Saturday, June 1, 2013

A Helping Suffix: -Wisko

The suffix "-wisko" seems to refer to some sort of locus; if it's not an actual place, it is an appurtenance or helper that adds function to some other word widget's function (usually the precursor/prefix is a stand-alone, truncated or word stub noun).

The word most often used with this suffix is "nazwisko", which means "surname."

Examples:

nazwisko panieńskie - maiden name
pod własnym nazwiskiem - under one's own name
przybrane nazwisko - assumed name, stage name
pod przybranym nazwiskiem - under an assumed name
nazwisko rodowe -family name
pod cudzym nazwiskiem - under someone else's name
miała na nazwisko... - her surname was...

Here is an interesting Wikipedia article that talks about Polish surnames.  This will give you a little more background about Polish Surnames and also show you some types of surnames that provide further examples.  And here is a map of Polish surnames, whereby you can type a surname into the search box and find its frequency in different parts of Poland.

But I digress.  Here also are a couple of other "-wisko" words:

stanowisko - position, point of view

Examples:

stanowisko pracy - place of work
stanowisko kierownicze - managerial position
wysokie stanowisko - high-ranking position
stać na stanowisku, że.. - to take the view that...

środowisko - environment, surroundings

Examples:

środowisko naturalne - the natural environment
zanieczyszczenie środowiska - environmental pollution

Other derivative words:

gruzowisko - heap of rubble
legowisko - lair; dog bed
lodowisko - ice rink
mrowisko - anthill
przezwisko - [mean or humorous] nickname
urwisko - precipice, crag
uzdrowisko - spa, health resort
widowisko - spectacle, show
zjawisko - phenomenon
złomowisko - scrapyard, junkyard

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