The history of the word taboo in Poland: from the Orgelbrand’s encyclopaedia to the popular newspapers
The article consists of two parts. In the first part, the author examines the meaning of the word taboo given in Polish encyclopaedias, dictionaries, fiction and newspapers. At first, the meaning of that word was associated with the religion of the exotic East. Gradually, the word was beginning to be understood in a social sense, then, in a psychological sense, and finally, the word taboo became the part of the everyday Polish language. In the latter part of the article, the author analyses the column ‘Practical Advice without a Taboo’ in the weekly “Tele-Week” the issues from the years 2001–2002. It turns out that in the first years of the 21st century the taboos which Poles mainly women seek advice on are universal and timeless, and they concern mainly the relations with the closest relatives: with parents, with children, and with spouses.