More than one of my readers, that is to say, two of my readers (40% of my known readership) have expressed a preference for more postings and a lighter touch. I don’t take all readers seriously, but these two I do because one is beautiful and the other my oldest friend. Beauty and friendship are among the most serious of recommendations.
But at the same time, one has to be true to oneself and to the subject of one’s blog, in this case, Polishness. As Professor Polakiewicz has reminded us on more than one occasion in only three classes to date, the Poles are an exceedingly “polite” people. The language, like many languages, has two forms of the singular pronoun “you,” a formal you-form and a familiar you-form. In Polish, the formal you form, pan (masculine) and pani (feminine), would seem to dominate social discourse. Our instructor’s mother, for example, and her best friend of many decades, who love one another like sisters, still address one another as pani.
A small thing, you might think, but this social practice has wider implications. It suggests that Poles exhibit reserve, circumspection, formalities. No one would mistake Polish culture for Mediterranean, Caribbean, or Oceanic. It is not, at least immediately, warm. Neither is it cold, but emanates rather a decorous lukewarmth. Poles are Old School, or at least, Polakiewicz is Old School. Even after many years teaching in this country, he wears a jacket and tie. Though jacketless, I’m in the habit of wearing a button-down Oxford and cravat, a habit deriving, perhaps, from some residual ethno-genetic or epigenetic aversion to the public casual. Never a T- or polo shirt at work for me. So that the freedom and informality that normally and rightfully characterizes a typical blog might not quite fit this one. Or perhaps, this social distance and seriousness are historical, generational accidents. I suppose we’ll see. Panie Stefanie, I’ll keep you posted.
