A while back Sue Wilson left this comment, but due to my computer troubles (which, thankfully, are over now as I\u2019m a proud owner of a brand new MacBook) I only managed to see it last weekend. I\u2019m sorry Sue!<\/p>\n
I thought that Sue\u2019s question was interesting, and actually, because she is not the only one confused about this \u2013ski\/-ska<\/strong> issue when it comes to Polish surnames, I thought it would be good to share her comment here on the blog. I hope you don\u2019t mind, Sue. Is it common practice for a married woman whose husband\u2019s surname is Kaliszewski to be Kaliszewska? My mother in law stuck with -ski yet addresses cards to her grand-daughters as -ska. Is the -ska only for single women or can married women use that form too? Now onto my answer. So, if you marry a guy named Kaliszewski<\/strong>, you, as a wife, become Kaliszewski<\/strong>, too. Now, if it were in Poland, you\u2019d be Kaliszewska<\/strong>, because last names ending in \u2013ski follow Polish rules similar to adjectives.<\/p>\n If you are determined to be a Kaliszewska<\/strong> in the US, I think the only way to accomplish it would be through a legal name change \u2013 from Kaliszewski<\/strong> to Kaliszewska<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Does it make sense?<\/p>\n I\u2019m sure that Barb in Canada, who also has a masculine version of a Polish last name, can add her trzy grosze<\/strong> on this subject.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A while back Sue Wilson left this comment, but due to my computer troubles (which, thankfully, are over now as I\u2019m a proud owner of a brand new MacBook) I only managed to see it last weekend. I\u2019m sorry Sue! I thought that Sue\u2019s question was interesting, and actually, because she is not the only…<\/p>\n
\nHere it is:<\/p>\n
\nI\u2019m recently married to a Kaliszewski & as I am wife number 2 I\u2019d quite like to use -ska to differentiate myself from wife number 1 who is Mrs K-ski. But obviously would not want to use -ska if that is associated with single women! I do appreciate the chaos that i will have by having a surname different to my wedding certificate but I\u2019d quite like to follow Polish tradition with the feminisation of my surname if that is ok for married women to use!!
\nMany thanks!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nThe endings \u2013ski<\/strong> and \u2013ska<\/strong> have absolutely nothing to do with one’s marital status, but with the gender of the person.
\nSo, a \u2013ski<\/strong> IN POLAND<\/strong> is always a male, and a \u2013ska<\/strong> \u2013 a female.
\nAs I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve noticed I emphasized the \u201cIN POLAND<\/strong>\u201d bit, because it is important. Things work a little bit differently in other countries.
\nIn the US (and other English speaking countries), a woman who takes her husband\u2019s name after marriage takes HIS surname with no allowances made for her gender.<\/p>\n