WHERE ARE THE LIMITS OF THE LANGUAGE? – PROF. JERZY BRALCZYK HIMSELF WAS LOOKING FOR ANSWER

The lecture entitled "On the Limits of the Language" was delivered at Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa by a well-known and respected linguist and tireless promoter of the correct Polish language, prof. Jerzy Bralczyk.

- It was the first meeting and immediately with the esteemed scientist prof. Jerzy Bralczyk, to whom we are inaugurating a new series of lectures under the slogan "Lectures at Długosz's" - explains the Rector of JDU, prof. Janusz Kapuśniak. - The initiative fits perfectly into the mission of the University, which aims to promote knowledge and skills in various disciplines of science. Therefore, it is worth following the university media, because soon there will be information about more interesting lectures in this series. We are planning several such meetings by the end of the year.

Professor Bralczyk was greeted in the auditorium by a veritable crowd of people, which proves the great populatiry of the linguist. On this basis, it can be said with conviction, in spite of the claims of sceptics, that correct Polish and communication is important for many people. The university auditorium was attended by, clergy, parliamentarians, local government officials, authorities and representatives of various institutions – in a word, friends of the University. A large group, apart from the staff and students of JDU, were also teachers and students of Częstochowa secondary schools. There were so many people that it was decided to open another auditorium in the building at Waszyngtona where the lecture was being broadcast!

Prof. Bogdan Przywora (Vice-Rector for Research) addressed the audience and announced the linguist once again presenting the idea of the meetings. There were compliments to the Professor, who himself retorted with polite phrases full of energy, humour and specific wit. From the very beginning, this attitude earned him the sympathy of the audience and deepened the warm relationship that he had secured over the years by traveling around Poland to promote the Polish language, but also by appearing in numerous television broadcasts giving advice.

The professor dynamically moved on to the lecture. During the process, he repeatedly assured that language is "a great thing and can be enjoyed, but unfortunately it has its many limitations". They result from its poverty of speech. He argued that when creating a speech, people would sometimes like to express more and more... And here there are often no words, so you have to use examples and look for adequate comparisons. In skilful rhetoric, the Professor asked how to describe taste or smell? – Is it possible to convey to other people in words everything we want to say and will it be a faithful description, accurately reflecting what we would like to say? Or are we doomed to use examples that (sometimes we don't even realise it) cannot accurately describe to another person what we feel and how deep emotions we want to treat the recipient with by "illustrating" the smell of flowers or the taste of the delicacies we consume...

- Language should be adapted to the thought, and the thought should be adapted to the world - advised the Professor. - At the same time, we should work and control the quality of speech: its pace, the quality of the choice of words used to illustrate the message. Let's not forget about voice modulation. All this is important in communication and affects another person. It makes us gain in dialogue, but we can also lose by making mistakes. Remember! The limitations of language set the boundaries of our world.

During the lecture, there were examples taken from life. Professor Bralczyk shared them, skillfully building an image of communication, which is the key to building relationships between people, e.g. on the lecturer-student line. Ending the nearly hour-long meeting, he said goodbye to the audience with one more deep reflection:

 "Let us treat language like a friend – it is something without which we are not truly humans – he summed up, evoking a murmur of delight and the rustle of pens recording the idea in the listeners' notebooks.

Before he left the stage accompanied by thunderous applause and ovation, the Rector, prof. Janusz Kapuśniak, together the Vice-Rector, prof. Bogusław Przywora, presented prof. Bralczyk with his portrait as a souvenir of his visit to the University. The handover took place in the company of the author of the work – dr Artur Wawrzkiewicz (Vice-Dean for Education and Student Affairs at the Faculty of Art of JDU).

After the lecture, prof. Bralczyk was asked for numerous autographs and commemorative photos. This group even included people who came to the lecture at the University from... China, working in Guangzhou on a daily basis. As they admitted to us, "on the occasion of their leave, they could not miss the opportunity to meet prof. Jerzy Bralczyk". It is worth noting that a lot of high school students lined up for autographs. Being eavesdropped, they were whispering to each other their admiration for Professor's knowledge and the ways in which he communicated. They warmly commented on the event, which must have made a very positive impression on them!

Finally, it is worth noting that in the evening at the Częstochowa Philharmonic there was an annual concert of the Department of Music of JDU entitled "Art at the University – University at the Philharmonic". The dignified event was dedicated to prof. Jerzy Bralczyk!