“English with a Polish Accent and a Slight Touch of Irish”: Multilingualism in Polish Migrant Theatre

Karolina Prykowska-Michalak; Izabela Grabarczyk

doi:10.18778/2083-2931.13.16

Authors

Karolina Prykowska-Michalak University of Lodz
Izabela Grabarczyk University of Lodz

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/2083-2931.13.16

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Keywords:

bilingualism, multilingualism, migrant theatre, intercultural theatre

Abstract

Issues of migration writing (see Kosmalska) and migrant theatre have recently gained prominence, leading to an increase in research focused on analyzing the theatrical works of artists with a migrant background. This phenomenon is part of a broader trend in intercultural and, often, postcolonial studies. Contemporary Polish migrant theatre is a subject that has not been thoroughly explored yet. Among many methods applied in the study of migrant theatre, intercultural studies or the so-called new interculturalism take the lead. These concepts draw on bilingualism or multilingualism practices, which are slowly taking a more significant role in migrant theatre studies. This article analyzes two theatre plays staged by Polish migrants in Ireland and in the United Kingdom in the context of linguistic practices that exemplify and help define the concept of transnational drama.

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Author Biographies

Karolina Prykowska-Michalak, University of Lodz

Karolina Prykowska-Michalak is Head of the Department of Drama and Theatre Institute of Contemporary Culture at the University of Lodz. She heads the research project Theatrical Legacy of Polish Migrants. An Interdisciplinary Study of Polish Culture Abroad. Her monographs include: Kurtyna w górę! Relacje między teatrem polskim i teatrem niemieckim po 1990 roku (Curtain up! Relations between Polish and German Theatre after 1990), Lodz University Press, 2012; Teatr niemiecki w Łodzi. Sceny-Wykonawcy-Repertuar (German Theater in Łódź. Theatres-Spectators-Repertoire), Lodz University Press, 2005. Books edited by her include: System teatrów w Europie (Theatre Systems in Europe), Theatre Institute in Warsaw, 2016; Teatr niemiecki w Polsce XVIII–XX wiek (German Theater in Poland 18^th–20^th century), Lodz University Press, 2008.

Izabela Grabarczyk, University of Lodz

Izabela Grabarczyk is Doctoral Candidate and Research-Didactic Assistant at the Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics, University of Lodz. She is actively involved in the interdisciplinary research project titled Theatrical Legacy of Polish Migrants. An Interdisciplinary Study of Polish Culture Abroad. Her scholarly pursuits include the phonetics and phonology of English, its diverse dialects and accents, sociolinguistics, and the nuances of English used in migration settings. She is in the midst of crafting a doctoral thesis that focuses on the aspects of integration and the adoption of Irish English pronunciation features among the Polish migrant populace in Ireland.

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