AboutMaciej St. Zięba Expertise I am native Polish and I used to teach Polish to foreigners. I know (passively of actively) more than 15 other languages - so I can answer many questions concerning Polish grammar, pronounciation, spelling, ethymology and usage - as compared to English, French, German, Russian, Dutch, Esperanto or Norwegian. Also questions concerning other Slavic languages, Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan, or general linguistics, especially scripts (writing systems and transcriptions) - are welcome.
Experience Teaching English and French to Poles, Polish to foreigners, teaching Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan to philosophy students.
Expert: Maciej St. Ziêba Date: 3/15/2008 Subject: Polish Nickname for Michael
Question Hello. I am expecting a son and have chosen to name him Michael for my father. We would like to call him by the Polish nickname for Michal but are unsure what that might be and the correct pronunciation. Your help would be appreciated.
Answer Hi,
Questions about nicknames are really tricky ones. The usual forms are:
(in the brackets I give these forms without the special Polish letters):
- Michał (Michał), pronounced [MEE-how] - the "full" form.
- Michałek (Michalek), pronounced [mee-HAH-weck] or in the Vocative form: Michałku (Michalku), pronounced [mee-how-koo] - regular diminutive; good especially for smaller children but even later on for parents and grandparents calling their son/grandson
- Michaś (Michas), pronounced [MEE-hash] - very friendly, or in the Vocative form: Michasiu, pronounced [mee-HAH-shoe] - good both for parents calling their son and for friends calling their friend
- Misiu, pronounced [MEE-shoe] - very familiar, cosy and warm, good for a girl calling her boyfriend - has a connotation with a bear or teddy-bear; this is already the Vocative form, the Nominative being Miś (Mis), pronouced MEESH, rather not used (there is somewhere on AllExperts a longer topic on this form already, I have answered it some 2 or 3 years ago)
- Miszka, pronounced [MEESH-kah] - sounds a but "Russian", as it is in fact, but good to use among peers, like friends aged 7-10-15, and aven later on (it is popular among those who are already 35-40-45, to their peers), not so bad for brothers and sisters - but would sound rather pretentious if used by parents.
