Rzesc Pospolita

[Sven-Eric]

Can anyone of the Polish members explain the meaning of the expression Rzesc Pospolita? I know it is the name of a federation between Poland and Lithuania formed in the 16th century. But has the expression been used in other circumstances, like for example World War II?

Best wishes,
Sven-Eric

[Musashi]

Rzeczpospolita (there is not a space in this word) means republic in Polish. And it is the alternative word to republika. However Rzeczpospolita is reserved just for Poland and you cannot use it in conjunction with any other country. The appropriate word would be republika in this case. For example Republika Francuska means the French Republic and you cannot use Rzeczpospolita instead of Republika in this context.
Now we have III Rzeczpospolita and the abbreviation for Rzeczpospolita Polska (Polish Republic) is RP. There was I Rzeczpospolita until 1795, II Rzeczpospolita in 1918-1939 and Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa (Polish People's Republic) in 1944-1989.
[Please notice, that adjective follows noun in most of cases in Polish unlike most of languages including probably all Slavic ones].

Regards,
Krzysiek

[Stephan]

Rzeczpospolita is a direct translation fron Latin, = "the everyones thing" (excuse for my bad english - but you see the point).
Re = thing + Publica = everyones

In these old times of 15-1700 - full citizen rights had only the gentry/nobility. But there was plenty of them, many peasants being of gentry (ie small-nobility) - or if you like, many gentry living live as common peasants: whole village - all 20-50 households - gentrymen with families....

Anyway. It is why they often say Poland (ie Poland+Lithuania) was a nobility republic.

[szopen]

Rzeczpospolita (there is not a space in this word)

To be exact, in nowadays use there is no space in the word. Howeverm one may occasioanlly find the writing with the space in old books and maps, and the forms of "Rzeczy pospolitej" intstead if "Rzeczpospolitej" etc.

However Rzeczpospolita is reserved just for Poland and you cannot use it in conjunction with any other country.

Again, in modern use. In history you may find the references to "Rzeczpospolita Wenecka" and other Italian republic, Rzeczpospolita Pskowska, Nowogrodzka, and in Old Polish even "rzeczpospolita rzymska".

The appropriate word would be republika in this case. For example Republika Francuska means the French Republic and you cannot use Rzeczpospolita instead of Republika in this context.

Again, I have atlas from 1960 with names like "Rzeczpospolita Helwecka" etc for all the republics created by Napoleon (and common short form rzplita)

Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa (Polish People's Republic) in 1944-1989.

Musashi, are you sure about that? I am quite sure the form was Polska Republika Ludowa. That's why after 1989 we have the THIRD, not the FOURTH rzeczpospolita.

[Please notice, that adjective follows noun in most of cases in Polish unlike most of languages including probably all Slavic ones].

Note here that Musashi probably does not want to say that it is always, but that it could be. E.g. In Polish there is not much difference in saying "stalowy szczur" or "szczur stalowy" (steinless steel rat).

[Musashi]

Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa (Polish People's Republic) in 1944-1989.

Musashi, are you sure about that? I am quite sure the form was Polska Republika Ludowa. That's why after 1989 we have the THIRD, not the FOURTH rzeczpospolita.

I am not quite, but absolutely sure, it was Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa. I see, you are younger than me to remember that (I am 28+).
Chopin for Szopen

EDIT:
Source: http://www.t19.ds.pwr.wroc.pl/~einstein ... y/prl.html
Is it enough proof for you? It should be. The present republic is the third, because our politicians wanted to stress it has nothing common with PRL and it is a continuation of II Republic.

[Please notice, that adjective follows noun in most of cases in Polish unlike most of languages including probably all Slavic ones].

Note here that Musashi probably does not want to say that it is always, but that it could be. E.g. In Polish there is not much difference in saying "stalowy szczur" or "szczur stalowy" (steinless steel rat).

I said it is not really important. However if you are in Russia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, etc. and do shopping asking for a mineral water, you say mineralna voda. If you are in Poland you say: woda mineralna. If you changed order of the words, you would be understood, but it would be strange. Have you ever heard somebody asking for mineralna woda in shop?

[Stephan]

[stalowy szczur" or "szczur stalowy" (steinless steel rat).

Ah, you a great fan not only of good piano music, but also the the ScienceFiction writer Harrison?

Yes, the books are very fun.

[szopen]

Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa (Polish People's Republic) in 1944-1989.

Musashi, are you sure about that? I am quite sure the form was Polska Republika Ludowa. That's why after 1989 we have the THIRD, not the FOURTH rzeczpospolita.

I am not quite, but absolutely sure, it was Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa. I see, you are younger than me to remember that (I am 28+).

I was born 1976, Musashi. You are right and I am wrong. However, I somehow can't bring memory of someone saying Polska _Rzeczpospolita_ Ludowa. Both in school and elsewhere I always remember to hear "republika". But then, human memory is funny thing, isn't it

[szopen]

I said it is not really important. However if you are in Russia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, etc. and do shopping asking for a mineral water, you say mineralna voda. If you are in Poland you say: woda mineralna. If you changed order of the words, you would be understood, but it would be strange. Have you ever heard somebody asking for mineralna woda in shop?

You know what, I have not realised it but you are right,

OTOH you would say "daj mi zimna wode" "daj mi ciepla herbate" "daj mi zielone pudelko", "to jest stalowe pudelko" ale:
"daj mi sok owocowy", "daj mi deser lodowy" (though of course you can safely change the word order)

Hm.. Have to find some book about grammar to see wheter there is actually a rule concerning that. I can't see any pattern in that. But then, this can be told about many other peculiarities of Polish language

[Halibutt]

There's a decent article in Wikipedia on Rzeczpospolita, with ethymology and pronunciation key in IPA script. Hope you'll like it.
Cheers

[Bacilla]

However Rzeczpospolita is reserved just for Poland and you cannot use it in conjunction with any other country.

Rzeczpospolita ( is a Polish word for "republic" or "commonwealth". It is a Polish calque translation of the Latin expression res publica ("public affair"). The word rzeczpospolita has been used in Poland since at least 16th century, originally to denote any democratic state. Today, however, it is used solely in reference to the Polish State. Any other republic is referred to as republika in modern Polish.

The official name of the present-day Polish State is Rzeczpospolita Polska, which is usually translated into English as "Republic of Poland". However, such translation, when talking about the 16–18th century Poland, may be confusing since in those times the Rzeczpospolita was a monarchy. For that period, Rzeczpospolita is rendered rather as "Commonwealth" (which is another English version of the Latin res publica), as in "Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth".

Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów – Commonwealth of the Two Nations or Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795);

There was I Rzeczpospolita until 1795

Here in Lithuania all we know about Rzeczpospolita is this:

Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów: The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Republic of the Two Nations, or Republic of Both Nations was a federal monarchy–republic formed by the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1569, lasting until 1795.