Editing Polish language (section)

{{Short description|West Slavic language}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Polish
| nativename       = {{lang|pl|polski}}
| pronunciation    = {{IPA|pl|ˈpɔlskʲi||Pl-polski.ogg}}
| states           = [[Poland]], [[Lithuania]], and bordering regions
| speakers         = [[first language|L1]]: {{sigfig|39.709620|2}} million
| date             = 2021
| ref              = e27
| speakers2        = [[Second language|L2]]: {{sigfig|2.092000|2}} million (2021)<ref name=e27/><br>Total: {{sigfig|42.629030|2}} million (2021)<ref name=e27/>
| speakers_label   = Speakers
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Balto-Slavic languages|Balto-Slavic]]
| fam3             = [[Slavic languages|Slavic]]
| fam4             = [[West Slavic languages|West Slavic]]
| fam5             = [[Lechitic languages|Lechitic]]
| dia1             = [[Greater Poland dialect group|Greater Poland]]
| dia2            =  [[Goral ethnolect|Goral]]
| dia3             = [[Lesser Poland dialect group|Lesser Poland]]
| dia4             = [[Masovian dialect group|Masovian]]
| dia5             = [[New mixed dialects]]
| dia6             = [[Northern Borderlands dialect|Northern Borderlands]]
| dia7             = [[Silesian language|Silesian]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=Gwara Śląska – świadectwo kultury, narzędzie komunikacji |date=2002 |work=Śląsk |others=Jolanta Tambor (eds.); Aldona Skudrzykowa |isbn=83-7164-314-4 |location=Katowice |oclc=830518005}}</ref><ref>"Słownik gwar Śląskich". Opole, Bogusław Wyderka (eds.)</ref><ref>"Dialekt śląski" author: Feliks Pluta, publication: Wczoraj, Dzisiaj, Jutro. – 1996, no 1/4, pp 5–19</ref><ref>"Fenomen śląskiej gwary" author: Jan Miodek publication: Śląsk. – 1996, no 5, pp 52</ref>{{efn|name=silesian|Also considered a separate language, see ''[[Silesian language#Dialect vs. language]]''}}
| dia8             = [[Southern Borderlands dialect|Southern Borderlands]]
| ancestor         = [[Old Polish]]
| ancestor2        = [[Middle Polish]]
| script           = {{ubl|[[Latin script]] ([[Polish alphabet]])}}
| nation           = {{ubl|[[Poland]]|[[European Union]]}}
| minority         = {{ubl|[[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]<ref name="euro-charter">[[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]]</ref>| |[[Brazil]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/08/01/polish-made-official-language-in-brazilian-town-founded-by-poles/ |title=Polish made official language in Brazilian town founded by Poles |date=August 2022 |access-date=31 January 2023 |archive-date=31 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131205322/https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/08/01/polish-made-official-language-in-brazilian-town-founded-by-poles/ |url-status=live }}</ref>|
[[Czech Republic]]<ref name="euro-charter">[[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]]</ref>|[[Hungary]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://europapont.blog.hu/2016/03/16/nyelvi_sokszinuseg_az_eu-ban_hivatalos_regionalis_es_kisebbsegi_nyelvek_a_tagallamokban|title=Nyelvi sokszínűség az EU-ban – hivatalos regionális és kisebbségi nyelvek a tagállamokban|access-date=28 November 2018|date=16 March 2016|language=hu|archive-date=9 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809123545/https://europapont.blog.hu/2016/03/16/nyelvi_sokszinuseg_az_eu-ban_hivatalos_regionalis_es_kisebbsegi_nyelvek_a_tagallamokban|url-status=live}}</ref>|[[Lithuania]]<ref>{{cite act|url=http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=157&CM=2&DF=18/04/02&CL=ENG|title=Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities|index=157|type=Treaty|legislature=Council of Europe|date=1 February 1995|access-date=28 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.minelres.lv/NationalLegislation/Lithuania/lithuania.htm|title=MINELRES – Minority related national legislation – Lithuania|website=www.minelres.lv|access-date=28 November 2018|archive-date=18 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918182544/http://www.minelres.lv/NationalLegislation/Lithuania/lithuania.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>|[[Romania]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Reservations and Declarations for Treaty No.148 – European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages|url=http://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/148/declarations?p_auth=63PpH3zN|website=Council of Europe|access-date=3 December 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208122308/http://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/148/declarations?p_auth=63PpH3zN|archive-date=8 December 2015}}</ref>|[[Slovakia]]<ref name="euro-charter"/>|[[Ukraine]]<ref name="euro-charter"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://zakon4.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/5029-17 | title=Law of Ukraine "On Principles of State Language Policy" (Current version — Revision from 01.02.2014) | publisher=Zakon2.rada.gov.ua | work=Document 5029-17, Article 7: Regional or minority languages Ukraine, Paragraph 2 | date=1 February 2014 | access-date=30 April 2014 | archive-date=14 February 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214125040/http://zakon4.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/5029-17 | url-status=live }}</ref>}}
| agency           = [[Polish Language Council]]<br>(of the [[Polish Academy of Sciences]])
| iso1             = pl
| iso2             = pol
| iso3             = pol
| lingua           = 53-AAA-cc [[West Slavic languages|53-AAA-b..-d]]<br>(varieties: 53-AAA-cca to 53-AAA-ccu)
| map              = Polish language map.PNG
| mapcaption       = {{legend|#0080FE|Majority of Polish speakers}}
{{legend|#5AAFDF|Polish used together alongside other languages}}
{{legend|#88C4FE|Significant minority of Polish speakers outside of Poland}}
| notice           = IPA
| sign             = [[Sign Language System]]
| glotto           = poli1260
| glottorefname    = Polish
}}

'''Polish''' ({{langx|pl|label=[[Endonym and exonym|endonym]]|język polski}}, {{IPA|pl|ˈjɛ̃zɨk ˈpɔlskʲi||Pl-język polski.ogg}}, {{lang|pl|polszczyzna}} {{IPA|pl|pɔlˈʂt͡ʂɨzna||Pl-polszczyzna.ogg}} or simply {{lang|pl|polski}}, {{IPA|pl|ˈpɔlskʲi||Pl-polski.ogg}}) is a [[West Slavic languages|West Slavic language]] of the [[Lechitic languages|Lechitic group]] within the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European language family]] written in the [[Latin script]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/335581/Lekhitic-languages|title=Lekhitic languages|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|date=2015-01-08|access-date=2015-03-31|archive-date=20 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420130305/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/335581/Lekhitic-languages|url-status=live}}</ref> It is primarily spoken in [[Poland]] and serves as the official language of the country, as well as the language of the [[Polish diaspora]] around the world. In 2024, there were over 39.7 million Polish native speakers.<ref name="ethnologue">{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=What are the top 200 most spoken languages? |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/insights/ethnologue200/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Ethnologue |archive-date=18 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618002011/https://www.ethnologue.com/insights/ethnologue200/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It ranks as the sixth most-spoken among [[languages of the European Union]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davekeating/2020/02/06/despite-brexit-english-remains-the-eus-most-spoken-language-by-far/|title=Despite Brexit, English Remains The EU's Most Spoken Language By Far|last=Keating|first=Dave|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2020-02-07|archive-date=7 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607135739/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davekeating/2020/02/06/despite-brexit-english-remains-the-eus-most-spoken-language-by-far/|url-status=live}}</ref> Polish is subdivided into regional [[Dialects of Polish|dialects]] and maintains strict [[T–V distinction]] pronouns, [[Honorifics (linguistics)|honorifics]], and various forms of formalities when addressing individuals.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wierzbicka |first1=Anna |last2=Winter |first2=Werner |date=2020 |title=Cross-Cultural Pragmatics |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hiMTEAAAQBAJ |publisher=De Gruyter |page=57 |isbn=9783112329764 |access-date=21 March 2023 |archive-date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517045632/https://books.google.com/books?id=hiMTEAAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The traditional 32-letter [[Polish alphabet]] has nine additions ({{Lang|pl|ą}}, {{Lang|pl|ć}}, {{Lang|pl|ę}}, {{Lang|pl|ł}}, {{Lang|pl|ń}}, {{Lang|pl|ó}}, {{Lang|pl|ś}}, {{Lang|pl|ź}}, {{Lang|pl|ż}}) to the letters of the basic 26-letter [[Latin alphabet]], while removing three (x, q, v). Those three letters are at times included in an extended 35-letter alphabet.<ref name="sjp.pwn.pl">{{Cite web|url=https://sjp.pwn.pl/poradnia/haslo/Q-V-X;10937.html|title=Q, V, X – Poradnia językowa PWN|website=sjp.pwn.pl|access-date=20 April 2020|archive-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731002935/https://sjp.pwn.pl/poradnia/haslo/Q-V-X;10937.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The traditional set comprises 23 [[consonants]] and 9 written [[vowels]], including two [[nasal vowels]] ({{Lang|pl|ę}}, {{Lang|pl|ą}}) defined by a reversed [[diacritic]] hook called an {{Lang|pl|[[ogonek]]}}.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kappenberg |first1=Bernard |last2=Schlobinski |first2=Peter |date=2015 |title=Setting Signs for Europe; Why Diacritics Matter for European Integration |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w7c-DQAAQBAJ |publisher=Columbia University Press |page=44 |isbn=9783838267036 |language=English |access-date=18 January 2021 |archive-date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517045630/https://books.google.com/books?id=w7c-DQAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> Polish is a [[Fusional language|synthetic and fusional]] language which has seven [[grammatical case]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last=Foland-Kugler |first=Magdalena |date=2006 |title=W gaju słów, czyli, Polszczyzna znana i nieznana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_WMpAQAAIAAJ&q=siedem%20przypadk%C3%B3w%20ma%20j%C4%99zyk%20polski |publisher=Ex Libris |page=29 |isbn=9788389913876 |language=Polish |access-date=18 January 2021 |archive-date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517045630/https://books.google.com/books?id=_WMpAQAAIAAJ&q=siedem%20przypadk%C3%B3w%20ma%20j%C4%99zyk%20polski |url-status=live }}</ref> It has fixed [[Stress (linguistics)|penultimate stress]] and an abundance of [[palatal consonants]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://wals.info/chapter/14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151207160058/http://wals.info/chapter/14 |title=WALS Online – Chapter Fixed Stress Locations |archive-date=December 7, 2015 |website=wals.info}}</ref> Contemporary Polish developed in the 1700s as the successor to the medieval [[Old Polish]] (10th–16th centuries) and [[Middle Polish]] (16th–18th centuries).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Długosz-Kurczabowa |first1=Krystyna |last2= Dubisz |first2= Stanisław |date=2006 |title=Gramatyka historyczna języka polskiego |url= |location=Warszawa (Warsaw) |publisher=wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego |pages=56, 57 |isbn=83-235-0118-1 |language=Polish}}</ref> 

Among the major languages, it is most closely related to [[Slovak language|Slovak]]<ref>{{cite book |editor-first = Ernest |editor-last = Andrews |chapter-url = https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783319709253 |title = Language planning in the post-communist era: the struggles for language control in the new order in Eastern Europe, Eurasia and China |year = 2018 |isbn = 978-3-319-70926-0 |location = Cham |publisher = Palgrave Macmillan |oclc = 1022080518 |language = en |chapter = The Polish Language Act: Legislating a Complicated Linguistic-Political Landscape |first1 = Magda |last1 = Stroińska |first2 = Ernest |last2 = Andrews |page = 243 |access-date = 26 August 2019 |archive-date = 26 August 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190826112513/https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783319709253 |url-status = live }}</ref> and [[Czech language|Czech]]<ref name="Swan-2002">{{cite book |last = Swan|first=Oscar E. |title = A grammar of contemporary Polish |url = https://archive.org/details/grammarcontempor00swan|url-access = limited|year = 2002 |isbn = 0-89357-296-9 |location = Bloomington, Ind. |publisher = Slavica |oclc = 50064627 |language=en | page=[https://archive.org/details/grammarcontempor00swan/page/n6 5]}}</ref> but differs in terms of pronunciation and general grammar. Additionally, Polish was profoundly influenced by [[Latin]] and other [[Romance languages]] like [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[French language|French]] as well as [[Germanic languages]] (most notably [[German language|German]]), which contributed to a large number of loanwords and similar grammatical structures.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y_lgAAAAMAAJ&q=wplyw+francuskiego+na+j%C4%99zyk+polski|title=Język polski|date=July 27, 2000|publisher=Towarzystwo Miłośników Języka Polskiego.|via=Google Books|access-date=27 August 2020|archive-date=27 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927201922/https://books.google.com/books?id=y_lgAAAAMAAJ&q=wplyw+francuskiego+na+j%C4%99zyk+polski|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hjq2AAAAIAAJ&q=wp%C5%82yw+jezyka+niemieckiego+na+polski|title=Tendencje rozwojowe współczesnych zapożyczeń angielskich w języku polskim|first=Elżbieta|last=Mańczak-Wohlfeld|date=July 27, 1995|publisher=Universitas|isbn=978-83-7052-347-3|via=Google Books|access-date=27 August 2020|archive-date=27 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927201924/https://books.google.com/books?id=hjq2AAAAIAAJ&q=wp%C5%82yw+jezyka+niemieckiego+na+polski|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JENHAAAAcAAJ&q=wp%C5%82yw+jezyka+niemieckiego+na+polski&pg=PA69|title=Rok ... pod względem oświaty, przemysłu i wypadków czasowych|date=July 27, 1844|publisher=Nakł. N. Kamieńskiego i Spólki|via=Google Books}}</ref> Extensive usage of [[nonstandard dialect]]s has also shaped the [[standard language]]; considerable [[colloquialism]]s and expressions were directly borrowed from German or [[Yiddish]] and subsequently adopted into the [[vernacular]] of Polish which is in everyday use.<ref>{{cite book |last=Brzezina |first=Maria |date=1986 |title= Polszczyzna Żydów |location=Warszawa (Warsaw) |publisher=Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe |pages=31, 46 |isbn=83-01-06611-3 |language=Polish}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Prokop-Janiec |first=Eugenia |date=2013 |title=Pogranicze Polsko-żydowskie |url=https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/xmlui/bitstream/handle/item/11953/prokop-janiec_pogranicze_polsko-zydowskie_2013.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |location=Kraków |publisher=Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego |page=20 |isbn=978-83-233-3507-8 |language=Polish |access-date=18 January 2021 |archive-date=21 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121212928/https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/xmlui/bitstream/handle/item/11953/prokop-janiec_pogranicze_polsko-zydowskie_2013.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |url-status=live }}</ref>

Historically, Polish was a ''[[lingua franca]]'',<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yRz0DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA25|title=Multilingual Europe, Multilingual Europeans|date=1 January 2012|publisher=BRILL|access-date=28 November 2018|isbn=978-94-012-0803-1|pages=25|editor1-first=László|editor1-last=Marácz|editor2-first=Mireille|editor2-last=Rosello|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Koyama |first=Satoshi |url=http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/coe21/publish/no15_ses/contents.html |title=Regions in Central and Eastern Europe: Past and Present |publisher=Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University |year=2007 |isbn=978-4-938637-43-9 |editor1-last=Hayashi |editor1-first=Tadayuki |pages=137–153 |chapter=Chapter 8: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as a Political Space: Its Unity and Complexity |access-date=23 May 2019 |editor2-last=Fukuda |editor2-first=Hiroshi |chapter-url=http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/coe21/publish/no15_ses/08_koyama.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225015447/http://src-h.slav.hokudai.ac.jp/coe21/publish/no15_ses/contents.html |archive-date=25 February 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> important both diplomatically and academically in [[Central Europe|Central]] and part of [[Eastern Europe]]. In addition to being the official language of Poland, Polish is also spoken as a [[second language]] in eastern [[Germany]], northern [[Czech Republic]] and [[Slovakia]], western parts of [[Belarus]] and [[Ukraine]] as well as in southeast [[Lithuania]] and [[Latvia]]. Because of the emigration from Poland during different time periods, most notably after [[World War II]], millions of Polish speakers can also be found in countries such as [[Canada]], [[Argentina]], [[Brazil]], [[Israel]], [[Australia]], the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[United States]].