kontrolowa

Kontrolowa is a feminine noun in Polish used to denote a woman who performs control or inspection tasks. In historical or regional usage, the term has appeared as an occupational title for a female inspector, supervisor, or quality controller in various settings, such as public transport, manufacturing, or administration. Today the form is relatively rare and often considered archaic or stylistically marked.

Etymology and form: Kontrolowa is formed from the noun kontrola (control, inspection) with the feminine agent suffix -owa, a pattern found in several Polish occupational terms. While it can be understood in some contexts, it is not the standard or most common way to designate a female inspector in modern Polish.

Usage and contexts: In contemporary language, the term Kontrolowa is mostly encountered in historical texts, regional speech, or literary descriptions. In everyday use, speakers typically employ other forms to describe a woman performing control tasks, such as kont or kontrolerka for a female ticket inspector, or inspektorka for a female inspector in regulated fields. Phrases like osoba kontrolująca or pracownik ds. kontroli are also common, depending on the job context.

Modern equivalents and note: The more common contemporary equivalents emphasize the specific role rather than a gendered occupational noun. For example, a female ticket inspector is usually referred to as kontrolerka biletów or inspektorka ds. kontroli, depending on the sector. The term Kontrolowa may be encountered for stylistic purposes, period language, or in dialectal speech, but it is not the standard modern designation.

See also: Kontrola, Kontroler, Inspektor, Kontrolerka.