Being from Poland, I know the language fluently, and it can be one of the most difficult to learn. The Polish language is obviously generated in the country of Poland. In fact, Polish is the official language of Poland and one of the Slavic languages of eastern Europe. The most common Slavic language is Russian with Polish being the second most common Slavic language.
Up to 97 percent of polish people living in Poland identify the language of Polish to be their first language. Other languages are generally Czech, Russian, or German. Polish speakers have emigrated into other countries as well. In the United States, over 600,000 people are reported to speak Polish fluently in their home. Some of the most concentrated states of Polish speakers include Illinois, New York, and New Jersey.
In Canada, there are over 240,000 Polish speakers with a large concentration in the major city of Toronto. There are small towns and locations in the United States that tend to have a large concentration of Polish speakers. For example, the city of Chicago is a highly concentrated location for Polish people and its language.
The language itself is influenced by Latin, German, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, and French. Latin used to be the official language many years ago and its influences can be heard in many Polish words. Some expressions or phrases have been closely related to the German language because the country of Germany is the next country west of Poland.
In fact, there are many Germans who live in Poland and many Poles who live in Germany. The two groups of people frequently travel back and forth from one place to the other. Many Poles vacation in Germany or visit Germany to view its culture and history while many Germans visit Poland to do the same.
The Polish language is also divided into several dialects throughout the country. There are up to eight distinctive dialects of Polish. For example, those living near the Czech Republic border and the southern mountainous areas speak the Podhale dialect otherwise known as Goralski. This dialect can be very difficult to understand for many of the Polish urban dweller's.
Other dialects include; Kashubian language west of Gdansk near the Baltic Sea, Silesian language of the Silesa region west of city of Katowice, Eastern Borderlands dialect, Warsaw dialect, and Poznanski dialect. Some dialects are more closely related to other Slavic languages such as Czech or Russian. The Eastern Borderlands dialect, in particular, is said to be spoken with a Russian drawl.
The language has evolved going back to Word War II through contemporary times, but many words or phrases can still be picked up by older generations. The language and its dialects will likely continue to evolve over time and, the evolution of the language will likely depend on its influences. As long as the language remains in Poland, then it will continue to exist for years to come and shouldn't be forgotten by those who come from Poland.
Contact Axis Translations for assistance with Polish translation, transcription and interpreters.
