DICTIONARY OF TERMS

• Polish (to make something smooth or shiny) – Verb

• Polish (relating to Poland or its people) – Adjective/Noun

Pronunciation

These words are heteronyms, meaning they are spelled the same but pronounced differently and have different meanings.

• Polish (verb): Pronounced pah-lish.

• Polish (adjective/noun): Pronounced poh-lish.

Listen to the audio. Notice how the pronunciation changes based on the meaning.

What makes them different is your intonation, expression, and context, or the other words in the sentence.

Instruction

Read each sentence aloud and practice identifying the meaning of "Polish" in context.
Can you tell which “Polish” is being mentioned as you read each sentence?

Example Sentences

1. She used a cloth to polish the wooden table.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

2. The Polish flag is red and white.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

3. He applied wax to polish his car.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

4. Polish traditions are celebrated by the community every year.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

5. She needs to polish her shoes before the event.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

6. Many Polish dishes include ingredients like cabbage and potatoes.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

7. He spent hours trying to polish his speech before presenting it.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

8. The Polish community held a festival downtown.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

9. Use this cream to polish the silverware.
   a. To make something smooth or shiny
   b. Relating to Poland or its people

10. Her grandmother spoke fluent Polish and shared stories about their heritage.
    a. To make something smooth or shiny
    b. Relating to Poland or its people

Answers

1. a

2. b

3. a

4. b

5. a

6. b

7. a

8. b

9. a

10. b

Intonation

Instructions: Intonation is controlling the rise and fall of your voice. When we do this with words and phrases, we send the listener a specific message.

Polish (to make something smooth or shiny)

1. She used a special cloth to polish the surface of the table. (Stress polish to emphasize the action.)

2. He tried to polish his shoes for the meeting. (Highlight polish to show the task.)

3. The silverware needs to be polished before the guests arrive. (Emphasize polished to focus on the finished result.)

Polish (relating to Poland or its people)

1. The Polish community is known for its rich traditions. (Stress Polish to emphasize the cultural identity.)

2. She cooked a traditional Polish dish for dinner. (Highlight Polish to show the cuisine’s origin.)

3. The Polish flag was displayed during the parade. (Emphasize Polish to focus on nationality.)

Expression

The following explains how stressing or emphasizing the bolded words alters the tone or focus of the sentence and offers some helpful tips. Practice stressing these words when speaking.

Polish (to make something smooth or shiny):

• Polish the surface: Focuses on improving appearance.

  • Tip: Highlight surface to specify what’s being polished.

  • Sentence: She had to polish the surface of the wood to remove scratches.

• Polish the shoes: Refers to making footwear shiny.

  • Tip: Stress shoes to indicate the object.

  • Sentence: He spent an hour trying to polish the shoes until they gleamed.

• Polish until it shines: Suggests thorough cleaning or improving.

  • Tip: Highlight shines to emphasize the result.

  • Sentence: You need to polish until it shines for the best effect.

Polish (relating to Poland or its people):

• Polish traditions: Highlights cultural practices.

  • Tip: Stress traditions to emphasize the heritage.

  • Sentence: The festival celebrated Polish traditions through food and dance.

• Polish cuisine: Refers to food from Poland.

  • Tip: Highlight cuisine to focus on the food.

  • Sentence: Pierogi and borscht are well-known Polish cuisines enjoyed worldwide.

• Polish heritage: Describes cultural identity.

  • Tip: Stress heritage to show pride in the background.

  • Sentence: She takes pride in her Polish heritage and shares it with others.

Things to Remember:

The word "Polish" is used in different contexts:

• Polish (to make something smooth or shiny): Often paired with phrases like "polish the surface," "polish the shoes," or "polish until it shines."

  • Example: Use a soft cloth to polish the surface of the table.

• Polish (relating to Poland or its people): Commonly used with "Polish traditions," "Polish cuisine," or "Polish heritage."

  • Example: She shared her love for Polish cuisine at the dinner party.