rozprawy

Rozprawy is the plural form of the Polish noun rozprawa, a term with several related meanings used in different contexts. In general, a rozprawa denotes a formal, structured discourse or proceeding focused on settling a matter, presenting arguments, or delivering results of scholarly work.

In the legal field, rozprawy are court hearings or trials conducted before a judge or panel. They involve the presentation of evidence, examination of witnesses, and legal argumentation by the parties. Depending on the case, there may be main hearings (rozprawa główna), preliminary sessions, or interlocutory proceedings. The plural form rozprawy is used when referring to multiple hearings or sessions.

In academia, rozprawa commonly refers to a substantial written work that presents original research. The most familiar instance is the rozprawa doktorska (doctoral thesis). There are also habilitation dissertations termed rozprawy habilitacyjne. In plural usage, rozprawy naukowe can describe multiple scholarly theses or treatises, though in everyday language the singular is more typical when naming a specific work.

In broader or historical usage, rozprawa can denote a long, formal discussion or argument on a given topic, sometimes implying a thorough, exhaustive treatment. This sense appears in older or rhetorical contexts and may be found in literary or philosophical discussions.

Usage notes: the term is most common in formal domains—law and higher education—and is less frequent in casual speech except when referring to specific procedures or published theses. The exact meaning of rozprawy is heavily dependent on context, with legal, academic, and rhetorical senses diverging accordingly.