Talk:Polka

Untitled

It says in the beginning that polka is a popular folk dance in Poland. Is it? I have never heard of polka being danced in Poland. It is popular among Poles in the US, but there it is a recently introduced dance (in 40ies) and incorrectly considered as originating in their former fatherland. What a mistake! To my experience with folk culture in middle Europe, the polkas eastern original frontier was along the Stettin/Brno/Vienna/Lubljana line. Polka has been introduced by Czechs to Slovakia (during the last century, as was ice hockey and many other useful things). Czechs have not introduced polka to Poland, and it is absent in Poland! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 147.231.193.18 (talk) 18:10, 12 November 2019 (UTC)

This article needs audio examples!

Yes. 92.105.115.63 (talk) 08:16, 25 May 2009 (UTC)

Agreed! Check the the gratis page of a Swiss music sales website. Every month they offer a different free tune download or two. This generous store will accidentally reveal a major limitation of this whole web page, how much the meaning of the word "Polka" differs in different cultures and how little that is discussed. If you get high enough in the Alps; the terms "Polka" and "Schottisch" switch meanings. When Herr Schaub's page features either, his Polka will usually sound to me like a USA Schottisch and his Schottisch will sound to me more like a Croatian Polka.

(Musing: Linguistically we may take a Czech or German's word and 'blame' the Polka on the Poles, just like we take a Breton's word and 'blame' the Schottische on the Scots. There are lots of other examples of new dances that MAY have been made to sound more exotic by picking a name from somewhere else.)

If you get high enough in the Alps the traditional meanings of Schottisch and Polka swap places. The border of that change appears to be flexible, fuzzy and complex, sometimes naming a specific tavern as the point where the names swap.

Audio examples are all over YouTube of polka music.Pmcmonagle (talk) 18:51, 25 June 2020 (UTC)

We can use only free examples; we are very strict on the wikipedia:Copyrights. See Wikipedia:Non-free content. I have never done this, but you can use small clips as fair use. Anyway, go ahead, WP:SOFIXIT. We are all volunteers, wikipedia is our hobby. Making a clip requires much more effort than typing a couple lines in a spare minute. Therefore music and video clips are infrequesnt in wikipedia despite their obvious utility. Staszek Lem (talk) 23:08, 25 June 2020 (UTC)

References

Polka and Beer barrel polka = Czech dance and song

I am from the Czech republic, and our national dance Polka is the most popular dance. And song Beer barrel polka (Škoda lásky) is song from the Czech writer Jaromír Vejvoda, too polka. Greetings from the Czech republic :-)

Punk polka

In the 1980s and 1990s several bands began to combine polka with various rock styles, sometimes referred to as "punk polka", "alternative polka" or "San Francisco-style".

Who? —Michael Z. 2005-03-20 08:06 Z

Brave Combo is one of those groups I can think of off the top of my head. Mykar15 20:17, 11 January 2006 (UTC)

The Polkaholics® from Chicago are pioneers of the punk rock polka, or "eXtreme Polka" movment

Don't forget Polkacide (from San Francisco). Were they one of the first to create this genre? In any case, they're incredible. ==ILike2BeAnonymous 17:10, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

New Orleans' Zydepunks has some polka trown in their mix of Cajun music and zydeco. Zubrowka74 (talk) 14:22, 30 April 2010 (UTC)

Dance

I would find it interesting if someone provided a description of what a polka dance looks like

Portal:Dance

Portal:Dance has been started. Please have a look. --Roland2 12:13, 19 November 2005 (UTC)

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Polish?

Why is this in the category Category:Polish styles of music? -- Austrian 13:04, 5 September 2005 (UTC)

The Polish style of Polka is a distinct type of polka. I believe the reason why it would be in "Polish syles of music" is then self-explanatory. Mykar15 20:17, 11 January 2006 (UTC)

removed

I just removed this piece of BS:

"A type of dance embodying a subliminal greatness with which nothing else can be compared and which is beyond all possibility of calculation, measurement or imitation."

Qwe 07:02, 21 November 2005 (UTC)

Polska?

Why is "not to be confused with Polska" mentioned twice in the opening section? Mentioning it once would seem to be enough.

Bartlantz 03:07, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

Typical instrument -- piano?

Perhaps "piano accordion" ?

Are you talking about the piano or the accordion? The traditional style accordion is easier to use when playing fast polka music since the keys are in optimal order. A piano accordion is slower to play but easier of course for someone familiar with the upright or grand piano. Shiokumi 08:26, 16 September 2014 (UTC)

Not only the US

This article needs an addition on non-ballroom polka danced in other parts of the world than the US. // Habj 10:23, 14 July 2006 (UTC)

Polca

Seems to me that the South American dance known as polca and described in the Styles section might be more closely related to Polska (dance) than Polka, since the polca is described as 3/4 time. --Theodore Kloba 17:40, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

Article needs expansion

I am not a Polka expert but I have some suggestions for any Polka expert who's willing to help expand this article. Some suggestions include:

• create a section on where Polka music originated as well as discuss U.S./Canadian Polka music.
• Created a section on the different styles of Polka music.
• Other well Known Polka songs besides Roll Out the Barrel (Beer Barrel Polka) from the czech writer Jaromír Vejvoda (Škoda lásky).
• Discuss Polka music in pop culture.
• Explain in more detail what a Polka dance is. Include some pictures if possible of Polka dancers in action.

--Cab88 21:10, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

I strongly agree with Cab88 here. Could someone add a choreographer's diagram with footprints in numerical order, or a URL link to same? Hcunn (talk) 16:26, 11 September 2008 (UTC)

• Anyone have any idea why so much of this article was removed? I've restored it to a fuller version from January. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 21:34, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

The link for downloading the Jenny Lind piece is wrong -- it takes you to an upload page...

68.102.38.212 06:14, 14 April 2007 (UTC)EK

POLKA

Polka is very similar to the dances we americans learn

unfair bias

This article is terribly biased! Polka is clearly a style that originated in Poland and then spread to and was modified by many other traditions around the world. So why is the ´Styles´section totally focused on North-American interpretations of Polka. Get a grip, your country isn´t the centre of the world!!! The section on styles should begin by mentioning traditional styles and variations of Poland and the surrounding regions which have the strongest cultural links. Other styles existing in different parts of the world should give precedence to the origins of the culture. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wilfipedia (talk • contribs) 20:28, 17 January 2009 (UTC)

This dance and music form is celebrated in America and part of popular culture and enjoyed across the midwest. If you want to add more about polka in Poland or somewhere else, go for it! But don't cry because others have taken the dance and music and run with it while you're complaining. ChildofMidnight (talk) 20:34, 17 January 2009 (UTC)

Polka is not from Poland, it's Czech. JanaKometaDušková (talk) 15:17, 15 April 2024 (UTC)

Polka didn't originate in Poland. In fact, it's almost unknown in Poland. The Polish article is even shorter and mentions only Czech artists and songs. —Preceding unsigned comment added by User:89.74.95.37 (talk • contribs)

Variations

The article was recently changes to state that variations exist in Britain but no references were added. Also, the article only talks about the Irish variations in the "Styles" section. --HighKing (talk) 23:14, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Several countries are listed - "Lithuanian, Czech, Croatian, Slovenian, Polish, German, Hungarian, Austrian, Italian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, and Slovakian folk music. Versions are also found in the Nordic countries, Ireland and Latin America, especially Mexico." Most of these are not mentioned elsewhere in the text - so why single out Ireland/UK/British Isles for special treatment? This excuse for the removal of British Isles is one of the most astounding yet. Mister Flash (talk) 23:22, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

If you want to find references for the other countries, be my guest. I'm dealing with the sentence that starts with "Variations" which are discussed in the "Styles" section. If you want to tag the rest of the article with a {{fact}} tag then be my guest. In the meantime, I'll await your reference. --HighKing (talk) 23:35, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

I am not going to provide any references. You should provide a reference to back up your assertion; that the Polka is not relevant to the UK. Mister Flash (talk) 23:38, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Organizations in the United States of America

Removed "Jim Pekol" from the list of Polka Greats having appeared on The Big Joe Polka Show, Reason: virtually uknown as a performer of Polka music in the United States (outside of the geographic location of his band).

Updated reference to "The Big Joe Polka Show" (TBJPS) to include information regarding litigation involving RFD-TV and Polka Cassettes of Nebraska (PCN) amid a contractual dispute with regards to PCN's demand and assertion that RFD-TV has aired the program without their authorization, and after the 31 December 2009 contract expiration. Information obtained from "letters of information" provided by both RFD-TV's Patrick Gottsch (personal e-mail sent to approximately 90 persons who corresponded regarding questions about The Big Joe Polka Show), and from a certified mailing sent by PCN to several cable and satellite firms that carry RFD-TV. That mailing contained a statement that TBJPS was "in effect being stolen" from it's creator/owner/producer by RFD-TV due to the fact that it was being broadcast "post-contract" and without acceptance of an extension provision by PCN. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.152.209.93 (talk) 18:08, 24 August 2010 (UTC)

Updated reference to the Big Joe Polka Show to include the fact that the show is no longer running on the RFD-TV Network. Radioengineer (talk) 22:57, 14 January 2011 (UTC)

Citations and Weasel Words

The article clearly needs better citations, and weasel words are sometimes used to hide this, so I understand the purpose of the inline citations. However, some of those citations don't seem to correspond to this. For example, in "You can hear polka in these countries", the word "you" isn't a missing citation - it refers to the reader. (Although, of course, there should be citations as to which countries one can hear polka in.) 66.31.200.86 (talk) 20:05, 11 September 2011 (UTC) Rob

Timeline in article is self-contradictory.

The article states that polka music originated in the mid-19th century. It later states that polka music appeared in print by the year 1800.

Perhaps someone with an interest in the history of polka can clarify this.

216.8.122.128 (talk) 10:27, 13 September 2011 (UTC)Cuyahogan

OED

re: and the OED says "probably so named as an expression of sympathy with the Polish uprising of 1830–1," although its earliest recorded use in English was in America in 1825

If OED mentions earliest recorded use in 1825,(see my user talk page where someone put a full citation from OED) then OED's "probably so named" opinion is false. It is a common sense not to litter wikipedia with provably false opinions. If OED contradicts itself, we cannot use it as a source for this particular point, it is a common sense, isn't it? Staszek Lem (talk) 22:07, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

The earliest recorded use in OED is obviously wrong - probably a simple typo. According to sources form the 19th century Polka emerged in Böhmen in the 1830es there is no way it could have made it to America by 1825. What we can do is exclude the problematic information - we don't insert an unsupported etymology instead. What I would do is to find a german etymological dictionary and see when the earliest recorded usage in German is since german is obviously the source for the English word.·ʍaunus·snunɐw· 22:16, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

That's the problem with all dictionaries and other condensed/distilled tertiary sources (with notable exception of wikipedia:-) it is next to impossible to trace the origin of the claims, and you just have to believe the author.

Now, to OED's statement: if you read carefully, the 1825 item refers to a piece of music, however it is unclear whether it is a music for the dance or just a piece titled "Polka". Overall, the whole OED article on the subject is rather sloppy. As I mentiuoned in the talk page, no one claimed that the dance was called "Nimra", wo this opinion hardly can be "discredited" (other than discrediting OED itself). At best, the "půlka" can be described as disbelieved, rather than discredited. I'd say naming a silly (it was perceived so, just like the Viennese Waltz) dance in favor of noble Polish uprizing is just as well disbelievable. But of course it is just my opinion. Add for the same reason of reasonable doubt in my edits of the article I carefully added that whatever it was is just OED opinion. I'd also say that even German etymo dict would be a dubious source. One must only hope that somewhere there exists a scholarly work about Polka which does not rehash old opinions, but does some real research. I will try to search, but little hope. Staszek Lem (talk) 00:05, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

OK. Now thanks to google books, we may read some original 19th century texts and clean up some chinese whispers; wee my recent addition. Staszek Lem (talk) 01:03, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

It looks good.·ʍaunus·snunɐw· 01:05, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

Etymology of the word Polka

Several editors now disagree on the wording of the etymology section of this article. Before this becomes an edit war, I ask that all involved take a short break: 48 hours (mostly because I'm going to at Wikimania for that long). Gather information for a not-a-war. My favorite dictionary is The American Heritage College Dictionary, 4th edition c. 2010. Check Dictionary.com for a few more. Prepare your defenses. Please read Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and dispute resolution and the talk pages of those involved: Languagehat, Staszek Lem and ·ʍaunus. Anyone and everyone else is invited to help work toward a consensus. No assumptions. Languagehat referred to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), not the The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology.

After everyone involved here finishes a discussion, I'll ask for a member of the Guild of Copy Editors to look at the result to make sure all commas are in the right places and it makes sense to someone looking at the paragraph for the first time.

From my viewpoint, it looks like all agree that the source of the word is Czech. Perhaps the etymology paragraph should start with that as an agreed upon fact. Then maybe add the Čeněk Zíbrt source followed by the various sources stated in English dictionaries. I DGAF about the outcome as long as it represents a consensus with accurate information remaining in the article. With a bit of collaboration, the article will be better for this discussion. DocTree (talk) 02:26, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

I think you are a little late here. I think issue has been resolved to general satisfaction - assuming that LanguageHat is as satisfied with the source presented by Staszek Lem as I am. It seems clear that OED is wrong in this case.·ʍaunus·snunɐw· 02:32, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

Staszek Lem's sources are excellent. Therefore, those sources should be promoted to lead the paragraph. English dictionary etymologies present other views. Those should probably be subordinate but mentioned. My judgment is that the paragraph can still be improved substantially with all of you linguists cooperating. DocTree (talk) 02:43, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

At a minimum, I would revise the article's etymological paragraph as follows, eliminating the POV "claims" and replacing it with neutral "states," restoring the suggestion about the origin in the 1830 uprising (which was deleted for no good reason), eliminating the pole theory (which everyone agrees is incorrect, so why clutter the article with it?), and clarifying the OED's attitude toward the půlka' theory:

Although the dance didn't originate in Poland, the Oxford Etymological Dictionary states that its name is derived from the Czech polka, meaning "Polish woman" (feminine form corresponding to polák, a Pole), suggesting that it was "probably so named as an expression of sympathy with the Polish uprising of 1830–1."[1] OED also states that the earlier theory that it comes from the Czech word půlka ("half"), referring to the short half-steps featuring in the dance, is now "discredited".[1] Czech cultural historian and ethnographer Čeněk Zíbrt, who wrote in detail about the origin of the dance, in his 1895 book Jak se kdy v Čechách tancovalo[2], did not refer to the word půlka. Actually he wrote that polka was supposed to mean "tanec na polo," i.e., "a dance in half", both referring to the half-tempo 2/4 and the half-jump step of the dance.[2]

Now, as to Zibrt. I am sure he was a fine ethnographer and historian, but he was not an etymologist, and his theories about the origin of words should not be taken more seriously than a lexicographer's theories about dance. Furthermore, his book was publised in 1895 and is hardly the latest word on the subject. I would strongly suggest that the views of the OED, which has a staff of professional etymologists who have weighed all the evidence (including Zibrt) far more thoroughly than we can hope to and whose article was revised as recently as September 2006, should be taken far more seriously than the views of an amateur in the field whose book was published well over a century ago. In short, I entirely disagree that "Staszek Lem's sources are excellent" and "should be promoted to lead the paragraph," and my ideal solution would be to eliminate everything after the first sentence. I welcome further discussion. Languagehat (talk) 13:09, 13 July 2012 (UTC)

I don't have much time, but I have to notice that (a) Zibrt was a contemporary (b) the book was his latest and largest publication on the subject. The initial one was afresh after the described event. So I don't see that the later guesswork (yes, guesswork, since I see no scholarly reasoning for etymology so far) may outweigh his contemporary opinion. (c) In his texts Zibrt didn't write půlka, only "polka"; I am sure not because he was illiterate in "Bohemian language": he used the letter ů quite abundantly. Staszek Lem (talk) 01:55, 14 July 2012 (UTC)

Hi. Is it safe to comment now? I have no strong feelings on this - I know even less about Czech than I do about dancing - but as my library gives me free access to Grove Music Online I thought their views on the polka's origins might be helpful. The relevant part goes:

"There is much dispute about the origins of the polka. Etymologically, the name suggests three Czech words: půl (‘half’), pole (‘field’) and polka (‘Polish woman’), all of which have given rise to various speculations. Accordingly it is a dance with a predominant ‘half-step’, a ‘field dance’ or a dance coming from or inspired by Poland. The earliest reference to the dance (J. Langer: ‘České krakowačky’, Časopis Českého musea, 1835, pp.90–91), in an article discussing the dancing of the krakowiak in Bohemia, mentions the admixture of local Czech dances such as the strašák and břitva and states that it was danced differently in Hradec Králové (eastern Bohemia), where they called it the ‘polka’. The earliest dictionary entry (J. Jungmann: Slownjk česko-německý, iii, 1837) defines the dance laconically as a ‘Polish dance’. Nejedlý, dismissing the tale (printed in Bohemia, 1844) of the dance’s invention by a high-spirited maidservant, suggested that the adoption and adaptation of a Polish dance was connected with the wave of sympathy that the Poles attracted after their aborted insurrection of 1830..."

The "Nejedlý" reference above is expanded in the bibliography as "Z. Nejedlý: ‘Polka’, Bedřich Smetana, iv (Prague, 2/1951), 336–466" Perhaps he's the source for the OED's suggestion of the name arising from Czech sympathy with the 1830 Polish insurrection. OED does, though, also include that possible earlier citation, which if correct explodes Nejedlý's theory and leaves the name's origin a mystery still.RLamb (talk) 17:55, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

re: "is it safe...?" To comments is always safe. In wikipedia it may be unsafe to edit without comments :-) Staszek Lem (talk) 20:28, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

To the topic: This is exactly what we need: sources which provide arguments, not just repeat various hearsay. Now, what you wrote actually is not in big contradiction with the writing of Zibrt. If we dismiss an extraordinary claim that this girl "invented" the whole dance, I see her story a plausible case of one of many ways a folk dance entered high society, via a musci teacher accidentally noticing it. The galop step, which is a basis of eg krakowiak is quite common in various folk dances. We will never know how exactly galop was married with waltz to make polka. All the more important to add ito wikipedia various argumented opinions about the origings of a 19th century dance. Heck, try to write a non-contradictory story of a much more recent Salsa dance and music! Therefore RLamb, please add your findings to the article. Staszek Lem (talk) 20:28, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

As to pre-1800 music pieces named "Polka", there is no evidence to connect it to the dance. I know quite a few titles after nationalities : 'Vlajna' (literally: 'Italian girl/woman'), Madjarica ('Hungarian girl'), etc. One may want to spend some time and peruse Oskar Kolberg's Dzieła wszystkie available online, where it is claimed of 12,000 Polish folk songs, 32 pre-1800 titles are called "Polka". Staszek Lem (talk) 20:28, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

One of the beauties of wikipedia is that when writing an article the author does not have time pressure to get text to the publisher. We have all time in the world to do a careful study of sources and trace them to actual origins of who wrote what, and gradually put findings into wikipedia texts with proper attribution. It does not matter that Zibrt could have been mistaken. Anna Slezakova will remain associated with Polka forever, of not part of the history of polka, then part of its mythology. For example, here is the earlier ref to Zdeněk Nejedlý's opinion about Polka and 1931 (Naše řeč, ročník 9 (1925), číslo 4), where he argues, citing some other eyewitnesses, just like Zibrt, that Polka originated na Hradecku, i.e., in the area of Hradec Králové. He also questions "folkness" of Polka, claiming that the explanation about "na polo" was invented by František Doucha in 1840, 1844 in order to prove "true Czech folk" origin of the dance. (talk) 21:04, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

My resent addition seem to dispel another "chinese whisper" that allegedly Polka derives from Krakowiak... A plausinble first reference which may be associated with this claim actually speaks of using a Polish tune to dance Czech dances. Staszek Lem (talk) 22:14, 17 July 2012 (UTC

Hi again. I don't get on wikipedia every day, so didn't reply before.

I didn't want to add to the article itself because I lack any real knowledge of the subject. For example, I can't follow much of what you have to say above, because I don't understand the historical, musical or even geographical context as well as you do. I enjoy ferreting for sources though:) But, more problems:

1) About the "folkness" of polka: I think the reference work I quoted before, Grove Music Online, directly challenged this. "What is clear is that it was not a folkdance, but a town-based social dance going no further back than the 1830s, though its similarities to genuine Czech folkdances such as the skočná facilitated its ready acceptance in Bohemia." Again, I'm only quoting a highly-regarded source - I don't know enough about the subject myself to evaluate what it says. On the other hand another fairly reliable source, Oxford Companion to Music, says "Originally a peasant round dance from Bohemia...”, while yet another fails to address its possible folk origin at all, just calling it a "Bohemian dance"(Oxford Dictionary of Music).

2) About all earlier "polkas" being tunes unconnected to the dance which developed c.1830: The 1825 reference given in the OED etymology is to a manuscript book in the Library of Congress, which OED calls "Miss George Anna Reinagle Music Book for Fancy Tunes". On this website though [1] they give the title as 'Miss George Anna Reinagle Music Book for Fancy Dances'. (The author, M. Duport, was a French dance teacher active in Philadelphia and Williamsburg.) OED also says the tune in the book is in 2/4 time. As I'm not musical, this means nothing to me. But if it's correct, would the fact that it's a dance tune, and in 2/4 time, suggest to you that it may have been a genuine polka - from 1825? If it were, this would explain why OED flagged up a warning about "polka" deriving from a response to an historical event of 1830.RLamb (talk) 14:59, 19 July 2012 (UTC)

(1) "folkness" : Nejedly writes and quotes that even contemporaries questioned the "folkness" of the dance. Staszek Lem (talk) 16:08, 19 July 2012 (UTC)

(2) "Earlier polkas": Please notice that OED's warning is phrased quite cautiously: without annotation it is impossible to guess that this particular "Polka" was, given that the word "Polka" is rather non-dance-specific in Slavic languages, unlike, say, "waltz" or "tango". Staszek Lem (talk) 16:08, 19 July 2012 (UTC)

about "town-based social dance": this description is so uninformative as to be meaningless. Like I said, we may cite this opinion, but it is useless in terms of knowledge. I can list at least 7 rather different interpretations what this phrase may mean. (reminds me of horoscopes written so as any person may appy to themselves :-) Staszek Lem (talk) 16:08, 19 July 2012 (UTC)

About "folkness": I'm not even exactly sure what the term means. So I'm guessing that dance historians think the polka didn't originate with peasants, but evolved perhaps in more formal surroundings, such as the ballrooms/assembly rooms/parlours of the Bohemian middle class? This may be what the Grove Music Online article was driving at, with its "town-based social dance". Something that developed on a wooden dance floor, not a village green. But the polka was such a craze, such a global phenomenon, and people talked about it so much, that the "chinese whispers" start early. This is a French source, from the time it really became a mania in Paris:"Il faut vous dire que la danse á la mode, cet hiver, est la polka; c’est une sorte de danse nationale originaire de la Bohême, où, là même, elle est prohibée; c’est la danse des paysans." (Mme. de Girardin, writing under the pseudonym “Vicomte de Launay” in Lettres Parisiennes.c.1843? quoted in ‘La Presse’, 26 April 1876)RLamb (talk) 20:04, 19 July 2012 (UTC)

Just got back to this. To respond to this:

I don't have much time, but I have to notice that (a) Zibrt was a contemporary (b) the book was his latest and largest publication on the subject. The initial one was afresh after the described event.

Zibrt was not a linguist or etymologist, and his guesses about the origin of the word are completely irrelevant. I am not going to waste more time on this, because it is clear that there is no substantial group of Wikipedia editors who know how etymology is done and are competent to judge these matters; if people want to say "Hey, Staszek Lem is a good guy and seems to know about polkas, so we'll defer to him," that's up to them. Wikipedia will have an unsatisfactory etymology for polka, but there's lots of unsatisfactory information on Wikipedia and the world keeps on turning. I will continue to lament the lack of widespread understanding of language and how it works, and to urge people to consult the OED or other dictionaries with good etymology sections (like AHD and M-W) and to stay away from Wikipedia when they want to know about word origins, and this will be a good example to use to show them why. Languagehat (talk) 13:51, 8 August 2012 (UTC)

No, I'm not abandoning OED. Staszek Lem seems a nice man and undoubtedly knows more about the polka than I do, but I go with OED because they are the most authoritative source for etymology. As wiki editors we have to go with the best source. My suggested wording for the etymology paragraph is:

"The name of the dance most probably derives from the Czech word ‘’polka’’ meaning “Polish woman” (feminine form corresponding to polák, a Pole), although authorities agree the dance itself originated in Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic). The OED suggests the name was possibly given in tribute to the Polish uprising of 1830, regarded with sympathy in Bohemia at the time the dance began there. Owing to the polka's intense popularity in the 19th century, several suggested etymologies were circulated. These are now not generally accepted.”

I’d put the whole OED entry as a supporting footnote to the first sentence, and of course would need to give sources supporting the other statements too.

Unlike you LanguageHat I’d also refer to the false etymologies at least in a footnote – the theories about it being a corruption of words for half, field etc. It has a contentious etymology and if this isn't acknowledged, other editors may assume the “real meaning” has simply been overlooked and will constantly try to change the article.RLamb (talk) 23:46, 9 August 2012 (UTC)

I don't understand the animosity of Languagehat. My edits were actually towards untangling of "Chinese whispers", mention reasonable criticism of origins and etymology of Polka, describe and explain different hypotheses, which are still in circulation. My position is to not blindly rely on tertiary sources. OED is good and well, but not absolute truth. Of course we may cite its opinion, since it is very respectable source, but I thoroughly disagree it is the final word, especially in such murky areas as origins of Polka. Staszek Lem (talk) 17:05, 10 August 2012 (UTC)

The final word on the etymology of "polka" probably hasn't been written yet, and true, no-one's infallible: but to be fair I think the OED editors are perfectly aware their own best explanation may one day be open to revision, or they wouldn't have added the caution about the 1825 Reinagle book. I accept that brief entry in the OED is the boiled-down result of a long process of evaluation, of carefully disentangling those Chinese whispers. I certainly cannot cite a better source. Language Hat already knows this, which is why he thinks we're losing time disputing the best authority in the field.RLamb (talk) 14:07, 11 August 2012 (UTC)

I would not say polka is a popular dance over so many countries in Eastern Europe (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania..., Russia). Even within the Czech Republic polka is a typical folk dance in the western part of the country, and is not considered as a typical folk dance east of Brno. Polka is definitely not a national folk dance in Slovakia or Poland/Hungary, not speaking of the Baltic states or Russia. But is is popular in Austria and southern Germany (see Doudlebska polka, or Bohemian national Polka, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf7O7Lzt8Oo, a typical Czech rhythm ;-) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.176.141.38 (talk) 00:55, 22 December 2012 (UTC)

Polka is a typical czech dance, now populari n Austria and Germany

I would not say polka is a popular dance over so many countries in Eastern Europe (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania..., Russia). Even within the Czech Republic polka is a typical folk dance in the western part of the country, and is not considered as a typical folk dance east of Brno. Polka is definitely not a national folk dance in Slovakia or Poland/Hungary, not speaking of the Baltic states or Russia. But is is popular in Austria and southern Germany (see Doudlebska polka, or Bohemian national Polka, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf7O7Lzt8Oo, a typical Czech rhythm ;-) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.176.141.38 (talk) 00:59, 22 December 2012 (UTC)

Actually, wikipedia article says this is popular music, not dance. It may also be popular as a performance dance. Yes it used to be popular in Baltic states when I was young. Since popularity to a greater extent is dictated by mass media today, it would be interesting to know about its survival besides folkloric ensembles. In any case, your remark is appreciated, but can you please provide references to this kind of information? Staszek Lem (talk) 02:05, 22 December 2012 (UTC)

The article doesn't always clearly distinguish between the polka dance and polka music

When I was reading this article, it wasn't always clear to me whether they were referring to the polka dance or polka music or both. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Coherent1 (talk • contribs) 17:22, 4 September 2016 (UTC)

Polka music, Polka dance, or just the work "polka"? Distinguishing: I'm fairly sure a Danish dancer knows that a Hopsa is not danced like a Polka. They dance it more like a frantic waltz. The Hopsa probably sounds like a Polka to most Americans. Thus a Hopsa tune, like the Champagne galopp, played at proper dance speed in Vienna: . This may 'tune wise' be within the edge of Polka, if played outside in Denmark. Parisarpolka is done to Schottis speed music, not Polka. Hamborgar music belongs to an era of dance that Polka's popularity may have wiped out almost completely, except in a couple of Norwegian rural areas. That wouldn't stop a musician from recycling a tune however.Pmcmonagle (talk) 19:40, 25 June 2020 (UTC)

References

Pasito Duranguense

Is Duranguense music a subgenre of Polka? If so, should there be some kind of mention or short explanation about this Chicano style of music? I noticed that it is sometimes referred to as Polka Duranguense. 173.170.95.139 (talk) 23:59, 10 December 2017 (UTC)

Style diferentiation

This article needs more on what makes a polka a polka, as opposed to other styles in a 2/4 or cut time. e.g. what diffirentiates the polka from the military march, the concert march, etc.? 98.178.191.34 (talk) 04:57, 13 July 2021 (UTC)

Discography, please!

I'll make the same plea that I made at the Klezmer article. Recommended recording, please!: "So much information on Klezmer music, but no pointers to some media examples, namely LPs or CDs, that one could buy or search for at a library. Very disappointing that the article lacks this."Dogru144 (talk) 08:47, 18 March 2022 (UTC)

Polka in Argentina

Polka (or polca) is an inmigrant music in Argentina. You will only hear one in a Check/Slovak/Polish themed restaurant or festival. It has nothing to do with paisanos (gaucho actually means outlaw) and much less with "gaucho campeiros" given that "campeiros" is Portuguese. Spanish would be "camperos" but nobody uses that word related to paisanos, and rarely is at all. The whole phrase has been taken from somewhere (ref?) and I believe confuses the "Argentine pampas" with the south of Brasil. Really not the same. 181.165.153.200 (talk) 01:56, 23 September 2023 (UTC)