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  What it means

  Literally “English phlegm.” It refers to the British stereotype of staying calm, composed, and unemotional in any situation, the stiff upper lip. It describes someone who stays cool under pressure, sometimes with admiration and sometimes as mild criticism of emotional coldness.

  Vocabulary

  • angielski — English / British
  • flegma — phlegm / composure / imperturbability

  Grammar note

  'Angielska' is the feminine nominative adjective agreeing with 'flegma' (feminine noun). The word 'flegma' comes from the ancient humoral theory — phlegm was associated with a calm, slow temperament.

  Cultural context

  The phrase reflects a Polish stereotype of the British as reserved and calm. It can be a compliment ('zachował angielską flegmę', he kept his cool) or a criticism of emotional distance in some situations.

  Intermediate

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