DOI Heft:
Recenzje
DOI Artikel:Kurzej, Michał: Jeannie Łabno, "Commemorating the Polish Renaissance Child": [Rezension]; Ashgate, Farnham 2011
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32431#0195
189
3. The tombstone of Luigi, Ippolita, and Margherita Trivulzio, Trivul-
zio Chapel at the church of St. Nazarus in Milan (photo: M. Kurzej)
quently resorted to not fully competent English sources of
a popular nature - especially those by Norman Davies and
Maria Bogucka. The author was most probably reduced to
using such literature since her command of Polish is insuf-
hcient, as indicated by numerous errors and mistakes in
the spelling of proper and place names * 11. Neither does she
know Latin, which prevented her from correctly copying
and interpreting inscriptions from the tombstones she dis-
cusses 12. It is clearly manifest in the example of Katarzyna
Pileckas monument, crucial for the main thesis of the dis-
sertation, which, according to Labno, bears an inscription
stating that it was funded to the mother’s request by the
child’s father (pp. 144, 170, 180) 13. The author was even
unable to develop abbreviations, for example claiming that
two of the three children in the Modliszewski family bore
the names of Hier and Malgta (p. 312) [Fig. 2]. Also the
only single verse inscription in Greek that she mentions
was copied incorrectly (pp. 198, 334). It must also be said
language course for foreigners, see: www.polonicum.uw.edu.pl/
pdf/Kurs_Letni_52.pdf (July 6, 2015).
11 E.g. Barbara Tęczyna (instead of Barbara Tęczyńska) p. 182, Jan
Gamratie (instead of Jan Gamrat) p. 298, Restarzew pow. Środ-
kowy (instead of Restarzew Srodkowy, pow. Lask) p. 323, Żydaców
(instead of Żydaczów) p. 328, Andrezj (instead of Andrzej) p. 212,
357, Eremusa (instead of Eremus) p. 206, 390, Proszów (instead of
Proszowice) p. 390, św. Wit was rendered into English as St. Vitech
(instead of St. Vitus) p. 405; racy (instead of rajca) p. 408, Korpzsy
(instead of Korpysz) p. 437.
12 Page 280 holds acknowledgements addressed to Gil Partington
for translation of Latin inscriptions.
13 In reality, the inscription on the tombstone informs that it was funded
by both parents following the fashion of Hungarian princes (more
stirpis Ducum Ungarorum). The error in Labno’s book probably
results from indiscriminate adoption of Sokolowski’s interpretation,
who in this way wanted to defend the thesis declaring independ-
ence of Polish works from foreign models (see: M. Sokołowski,
Uzupdnienie, column cccxxi).
4. The tombstone of Joachim de Valois, church of St. Martin in Halle
(photo: M. Kurzej)
that the author affords an equally unkind treatment to the
English language, adopting absurd rules of spelling and
declension of Polish proper names in English sentences -
a fact which certainly will not render the reading of her
work easier for readers using any of these languages 14. Also
the use of Polish terms, such as “szlachta” or “herb” in the
place of their English equivalents (“nobility”, “coat of arms”)
is an error. The style of the work raises reservations as well.
It is of a personal nature, almost that of memoirs 15, and in
places it hugely departs from the principles of scientific
objectivism. The very structure of the book is also incor-
rect. It is divided into very small fragments. 251 pages of
the main body of text have been divided (introduction and
conclusion excluded) into five parts and thirteen chapters,
which are divided into still smaller subchapters. Each of
the parts is provided with a separate introduction and
conclusion, while some of the chapters are also supplied
with additional summaries. As a result, the work contains
multiple repetitions which at times entail transformations
of hypotheses into established facts 16. Moreover, eight ini-
tial chapters (pp. 1-152) do not pertain to the main subject
of the book, being limited only to presenting a simplified
description of the political, social and religious situation in
Poland; a description that is marked by a substantial num-
ber of distortions and factual errors. E.g. all of Chapter 4
14 The author’s use of Polish place names and church dedications in
an English text is entirely incomprehensible; what is more, the
author attempts to decline them in keeping with Polish, not English
grammar construction (p. 280). In effect she writes in the follow-
ing manner: “Jan was buried in Wilnie (Vilnius) in the church of
Św. Michała” instead of “Jan was buried in Vilnius (pol. Wilno) in
the church of St. Michael” (p. 215).
15 E.g. on p. 123, the author describes the feeling of discomfort she
felt when looking on Anna Sulkowska’s tombstone in Pabianice.
16 E.g. in the catalogue (p. 356) Wilhelm van den Blocke is only a pos-
sible author of the Kos’ tombstone, yet in the main text (p. 211) his
authorship is accepted without reservations.
3. The tombstone of Luigi, Ippolita, and Margherita Trivulzio, Trivul-
zio Chapel at the church of St. Nazarus in Milan (photo: M. Kurzej)
quently resorted to not fully competent English sources of
a popular nature - especially those by Norman Davies and
Maria Bogucka. The author was most probably reduced to
using such literature since her command of Polish is insuf-
hcient, as indicated by numerous errors and mistakes in
the spelling of proper and place names * 11. Neither does she
know Latin, which prevented her from correctly copying
and interpreting inscriptions from the tombstones she dis-
cusses 12. It is clearly manifest in the example of Katarzyna
Pileckas monument, crucial for the main thesis of the dis-
sertation, which, according to Labno, bears an inscription
stating that it was funded to the mother’s request by the
child’s father (pp. 144, 170, 180) 13. The author was even
unable to develop abbreviations, for example claiming that
two of the three children in the Modliszewski family bore
the names of Hier and Malgta (p. 312) [Fig. 2]. Also the
only single verse inscription in Greek that she mentions
was copied incorrectly (pp. 198, 334). It must also be said
language course for foreigners, see: www.polonicum.uw.edu.pl/
pdf/Kurs_Letni_52.pdf (July 6, 2015).
11 E.g. Barbara Tęczyna (instead of Barbara Tęczyńska) p. 182, Jan
Gamratie (instead of Jan Gamrat) p. 298, Restarzew pow. Środ-
kowy (instead of Restarzew Srodkowy, pow. Lask) p. 323, Żydaców
(instead of Żydaczów) p. 328, Andrezj (instead of Andrzej) p. 212,
357, Eremusa (instead of Eremus) p. 206, 390, Proszów (instead of
Proszowice) p. 390, św. Wit was rendered into English as St. Vitech
(instead of St. Vitus) p. 405; racy (instead of rajca) p. 408, Korpzsy
(instead of Korpysz) p. 437.
12 Page 280 holds acknowledgements addressed to Gil Partington
for translation of Latin inscriptions.
13 In reality, the inscription on the tombstone informs that it was funded
by both parents following the fashion of Hungarian princes (more
stirpis Ducum Ungarorum). The error in Labno’s book probably
results from indiscriminate adoption of Sokolowski’s interpretation,
who in this way wanted to defend the thesis declaring independ-
ence of Polish works from foreign models (see: M. Sokołowski,
Uzupdnienie, column cccxxi).
4. The tombstone of Joachim de Valois, church of St. Martin in Halle
(photo: M. Kurzej)
that the author affords an equally unkind treatment to the
English language, adopting absurd rules of spelling and
declension of Polish proper names in English sentences -
a fact which certainly will not render the reading of her
work easier for readers using any of these languages 14. Also
the use of Polish terms, such as “szlachta” or “herb” in the
place of their English equivalents (“nobility”, “coat of arms”)
is an error. The style of the work raises reservations as well.
It is of a personal nature, almost that of memoirs 15, and in
places it hugely departs from the principles of scientific
objectivism. The very structure of the book is also incor-
rect. It is divided into very small fragments. 251 pages of
the main body of text have been divided (introduction and
conclusion excluded) into five parts and thirteen chapters,
which are divided into still smaller subchapters. Each of
the parts is provided with a separate introduction and
conclusion, while some of the chapters are also supplied
with additional summaries. As a result, the work contains
multiple repetitions which at times entail transformations
of hypotheses into established facts 16. Moreover, eight ini-
tial chapters (pp. 1-152) do not pertain to the main subject
of the book, being limited only to presenting a simplified
description of the political, social and religious situation in
Poland; a description that is marked by a substantial num-
ber of distortions and factual errors. E.g. all of Chapter 4
14 The author’s use of Polish place names and church dedications in
an English text is entirely incomprehensible; what is more, the
author attempts to decline them in keeping with Polish, not English
grammar construction (p. 280). In effect she writes in the follow-
ing manner: “Jan was buried in Wilnie (Vilnius) in the church of
Św. Michała” instead of “Jan was buried in Vilnius (pol. Wilno) in
the church of St. Michael” (p. 215).
15 E.g. on p. 123, the author describes the feeling of discomfort she
felt when looking on Anna Sulkowska’s tombstone in Pabianice.
16 E.g. in the catalogue (p. 356) Wilhelm van den Blocke is only a pos-
sible author of the Kos’ tombstone, yet in the main text (p. 211) his
authorship is accepted without reservations.