacki)
„Jako Polacy do Włoch się jęli przyjeżdżać, to Rzeczpospolita nasza inkaszy kształt wzięła” — polsko-włoskie kontakty od XVI do XVIII w. (aspekt kulturalno-literacki)
(Polish–Italian cultural and literary relations from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century)
- Author(s):Małgorzata Mieszek
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:209-242
- No. of Pages:34
- Keywords:Polish–Italian cultural relations (16th–18th centuries); Polish literature of the 16th–17th centuries; Clemens Janicius; Łukasz Górnicki; Piotr Kochanowski
- Summary/Abstract:Particular attention is devoted to the phenomenon of the Grand Tour, as well as to the reception and adaptation of Italian—especially classical—literature and culture in the works of Klemens Janicki, Łukasz Górnicki, and Piotr Kochanowski. The study traces the channels of influence and inspiration that shaped Polish Renaissance and Baroque writers, demonstrating how they assimilated and reinterpreted the cultural and literary achievements encountered in Italy within the Polish intellectual and artistic milieu.
Pogłosy marinizmu w poezji polskiego baroku na wybranych przykładach
Pogłosy marinizmu w poezji polskiego baroku na wybranych przykładach
(Echoes of marinism in the poetry of the Polish Baroque in selected examples)
- Author(s):Małgorzata Mieszek
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:243-273
- No. of Pages:31
- Keywords:Polish–Italian cultural relations in the 16th–18th centuries; Giambattista Marino; Baroque poetics; Jan Andrzej Morsztyn – works; Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski – Orpheus
- Summary/Abstract:The article revisits the concept of Marinism and examines how it manifested itself in Polish literature of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It analyzes the influence of the Italian poet Giambattista Marino on Polish writers, using selected works by two Baroque poets—Jan Andrzej Morsztyn and Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski—as examples. The study demonstrates that adaptations of the Neapolitan poet’s legacy varied in their artistic quality. At the same time, it identifies which themes and poetic techniques found particularly fertile ground in Poland, and where Polish poets displayed a high degree of creative independence.
Włochy polskich romantyków
Włochy polskich romantyków
(Italy of Polish romantics)
- Author(s):Maria Berkan-Jabłońska
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:274-311
- No. of Pages:38
- Keywords:Mickiewicz; Słowacki; Krasiński; trips to Italy; Polish-Italian brotherhood; the Risorgimento
- Summary/Abstract:Artykuł przypomina, jak w XIX wieku zawiązywał się mit braterstwa polsko-włoskiego, najpierw na przykładzie historii legionów Henryka Dąbrowskiego, następnie udziału polskich romantyków w procesie Risorgimenta włoskiego. Omówiono najważniejsze aspekty podróżowania do Włoch trzech wybitnych polskich poetów pierwszej połowy XIX: Mickiewicza, Słowackiego i Krasińskiego, kładąc nacisk na ich różny emocjonalny i poznawczy stosunek do Italii. Każdy z nich był niezwykłą osobowością, każdego cechował inny temperament, inne mieli za sobą doświadczenia młodości i inne priorytety na przyszłość. Odmiennie też pojmowali swoje obowiązki względem poezji i narodu. Wszystko to tworzyło specyficzny filtr widzenia i interpretowania włoskiej rzeczywistości. Z kolei to, co łączyło Mickiewicza, Słowackiego i Krasińskiego we Włoszech, to ich nachylenie ku historiozofii, a także stale towarzysząca im w tle myśl o ojczyźnie.
Włoskie doświadczenia Cypriana Norwida (1821-1883) i Teofila Lenartowicza (1822-1893)
Włoskie doświadczenia Cypriana Norwida (1821-1883) i Teofila Lenartowicza (1822-1893)
(The Italian experiences of Cyprian Norwid (1821–1883) and Teofil Lenartowicz (1822–1893))
- Author(s):Maria Berkan-Jabłońska
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:312-343
- No. of Pages:32
- Keywords:Norwid; Lenartowicz; Poles in Florence; Poles in Rome; literature and art; inspirations of Italy
- Summary/Abstract:The article discusses the influence of Italy and Italian culture on the lives and works of two poets: Cyprian Norwid and Teofil Lenartowicz, representing the third generation of Polish Romantics. Although they shared many common experiences and artistic tastes, they practised completely different types of poetry. Their talents were also different – Norwid created intellectual, deeply philosophical poetry, recognised years later as outstanding, while Lenartowicz continued the programme of Romantic folklore. For both, however, Italy was a source of strong feelings and unique inspiration. Norwid treated Italy as a symbolic ‘substitute’ homeland and the centre of the Christian world. Lenartowicz, who lived permanently in Florence, combined in his work his admiration for the Italian people with his longing for his own country. One of his particular achievements was the popularisation of Polish literature during lectures given at the Adam Mickiewicz Academy in Bologna. The article first presents the history of the authors' stay in Italy and the nature of the work that grew out of these experiences, and then attempts to compare their mutual relations and achievements.
Włoska sztuka – polskie wiersze. Kilka przykładów
Włoska sztuka – polskie wiersze. Kilka przykładów
(Italian art – Polish poems. A few examples)
- Author(s):Maria Berkan-Jabłońska
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:344-369
- No. of Pages:26
- Keywords:ekphrasis; intersemiotic translation; correspondence of art; literature and art; inspiration of Italy
- Summary/Abstract:This article is devoted primarily to Italian art in Polish literature. The first part discusses theoretical issues related to the definition of ekphrasis, the understanding of the category of intersemiotic translation, and the basic functions that can be attributed to literature corresponding to art. The second part of the article analyses selected poems and fragments of essays that illustrate Polish writers' interest in Italian art, but also show the formal and linguistic techniques that give them the character of “ekphrasis”. To this purpose, reference is made to works by Maria Konopnicka, Tadeusz Kubiak, Wisława Szymborska, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, as well as to Zbigniew Herbert's essay Piero della Francesca.
Stanisław Lem – pisarz wszechstronny
Stanisław Lem – pisarz wszechstronny
(Stanisław Lem – a versatile writer)
- Author(s):Adam Mazurkiewicz
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:370-399
- No. of Pages:30
- Keywords:Stanisław Lem; essays; science fiction; Polish literature after 1945
- Summary/Abstract:Stanisław Herman Lem (1921–2006) was one of the most outstanding and versatile Polish writers of the 20th century. His body of work includes not only fiction, but also science popularization, literary criticism, and reflections on literary theory and the philosophy of technology. Lem was also a respected essayist, addressing a wide range of cultural and civilizational issues. This article presents the writer’s output in chronological order, dividing it into stages within which the most important works characteristic of each period are discussed, along with the dominant tendencies of that time. The interpretive context that deepens the analysis is the perspective of historical events – both the tragedy of World War II and the absurdities of everyday life under the realities of the Polish People's Republic (PRL). Such a strategy allows for capturing the evolution of Lem’s thought and his gradual yet consistent departure from classical novelistic fiction in favour of formal experimentation and the essayistic form of reflection. The article concludes by showing Lem’s influence on contemporary Polish creators—including singers, comic book authors, video game developers, and opera composers. Their references to Lem’s legacy over the decades testify not only to the significance of his ideas but also to the continued relevance of the themes he explored.
Jan Zamoyski (1542-1605) – polski padewczyk
Jan Zamoyski (1542-1605) – polski padewczyk
(Jan Zamoyski (1542-1605) – Polish Paduan)
- Author(s):Małgorzata Mieszek
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:403-432
- No. of Pages:30
- Keywords:Polish–Italian cultural relations in the 16th–18th centuries; Jan Zamoyski; Padua; Zamość; patronage in Poland in the 16th–17th centuries
- Summary/Abstract:The article presents the figure of Jan Zamoyski, Grand Crown Marshal, and examines how his stay in Italy—particularly his studies at the University of Padua—shaped his intellectual formation as a member of the Polish nobility. It discusses why the University of Padua enjoyed such prestige among the many Poles who studied there and who continued to identify themselves as Padovans throughout their lives. The text also illustrates how Italian culture inspired Zamoyski in the creation of the city of Zamość, often referred to as the “Padua of the North.” Finally, the study addresses Zamoyski’s patronage of key figures of the Polish Renaissance.
Polsko-włoskie relacje dynastyczno-polityczne i ich oddziaływanie na polską i włoską kulturę w XVI–XVIII w. (wybrane zagadnienia)
Polsko-włoskie relacje dynastyczno-polityczne i ich oddziaływanie na polską i włoską kulturę w XVI–XVIII w. (wybrane zagadnienia)
(Polish-Italian dynastic and political relations and their influence on Polish and Italian culture in the 16th–18th centuries (selected issues))
- Author(s):Małgorzata Mieszek
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:433-469
- No. of Pages:37
- Keywords:Polish–Italian dynastic relations in the 16th–18th centuries; fashion in the 16th century; culinary arts in the 16th–18th centuries; opera – history in 17th-century Poland
- Summary/Abstract:The article provides a comprehensive overview of Polish–Italian relations in the dynastic and political spheres from the 16th to the 17th century. It examines the phenomenon of mass travels of young Polish nobility to Italy, the so-called Grand Tour, as well as the growing interest in Italian culture and customs, which were subsequently transplanted into the Polish context. The study highlights notable figures who contributed to the history of Italian rulers and those who drew inspiration from Italian culture (e.g., opera), as well as the process of assimilation of Italians who settled in Poland. It demonstrates that mutual cultural, social, political, economic, and scientific contacts significantly influenced the formation and development of various spheres in early modern Poland.
„A może się nawet zdarzyć, że zostawiając tak za sobą książki niby zeschłą skórę węża, po to, żeby uciekać w przód od tego, co zrobiło się dawniej, dostaje się Nagrodę Nobla”, Czesław Miłosz. Polscy nobliści
„A może się nawet zdarzyć, że zostawiając tak za sobą książki niby zeschłą skórę węża, po to, żeby uciekać w przód od tego, co zrobiło się dawniej, dostaje się Nagrodę Nobla”, Czesław Miłosz. Polscy nobliści
(“And it may even happen that, leaving books behind like a snake’s shed skin in order to escape forward from what one has done before, one receives the Nobel Prize.” – Czesław Miłosz, Polish Nobel Laureates)
- Author(s):Karolina Kołodziej
- Language:Polish, Italian
- Subject(s):Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature
- Page Range:470-489
- No. of Pages:20
- Keywords:Nobel Prize in Literature; Sienkiewicz; Reymont; Miłosz; Szymborska; Tokarczuk
- Summary/Abstract:The article presents the profiles of Polish laureates of the Nobel Prize in Literature, outlining the circumstances surrounding the awards and the controversies that accompanied them. The text focuses on their Nobel speeches, highlighting the most important themes addressed by the laureates. Henryk Sienkiewicz, honored in 1905, believed that the award demonstrated that Poland, despite being partitioned by foreign powers, was still alive. Władysław Stanisław Reymont, awarded in 1924, did not receive the prize in person due to poor health; he was embittered that he won the laurel at a time when illness prevented him from fully enjoying it. He interpreted it as a bitter irony of fate. Czesław Miłosz (laureate of 1980) sought to show the entanglement of Polish literature in history and its dependence on writers of earlier eras. The poet was not pleased with the “commotion” surrounding him caused by receiving the Nobel Prize. In 1996, the prize was awarded to Wisława Szymborska, who, in her Nobel lecture, spoke among other things about what it means to be a poet and about the wonder contained in the simple phrase “I don’t know.” Olga Tokarczuk, awarded in 2018, focused, among other issues, on explaining the idea of the “tender narrator” and reflecting on contemporary ways of reading. The second part of the text discusses the reception of the works of Polish Nobel laureates in Italy, pointing to the great popularity of Henryk Sienkiewicz and Wisława Szymborska.
