Magyar and Pole - two friends so fine, or Hungarian loanwords in te Polish language
“Hungarism”, in other words a Hungarian loanword, is a word that comes from the Hungarian language.
Given the historical links and mutual sympathies between Poland and Hungary, it would seem that in Polish we will find many borrowings from the language of Magyars.
However, it is quite the opposite – Hungarian loanwords constitute a rather limited group of linguistic elements.
Among the most important hungarisms in Polish are popular words: baca [senior shepherd], ciżma [crakow], czardasz [czardas], czekan [ice ax], dobosz [drummer boy], gazda [farmer], giermek [page], hejnał [bugle call], juhas [mountain shepherd], leczo [lecho], ogar [hound] and orszak [procession].
Hungarian loanwords infiltrated the Polish language during periods of lively contact between Poland and Hungary in the 15th and 16th centuries. The kings of Poland included Ludwik Węgierski and the Duke of Transylvania, Stefan Batory. Hungarians had always held a special place in the hearts of Poles. This affection was based on the deep conviction of Poles about the similarity of Polish and Hungarian national characters.
And the saying “Magyar and Pole – two friends so fine, together they fight and drink their wine” (in Hungarian “Lengyel, magyar – két jó barát, együtt harcol, s issza borát”) is a historical proverb currently found in both Polish and Hungarian, which is a short rhyme telling of the close friendship between the Polish and Hungarian people.
Full rhyme in Polish/English:
Polak, Węgier – dwa bratanki,
[Magyar and Pole – two friends so fine,]
i do szabli, i do szklanki,
[Together they fight and drink their wine,]
oba zuchy, oba żwawi,
[Both are valiant, both are lively,]
niech im Pan Bóg błogosławi.
[Upon them may God's blessings be.]
In Hungarian, it reads as follows:
Lengyel, magyar – két jó barát,
Együtt harcol s issza borát,
Vitéz s bátor mindkettője,
Áldás szálljon mindkettőre.
