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Posts by osiol  

Joined: 25 Jul 2007 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 10 Oct 2009
Threads: Total: 55 / In This Archive: 49
Posts: Total: 3921 / In This Archive: 3065
Interests: Not being on this website when I'm asleep

Displayed posts: 3114 / page 14 of 104
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osiol   
19 Jan 2009
Language / Plural nouns in the accusative? [30]

The genitive, as many things in Polish seem to the English speaker, is more than just a little odd, although after a while, it starts to make sense with its own peculiar Polish logic. If I ever find anything that seems simple and straightforward in Polish, I check, check and triple check to make sure I haven't missed out something.
osiol   
19 Jan 2009
History / Prussian History [29]

Orginally Prussians were a Baltic tribe (like Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians)

Grzegorz has the knowledge! Although actually the Estonians are Finno-Ugric speakers, which is linguistically unrelated to any of the Slavic, Baltic or Germanic languages. It is possible, though, that the Baltic group (Lithuanian, Latvian, Old Prussian) represent a population of similar peoples to Estonians and Finns, but whose language shifted to an Indo-European one long long ago. The Baltic languages contain fewer grammatical changes from the proposed Proto-Indo-European and even more archaisms than the Slavic languages.

This map has been lurking on my computer for a while:


  • Something off the internet somewhere
osiol   
19 Jan 2009
Travel / Winter Scenes from a Polish Mountain Village [9]

Somewhere I have a photograph of snowflakes in Warsaw from a few years ago. Unfortunately, it's on an old-fashioned photograph that has never seen a scanner and never been digitalised, but it's nice to see these snowy scenes, particularly when I've woken up on a Monday morning to rain, rain, darkness and rain.
osiol   
18 Jan 2009
Language / SZCZ and ŚĆ HARD TO EXPLAIN [19]

In English, sz and ś, cz and ć are homophones. I can't hear the difference. If I'm trying to write a word I've heard but don't know how to spell it, I have to use a mixture of intuition and guesswork. I can pronounce them differently, although often get muddled. I can, if need be, explain the difference (or some of it at least).
osiol   
17 Jan 2009
Life / Illegal drugs enjoyed by many of the young male Poles. Availability? [24]

ilegal immigrants

Looks like scapegoating to me.

Related:

HOW EASY IS IT TO GET DRUGS IN POLAND?

How easy or difficult is ii to get drugs in Poland? Where are they easiest to obtain: clubs, discos, in the vicinity of schools, housing estates, etc.? How widepsread is recreational drug use? What are the drugs of preference?
How much does a fix cost?

Anphetimines seem popular amongst the shaven headed, copper jewellery 20 year old BMW 316 brigade, Weed amongst students but ther doesnt seem to be the problem there is in the UK, No idea as to price as I despise drugs and their usage.

unfortunately its quite easy to obtain drugs.
to many junkies :/ (although its still harder than uk)
osiol   
17 Jan 2009
Life / Saying Grace before eating in Poland's homes [10]

it was tense but now they do it often wen im there

I wonder if I could try that one. The family I see most of these days send the kids to a Catholic school, and many Poles I've met seem to look at us English as a bunch of heathens or atheists.

Grace Jones

Not every Grace is the right Grace. What did my parents always say? "This is not conducive to eating."
osiol   
17 Jan 2009
Life / Saying Grace before eating in Poland's homes [10]

The last thread to have been created in this forum has made me think of this a few times (the word grace popped up).

When I was young, we always said grace before a meal. If you don't know what I'm talking about, this is a short (hopefully short) prayer that conveniently gives the signal that once "Amen" has been said, you may tuck in to your nosh.

I've had dinner with about three different Polish families, yet none have said grace before eating, even on occasions like Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. Is this something to do with the diminishing importance of religion, or is grace just not a Catholic thing (this would suprise me if it were to be the case)?

Even now, as a lapsed Anglican, I miss having that cue to say that eating may commence, and by the way, thanks God.
osiol   
17 Jan 2009
Language / Plural nouns in the accusative? [30]

Why no change to NOWAK in the female name?

I didn't ask it because I don't want to look stupid all the time (just most of the time). However, that doesn't mean I think it's a stupid question. At the moment I think it's a very good question. I may be wrong (as I often am).

So names are treated as nouns
(unless they end in -ski, -ny or ,y)

Think of the English surname "Brown". Brown is an adjective, not a noun, unless it is a surname.
osiol   
17 Jan 2009
Life / nice polish name for a girl [38]

After seeing all these suggestions, I ask wouldn't it be easier just to make a list of Polish girls' names that wouldn't be recommended, because I reckon it might end up being a much shorter list?
osiol   
17 Jan 2009
Language / Help with pronunciation of Gorecki Symphony [41]

I would say more like

m-yeah-chee-swarf

(that's assuming that because you're in Birmingham, you don't pronounce the r. The last vowel is really slightly more like the a in cat, definately not like the a in wharf).
osiol   
16 Jan 2009
UK, Ireland / Have you moved from Poland to Britain? [9]

Try Slough. There are loads of Poles and the economy round there isn't doing too badly at the moment.

I'm a man who doesn't enjoy his life

But some people are only ever happy when they're unhappy.
osiol   
15 Jan 2009
Food / Eggs - how do you like yours? Poached? Unfertilised? [60]

I once tried it with balsamic! bad move...

I do like a dash of balsamic with fried eggs. It civilises them slightly.

yes, it's different... i gotta try it then...

What's your egg recipe?

How did I manage to post this with the word "nagrywałem" at the top?
osiol   
15 Jan 2009
Food / Eggs - how do you like yours? Poached? Unfertilised? [60]

how can it be strange for a Pole

Because

I remember making them for my ex, she was in total shock...

I was telling 2 Polish people today about poached eggs. I explained the process to each of them in great detail, but the concept was totally alien to them

Strange to more than just a Pole, but to some Poles. You are an example of a Pole to whom it is not strange. Some more Poles may be like you in this regard. By the way, could I ask how you serve them? Any condiments or accompanying beverages?

I like poached eggs, but I've never actually done any for myself. Maybe tomorrow.
osiol   
15 Jan 2009
Food / Eggs - how do you like yours? Poached? Unfertilised? [60]

The most common Polish egg dish I've seen would have to be hard-boiled. I've also had scrambled egg with bacon. I have not yet seen a Pole fry or poach an egg.

I tell a lie. My Polish flatmate used to have fried eggs nearly every day. Usually about three per meal. How could I forget?
osiol   
15 Jan 2009
History / Question about Post WW2 Polish Jews etc [42]

Typical thread full of bile.

If you want money, go and make some. If you want happiness, go and get it because it is out there in the world for those who really want it. What about the Jews who stayed in Poland after WWII? What about Jews who even stayed after 1968? What about 1968? What about those who adopted Roman Catholicism? The title of this thread suggests that these should be topics for discussion, not the usual typical claptrap.
osiol   
15 Jan 2009
Language / Verb patterns 'BYC' [29]

no ku. very, very old polish; also russian. not in use today.

Where's Michal3 when you (don't) need him?

Ja ku sklepu.
osiol   
14 Jan 2009
Language / Verb patterns 'BYC' [29]

Seek perfection with perfectives, or accept imperfection with imperfectives.

My book (no, I didn't write it) states that these "verbs of motion" must (if I could underline in red here, I would definitely underline the word "must") be learnt very carefully. I keep skipping that chapter, but I also keep going back to it.
osiol   
14 Jan 2009
Genealogy / Why would someone lie about their age? [26]

superstitious

It is a superstition that leads to this practice. I don't know of it as a common practice here. The example I gave of Mr. Aphex Twin is one of a Welsh family. I think knowing how common this kind of thing is Europe-wide may be of some help in understanding this.
osiol   
14 Jan 2009
Genealogy / Any person lives near Kurowo? [9]

Do people go altering street signs pointing to this town with spray paint or marker pens?

Sorry to be flippant, but...
osiol   
14 Jan 2009
Genealogy / Why would someone lie about their age? [26]

It is possible that the child born in 1924 died in infancy. Then a second child was born in 1928 and given the same name.

I too have heard of this kind of thing. It could be the same in Poland, that some families would use the same name for a child as a previous one that had died very young. If anyone has heard of Aphex Twin (weirdy-beardy UK music producer), he shares his name (Richard James) with a brother who died before he was born, so in some cases, this still happens.
osiol   
14 Jan 2009
History / Question about Post WW2 Polish Jews etc [42]

Wealth doesn't have to be inherited. Many wealthy people started with little more than ambition, ideas or dreams. Many also happened to live in countries where "old money" is worth less in status terms than "new money", ie. making money is at least, if not more important than just having money.

Russia with all its natural resources will of course outpace Poland and most other European economies.

Natural resources are not always the best thing with which to generate wealth. Think of diamonds and minerals in Africa, oil in the Middle East. Think also of how many European countries have very little in the way of natural resources. It is people who make money, people with ideas and vision, but also ruthlessness.
osiol   
13 Jan 2009
Life / Kashubia, Kashebe and Kashubians. . . [23]

Can't say I've really heard of it. Let's stay on topic though. Neither have I heard of Kashubism. Gerrism has a certain ring to it though.

It's a bit odd how -ism can have two opposing meanings. I think it stems from racism, stemming from racialism, meaning the belief or practice of racially-based thinking or policy.

Anyway, Kashubs Kashubs Kashubs... I like Kashub nuts. Very tasty - like a high quality peanut.

More seriously, a little history wouldn't go amiss here. Poles of the sea?
osiol   
13 Jan 2009
Life / Kashubia, Kashebe and Kashubians. . . [23]

In an ideal democracy, they would naturally have a similar proportion of representation in government to their proportion of the population as a whole. It's only when minorities are repressed or seriously dwindling that these sorts of ideas normally become an issue. I see it as preferable that no group needs "positive discrimination".

Gerrism

New word added to Osiol's English dictionary.