Opozycja swój/obcy w kształtowaniu stereotypu Polaka wśród Bułgarów zamieszkałych w Polsce
The US – THEM opposition in shaping the stereotype of a Pole among Poland-based Bulgarians

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the stereotype of a Pole as it functions in the community of contemporary Poland-based Bulgarians (mainly in mixed marriages). On the basis of the material collected in 1996-1998 and 2002-2005 from over a hundred informants, Bulgarian immigrants living in 11 Polish cities, the author has established an inventory of the features characterizing the stereotype of a Pole. She underscores those which contrast the image of a Pole with a self-stereotype of a Bulgarian: the features have to do with worldview (the Polish religiousness being evaluated negatively as superficial and ritualized), standard of living (Polish cuisine is considered inferior to Bulgarian) or social life (excessive etiquette) etc. The Bulgarian stereotype of a Pole combines positive features (politeness) with negative ones (laziness, excessive drinking). Because there have been no periods of intense contacts or conflicts between the two nations, the only source of the stereotype is the elementary operation of comparing one’s own image with that of another. The operation is at work especially in the case of emigrants.

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