Polish Language Popularization in the World in the Context of National Branding at the End of the 20th – Beginning of the 21st Century

Abstract

Relevance of the research topic, apart from a purely scientific interest, lies in the fact the issue of forming language-informational spaces has a great sociopolitical interest at the beginning of the third millennium. The purpose of the article is to study the policy of the Polish state aimed at Polish language popularization in the world at the end of the 20th – beginning of the 21st century and broadening the borders of the Polish-speaking information space. The methodology of the research is based on the combination of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special (historical-genetic, historical-typological, historical-systemic, sociocultural) methods with the principles of historicity, systemic, scientific approach and verification. Starting positions for Polish language popularization were based on the belief that a language should perform not only communicative, but also a number of social functions – strengthen the feeling of unity and the significance of language bearers, spread a certain worldview, make the life of Poles abroad simpler. Language popularization provides invaluable help and support to national branding, which became a priority of the Polish government at the beginning of the 21st century. However, the situation that had formed in the course of historical development, rather hindered than facilitated the performance of the stated functions by the Polish language. Language popularization outside state borders required the improvement of the overall image of Poland and the Poles in the world as well as overcoming the stereotype about the complexity of the Polish language. To implement the language policy tasks, a number of institutions were established: Polish Language Council, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Polish Institute, Polish Language Union outside the Country’s Borders. However, the most effective Polish language promotion policy turned out to be among Polonia and the Poles abroad and not among foreigners. Conclusions. At the end of the 20th – beginning of the 21st century the scientific and managerial circles of Poland realized the importance of language popularization in the world as an important component of national branding. However, institutional and financial support of Polish language popularization turned out to quite low. This undoubtedly hindered national branding as it did not allow to involve foreigners into the language-informational space and make involuntary “agent” of the Polish worldview.