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When I was a boy, my mother would always ask me if I was a (spelling ?)Grodzieniak or a Galiciak?

Just what does that mean?

John... to tell the truth I have no idea... I tried to google it but the only result I had is sth in Russian

I would assume Galiciak is from Galicja (region of Krakow during partition) and Grodziak from Grodno. As Galicia (with Krakow) was in Austrian part, and Grodno was in Russian one, I would assume the question meant to check if somebody lived within Austrian or German part... so are you Galiciak or Grodziak, one would ask?

But John... this is only my assumption:)

JJ...this doesn't make sense to me as it is your mother asking so she would know. Maybe more background to the question would help. Was she quizzing you as to your knowledge. Why was she asking you this question.

Yeah, I thought of the same at the beginning. But then got this idea that maybe it was more teasing question (or queeze).
Especially that what ever she meant by the question, after couple of times asking she would already certainly know the answer... (maybe even without asking:) So certainly your grandma would not ask it to get to know sth she would not know about you:) especially that you do not know what she asked you about:)

Hmmm... Grodzieniak and Galiciak sound totally like names (nicknames) coming from names of those 2 places. As a Polish native speaker I, unfortunatelly, have no more associations with them...

John, whcih part of Poland did your mother come from?