Murzyn

Murzyn is a Polish word for a black person. It is seen by some as a neutral word,^[1] but others consider it to have pejorative connotations.^[2] Notably, the noun murzyn appears in a popular Polish saying which referres to any menial work performed by a Pole for the sole benefit of his own potential adversaries, i.e. "Murzyn zrobił swoje, murzyn może odejść" (Black man did his deed, black man can go now).^[3][4]

Etymology

Etymologically, 'murzyn' comes from the same root as the English word 'moor'.^[1]

Meaning, usage and connotations

According to Słownik Języka Polskiego (Dictionary of the Polish Language), 'murzyn' means somebody with black skin. Informally, it can also mean: 1. Somebody anonymously doing work for somebody else; 2. Somebody with a dark brown tan; 3. A hard working person forced to do hard labour.^[5]

'Murzyn' (diminutive - 'murzynek', feminine form - 'murzynka') can be translated into English as 'black' or 'Negro'. In the opinion of Dr Marek Łaziński, it can also be associated with Shakespeare's 'noble' Othello, usually called a 'moor' in English.^[6] According to him, among Poles, the word is perceived as less offensive than a direct translation of the English word "black", "czarny", which often does carry negative connotations in Polish. Łaziński, in a language advice column of the Polish dictionary, also suggests that in cases where an individual may perceive the word to be offensive, geographic or national designations should be used.^[7]

According to Patrycja Pirog, the word "'murzyn', which in the opinion of many Poles, including academics, is not offensive, is seen by black people as discriminatory and derogatory."^[2] For Antonina Kloskowska, meanwhile, writing in "Race", ethnicity and nation: international perspectives on social conflict, the word "Murzyn" "does not carry pejorative connotations. In contrast, the favoured term in the West, "black", which translates into Polish as "Czarny", is seen as offensive".^[1]

It should be noted that in Poland the expressions "czarny" and "czarna," literally meaning "black," are also often applied, without derogatory connotation, to white ("Caucasian") individuals, respectively male and female, who have dark hair or dark complexions. Since Murzyni have not been common in Poland, this has not caused confusion.

Poland's first black Member of Parliament, John Godson, has said that the word is not offensive and that he is proud to be called a 'murzyn'.^[8]

In phrases

Dr Tomasz Piekot, writing on Gazeta.pl, notes that the image of the 'murzyn' in Poland is

"brutal. We think they are stupid, dirty and stink. From this we get sayings of the following type: "it stinks as if it's from a murzyn hut", "it's as dark as in a murzyn's arse". It's associated with backwardness, poverty, slavery. We can after all describe someone we are using as, "this is my white murzyn". These are all negative connotations."^[9]

Wiadomosci24 says:

"Although we rarely see Africans and African-Americans on our streets, of course we say: "The murzyn has done his job, he can go now", or: "we need a murzyn" (for dirty work done for little pay)."^[10]

The phrase "a hundred years behind the murzyns" ("sto lat za Murzynami") is used, often about Poland itself, to describe a backward, under-developed situation.^[11]

The English word "ghostwriter" can be translated informally in Polish as "literacki murzyn" - "a literary murzyn" - someone who works (relatively anonymously) to write a book for somebody else.^[12][13]

Examples in Polish culture

Patrycja Pirog cites the famous children's poem Murzynek Bambo as having "greatly contributed to the preservation of the word 'murzyn' in the lexicon."^[14] Pirog characterizes the poem, about a cheerful but unruly black child attending an African school, as "a story about how enlightened Europe tries to civilise the savage", embodying "the Enlightenment myth of the good savage, creating an opposition to that which is white and rational."^[14]

Cafe 'Murzynek' in Warsaw

"Under the murzyns" ("Pod Murzynami") is also a not uncommon name for chemist's shops or tenement buildings in Poland. Often an image of a black person accompanies the name.^[14]

Agatha Christie's novel, which was originally titled Ten Little Niggers was translated into Polish as Ten Murzyns (Dziesięciu Murzynków), although the English title of the novel was itself changed to "Ten Little Indians".^[15] General Władysław Franciszek Jabłonowski (1769–1802), of mixed descent, was nicknamed "Murzynek".^[16]

Other meanings

"Murzynek" in informal Polish can also mean a type of chocolate cake, or a portion of strong coffee.^[17]

"Murzynka", apart from meaning a black-skinned woman, also is a type of strawberry with small, dark red fruit.^[18]

A "murzyn polski" ("Polish murzyn") is a variety of black-billed pigeon.^[19]

Derogatory terms

The words "Murzyn" and "Czarny," like other words, may — but need not — carry a derogatory connotation, depending on context. By contrast, other Polish expressions that have sometimes been applied to "Murzyni" have generally carried disparaging associations — e.g., "czarnuch" (a variant of "czarny"), and "negatyw" (a "negative," in the photography sense)^{[citation needed]}.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Antonina Kłoskowska (1 July 1996). "Nation, race and ethnicity in Poland". In Peter Ratcliffe. "Race", ethnicity and nation: international perspectives on social conflict. Psychology Press. p. 187. ISBN 978-1-85728-661-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=j2o9nyNBnhYC&pg=PA187. Retrieved 28 September 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Murzynek Bambo w Afryce mieszka", czyli jak polska kultura stworzyła swojego "Murzyna", '"Murzyn", który zdaniem wielu Polaków, w tym także naukowców, nie jest obraźliwy, uznawany jest przez osoby czarnoskóre za dyskryminujący i uwłaczający.'
3. ^ Jarosław Głodek, "Murzyn zrobił swoje." Miesięcznik "W Drodze", 2011
4. ^ "Murzyn zrobił swoje". Protest radnego. Gazeta Wyborcza, Łódź.
5. ^ SJP.pl
6. ^ Czy Obama jest Murzynem?, Juraszek.net
7. ^ [1]
8. ^ Czy Murzynek Bambo to rasistowski wierszyk?, TVP2
9. ^ O rasizmie w mowie: Dziś Bambo chodzi z nami do szkoły, Gazeta.pl: "Po pierwsze, mówimy zwykle "Murzyn". Obraz takich osób w Polsce jest brutalny. Myślimy o nich, że są głupi, brudni i że śmierdzą. Stąd powiedzonka typu: "śmierdzi jak z murzyńskiej chaty", "ciemno jak w dupie u Murzyna". Kojarzą się z zacofaniem, biedą, niewolnictwem. Możemy przecież powiedzieć o kimś, kogo wykorzystujemy, "to jest mój biały Murzyn". To wszystko negatywne konotacje."
10. ^ [from http://www.wiadomosci24.pl/artykul/murzynek_bambo_w_usa_mieszka_czyli_ile_w_nas_rasizmu_44399.html Murzynek Bambo w USA mieszka, czyli ile w nas rasizmu?], Wiadomosci24: "Choć na naszych ulicach rzadko widzimy Afrykanów i Afroamerykanów, to przecież mawiamy: "Murzyn zrobił swoje, Murzyn może odejść", albo: "potrzebujemy Murzyna" (do czarnej roboty za marne wynagrodzenie)."
11. ^ Public information advert about tolerance: "Twoje zabawki są sto lat za murzynami"
12. ^ Jak Colin wyłowił Alicję, TVN24
13. ^ PANDORA W KONGU, Wydawnictwo Literackie
14. ^ ^{a b c} "Murzynek Bambo w Afryce mieszka", czyli jak polska kultura stworzyła swojego "Murzyna"
15. ^ PWN
16. ^ PWN
17. ^ Murzynek, PWN
18. ^ Murzyna, PWN
19. ^ Murzyn polski, PWN

See also

• Negro

External links

• PWN discussion of the acceptability and future of the word 'murzyn' (in Polish)
• An African is not a Murzyn. How to speak without offending, a discussion of the alternatives to 'murzyn' (in Polish)