Real Estate / Construction (Poland Vrs where you are from) [66]

Didn't Napoleon have something to do with spreading the metric system around Europe, and that's why Britain and America (especially America) were much slower on the uptake? The roots of the metric system (and of the system of SI units) lead us back to 17th century France. The idea of a metric system of units of measurement were not entirely new then - there was an English chap before that, maybe some others whose ideas never quite caught on.

At one time, pretty much every country had its own system of weights and measures. Thankfully, we live in a world where measurements have an international language of sorts.

Do any old-fashioned Polish units survive to this day?

News / Poland's Most Quoted [22]


You often find with quotations, that they go back further than the person who takes the credit for saying it, but that the person who does take the credit usually deserves it.


Nie rozumiem.


Mysle ze rozumiem!


How is this said in Polish? It's all well and good to have an Italian translation. Did Pilsudski speak Italian?
Lambordzini!

Real Estate / Construction (Poland Vrs where you are from) [66]


I'm not sure about love or hate, but I certainly don't have feelings to each of these to the same degree.

I'm quite amused when people measure things in more than one scale at the same time.

It's 1 metre and 2 inches - I've heard someone say this when they were building some furniture. I'm not sure about these days, but certainly in the past, it was normal to buy wood that was measured in metric for width and length, but fractions of an inch for thickness.

News / POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER IN TROUBLE OVER JOKE? [29]

The archaeological records show that cannibalism was once popular in Europe too. In fact, you only have to read the wikipedia article on cannibalism to see something of the true extent of this practice (in modern countries, including European ones).


It is okay for him to think that. But it does make him an idiot.

News / POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER IN TROUBLE OVER JOKE? [29]

I wouldn't say my skin is particularly thin. Hurt feelings? It just looks like you don't understand what I am trying to say.

What kind of joke is acceptable and what is not acceptable from a politician?
What do you actually find funny that may be considered wrong or unacceptable in public life?

If a politicians feels some particular way about something, it is best that the public gets to know about it, so I don't believe in censorship of such opinion.

News / POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER IN TROUBLE OVER JOKE? [29]


That's just the start of a very long joke, and you're not getting any more of it from me.

So tell me, how is the joke that this thread is about funny?

News / POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER IN TROUBLE OVER JOKE? [29]

It's a pretty stupid, unfunny joke. Just because other jokes are idiotic and told by idiots, it doesn't mean it's okay to make idiotic jokes.

Right, so there's a talent scout sitting in his office, and a family walk in with their dog.
"So, can you show me your act?" he says.
So the father unzips his...

I'm not saying any more!

News / POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER IN TROUBLE OVER JOKE? [29]

I didn't think so either. It's not going to be funny unless it is rooted in reality.

Beyond that, there are some jokes I might find funny, but wouldn't tell publically or in certain other places. For example, I wouldn't tell my boss the "Aristocrats" joke.

News / POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER IN TROUBLE OVER JOKE? [29]

Is it funny?

Language / Expressing "happiness" in Polish [29]


RJ definately said the second thing I quoted.


You gave me a good list, but I did require a bit more information.

For example, if someone said

The last time I was szczęśliwy was on a Saturday morning in early August when I had just finished some DIY - fitting a new headboard to the bed, when the girl from over the road came over and offered to help me test it out, even passing me a letter that I had left on the doorstep that just happened to contain an unexpected cheque for 500 Euros. Then a man in a giant cat costume walked past with a small dog on a lead, followed by a fat man on a tiny unicycle which he folded up and put in the inside pocket of his raincoat just as my favourite song came on the radio.

The last time things were spoko, the greengrocers I work in received a delivery of cucumbers that all perfectly complied to EU straightness standards and that seemed to keep all the customers happy.

The last time I was wesoły, I also happened to be podchmielony.

That kind of thing.

Feedback / How to create a relevant "anchor text" when linking to other sources [8]

I use it but not very well.

Language / Expressing "happiness" in Polish [29]


If I find any young, trendy city types working with me amongst all the gnarled looking old Poles with our shovels and mud, then I shall try to remember spoko.


My brain has been updated.

Thanks for your help.

UK, Ireland / Stopoff point on the way to Slough [20]

Did two elephants just fall off a cliff?

Old thread returns (hopefully only briefly)


At some point during this vodka and sausage fest, she decided she was in love with me!
Vodka can be dangerous. So can Polish meat products, possibly even bread.

Travel / Backpacking/Camping in Poland [29]


Kill 'em

Genealogy / Debkowski family history. [13]

Devoiced isn't completely unvoiced then?

Work / Teaching English in Poland, no degree just certificate [41]

I haven't read this thread properly yet. Is it about a Polish person from Poznan moving to Essex to teach the East Saxons some English?

Work / Teaching English in Poland, no degree just certificate [41]

Essex is more than one country.

Language / Expressing "happiness" in Polish [29]


Thanks.

Just one little question about this:

I know the familar Christmas and New Year greetings
"Wesołych świat"
"Szczęśliwego nowego roku"

Why are the word endings the way they are? What sort of grammatical thing is going on there?

Language / Expressing "happiness" in Polish [29]

I'm so zadowolony having read all those new words. I might even remember one or two of them tomorrow.

Language / Expressing "happiness" in Polish [29]


I was going to retell the tale of the conversation between the American ambassador's wife and the wife of the then retiring president De Gaulle, in which there was an 'umourous pismronunciation of the word 'appiness. But that's another story for another time. Why?

Because I want some Polish words!

Language / Expressing "happiness" in Polish [29]

Can you tell me about the last time you experienced any of the aforementioned sensations? I need information! Okej?

Language / Share Perfective and Imperfective Polish verbs [105]

I thought that you are the library.

News / Walesa excluded from Polish national gala [38]


People who comment should find out about what they are commenting on, but it would be wrong to say that no-one can comment on other countries' affairs. No country stands in isolation. Outside scrutiny can be a good thing.

Language / Share Perfective and Imperfective Polish verbs [105]

Yes, thanks.

Language / Share Perfective and Imperfective Polish verbs [105]


A bit, but I don't get it in the context of the imperative.

Language / Share Perfective and Imperfective Polish verbs [105]

Thanks for your answer.
What does that answer actually mean?

Food / SALATKA JARZYNOWA [21]


I like the sound of marinated mushrooms (not just the sound of the words). What would you marinate your mushrooms with?

Language / Share Perfective and Imperfective Polish verbs [105]

What's the difference between daj and dawaj then?

History / Did they want to give an island in the Mediterranean Sea to Poland? [9]

Did someone actually win the 1st World War?

There must be a few islands still going spare. Whose turn is it to make a claim on Rockall?