Let's get to know each other
you will introduce yourself in Polish and in English
you will get to know where the surnames came from
you will tell what the nicknamesnicknames
you will get to know what a visit card is and how to prepare one
Do you know how to introduce yourself? Should you start with your given name or your surname? What do you think, how did surnames come to be?
In pairs, think and talk about what the names were invented for.
Surnames, also known as last names or family names, were invented to distinguish between people who had the same given name. Given names are also known as first names or forenames.
Talk in pairs or in groups:
What do your loved ones call you?
Do they use diminutivesdiminutives?
Do you like your given name? Or maybe you would like to have a different first name? What name would that be?
What do you call a person who has the same given name as you? That person is your namesakenamesake.
Think and answer.
How many people in your class have the same first name as you?
Do members of your family have the same given names? If yes, get ready to tell the class which members of your family have identical given names.
How surnames came into existence?
Watch the video from the “Poznajmy się” lesson at epodreczniki.pl. Professor Jan Miodek explains in it how surnames came into existence. He gives examples of Polish kings: two Bolesławs, Władysław and Kazimierz.
It took some time for people to come up with nicknames for them: Chrobry (or the Brave), Krzywousty (or the Wrymouth), Łokietek (or the Elbow‑high) and Wielki (or the Great). The first surnames that helped distinguish between people with the same given names were linked to the places where those people lived: Mikołaj of Wola became Mikołaj Wolski, and Jan of Potok became Jan Potocki.
Other surnames reflected the physical features, character traits or occupation of their bearers, e.g. Jan with a large nose was dubbed Jan Nosal and beekeeper Kazimierz became Kazimierz Miodek. Surnames also give us hints on the origins of our ancestors. This is why many Poles have foreign‑sounding surnames.
Professor Jan Miodek advises to always keep to the following order when introducing oneself: first given name, then surname.
The same goes for introducing yourself in English. Start with your given name, and then say your surname: Hello, my name is Joanna Kowalska.
The Brave, the Wrymouth (one with a distorted mouth), the Elbow‑high (short) and the Great (due to height or outstanding merit) are all bynames. They refer to a given person’s character quality. Can you recall Thumbelina, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White and Tom Thumb? These characters are also known by their bynames.
Try to come up with a nickname for yourself and your nearest and dearest.
Match fictional characters and historical figures with their respective groups.
Jan Sobieski, Winnie the Pooh, Aleksander Graham Bell, Bolesław Krzywousty, Snow White, Władysław Łokietek, Tomek Sawyer, Harry Potter
| Name and surname | |
|---|---|
| Nickname |
What is a visiting cardvisiting card?
Do you know what a visiting card is for? Who uses visiting cards? When are visiting cards used? Watch the video and learn how to prepare one.
Film dostępny na portalu epodreczniki.pl
Animacja przedstawiająca kompozycję wizytówki. Bohater to młody człowiek w okularach przeciwsłonecznych, który opisuje, jak powinna wyglądać wizytówka. Mówi: Hi, my name is Janek. What’s your name? Nice to meet you. This is my visiting card. What about yours? You don’t have one? No worries. I’ll tell you how to make one yourself. Let’s start with your name and surname. Let’s put it here. Now, let’s fill in your address. Start with your street, house number and flat number, then the postal code and town. To finish your visiting card, if necessary, put your telephone number. Done! Who would you like to give your card to? Kompozycja wizytówki: u góry umieszczamy imię i nazwisko, pod spodem w dwóch wersach adres zamieszkania, a na dole numer telefonu. Można również zamieścić adres e-mail.
Look at the example of visiting card prepared in English. Compare it with the example from the video above. What elements does it consist of? What element is missing here?
In groups, prepare to role‑play introducing yourself in different situations to different people, e.g. a new friend or an adult. Do the role‑play in front of the class. After you finish the role‑play, start a discussion on whether the introductions were correct.
In the past, children had to wait until their seventh birthday to get a real name. When a boy turned seven, his first haircut took place. From that moment on, he was looked after by his father. In later times, children were named on the occasion of a Christian baptism. In the English‑speaking world, such names are called Christian names or baptismal names. Today, names are given at birth.
How was this lesson? Did you like it? Finish selected sentences.
Keywords
introducing yourself, surname, name, nickname, byname, namesake
Glossary
przydomek, nadana komuś dodatkowa nazwa odnosząca się np. do jakiejś cechy.
zdrobnienie, wyraz pochodny oznaczający coś mniejszego w stosunku do wyrazu podstawowego, np. piesek, domek.
imiennik, osoba o tym samym imieniu.
bohater literacki
wizytówka, kartka z danymi teleadresowymi danej osoby lub firmy.