| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Poles in Ealing | |
| Posted by: | Michael Brandt | |
| Date/Time: | 04/05/10 20:09:00 |
| In Australia,' Paki' is a term of endearment like 'Windie' for West Indian and there are several others for cricket playing and commonweath countries which is where the terms all derive. Needless to say, 'Pommie' was considered the most derogatory of the terms, (Mother England being considered the most arch of rivals.) In the UK, it became a derogatory term for asians and subsequently not the light hearted nickname that it remains in some places overseas. Polack is an American derogatory term for a Pole which derives from Chicago. The Irish invented the term again as a pally nickname but it is now also used in a derogatory way. As for driveways. It is not a Polish custom to park over or on somebody else's drive. However in communist Poland, everyone had equal rights and shared spaces in the blocks in cities where almost all lived. (Houses were discouraged by the Socialist regime - where incidentally, Ken Livingstone actually got his ideal of all living in flats) . If you would dare enough to be polite and approach the 'Polacks' you will almost certainly find that they will honour and accept the status quo without prejudice. If they are from a city they may not be aware of the different set up. Nothing more. You could be unlucky with just bad 'uns. But this is not really the Polish way. There are certainly other nationalities who would not respect others property, whatever the case. I find some of the ignorance and unfounded prejudice rather surprising given that there have been two previous large Polish settlings in this Borough over 75 years. That's only out done by the Irish. |