UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]



Are they?

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]


There are 2 different oral positions (for want of a better term):

Ż and RZ are the same - you know roughly what the sound should be. Put your tongue in about the position as for the English R sound - curled back and pointing at the roof of the mouth.

SZ is the unvoiced version of the same thing, and CZ has the same position.

- and ZI (followed by a vowel) - similar sound, but with the tongue sort of level and pointing forwards to just behind and above the front teeth.

Likewise, Ś and SI (with vowel following) is the same but unvoiced. Ć and CI (followed by a vowel) - again, same position.

And no, I find distinguishing the two different positions in speech difficult too.

Life / Is drinking water in Poland good? [96]


I wouldn't say the only thing, but your next point is correct.

Without going into the usual 'how to define the UK and its inhabitants' thing, I have had quite a few conversations with Poles about how bad our own countries are, but how the other's is much nicer because blah blah blah. I've had conversations with Germans, only their case is a little different as they usually agree with me about how bad the UK is, whereas I can't say quite so many nice things about Germany.

I have drunk Polish tap water, although if you're recovering from drinking, why not rehydrate yourself with some lovely Polish beer, vodka, or maybe even s******s. On second thoughts, sometimes the tap water might seem like a safer option.

Love / Polish-Islam Relationship Union [450]

If you're looking for rules and regulations, a good place to start is, I think, Leviticus. Some of these rules are actually quite good (although often ignored, even by people who profess to be religious) and some of them are pretty stupid.

In the Islamic world, some of the more idiotic rules that had been ignored in many places for a long time seem to be making a return, whereas too many people of all religions seem to be ignoring the more straight-forward ones about respect for other people.

Language / Why do people want to study Polish? [90]

They renumbered the years at the end of my schooldays, so I don't know when it was in modern money, but I started French at the end of primary school. At the start of secondary school, we went over the same stuff again, then I moved to another school where French teachers changed every few weeks and the class was always some sort of mini-riot. I had started off quite well with French, but from the age of about 13 there was nothing being taught. Going back to French would be the easy option for me, but who wants to travel the path most frequently trodden?


I'd say that the common origin of English and German provides very little help. French has had much more influence over the English language for a very long time.

Language / Why do people want to study Polish? [90]


I thought that the French and German they usually attempt to teach at school were the ones that get noticed the most.
They start teaching languages too late in kids' schooling in this country.
It's easier to start younger in a school environment.

Love / Things not to do with a Polish girl? [97]

No. If you want to get mathematical, too many ****s make multiplication.

Language / Why do people want to study Polish? [90]


... any other language.


Good idea. And if that personal reason ever falls through (I don't believe in tempting fate), it could be useful for a multitude of other reasons.

Love / Things not to do with a Polish girl? [97]

In other words, she's plain speaking again.
Anyway...


Learn some kind/pleasant/suggestive/kinky phrases in Polish and whisper them in her ear.
My strongest piece of advice is check out what kind of advice people here give. I did recently advise someone to become a bank robber and make their getaway to somewhere in South America, so my advice isn't always the best.

Love / Things not to do with a Polish girl? [97]


To which the answer is 'Why are you a ****?'
I didn't start the swearing on here.

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]


I know loads about Scotland - I've been to T in the Park, the Edinburgh fringe and a caravan holiday in Bridge of Allan aged 9. I've also drunk too much whisky (not this evening I hasten to add).

edit: I know just a little bit more, having read the above link.
No. I didn't just read the link - I read the page to which the link took my web-browser too.

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]


There's one on the forum who is trying not to fall into that trap, from what I believe.


You, and others, seemed to be speaking so knowledgably about England. I was just wondering.
To me, it seems the ecomomical situation of a given area has much more effect on feelings about immigrants and so on. That's not to say it is a rich and poor thing because it is not. This 'given area' I mention is not something England-sized or Scotland-sized.


We had a similar kind of football match at last year's summer barbeque at work. Two of the Polish guys had no interest in playing football, and seemed much happier getting drunk with the rest of us. Despite this, Poland won 7-0. I could say it was the German who let us down.

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]


Do you spend much time in England?

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]


You like people being anti-Polish?

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]


That would leave 20%.
Let's wait and see.

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]

It's not so much the people who are there temporarily, it is the people immigrate and settle. Communities that are seperated from the rest of society naturally have more problems. Divisions between people in society don't do any good.


Both a lowlander and a lowlife.

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]


One of the regular trolls is from somewhere in the north lands.


Talk to people, socialise. That sort of thing.
You don't need to chase down and beat haggises to death with bagpipes and shortbread (although the whisky can make you do that if you're not careful).

UK, Ireland / Immigrants trigger Irish rethink [71]

Hasn't the Irish economy been doing well, in part, due to increased spending which has been caused by increased borrowing. In countries such as Germany, spending has been low and saving high. The banks have to put their money somewhere. That does suggest somewhere problems could lie in the future, and that goes without mentioning the relative change in value of the US dollar which may have an effect with Ireland's strategic position.

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]


So 23 years ago at least.

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]


of both?

UK, Ireland / The Changing Face of Scotland - we need more immigrants! [178]

Welcome back.
I haven't read the Daily Record since I was a bored newsagent at lunchtime 9 years ago.
I might give that cyber-version a read.

edit: Now I've read it, my conclusions are, either immigration, or they should put some sort of aphrodisiac in the water and encourage everyone to breed like bunnies.

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]

... then after you have followed the steps in my previous post, round your lips as you pronounce that L. Now it is really 'dark'.

Is this kind of £ still used in Polish or should I try to stick to a straight English 'W' sound?

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]


Imagine the difference between the two different L sounds in the word 'Little'
If there is no difference to you, then it's not so easy to explain.
If there is some difference, then just try exagerrating that difference.
For the second L, try moving the tip of the tongue further back in the mouth, and don't let it make contact with the roof of the mouth. You have just made that L 'dark'.

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]


You speak some sort of American English as a second language, don't you?

What about £.

It is usually said to resemble the English 'W', but I have also read that by some speakers (maybe when speaking very clearly? certain dialects? old people?) it can be pronounced as a very dark L, tending towards W, rather like the one found in the English of Southeast England when L is found before a consonant or in a post-vocalic setting (I might have got the right term there). For me, in these settings, it is often easier to pronounce £ this way, otherwise the W sound is easier.

Which of the two is better, Dr. Polish? (whoever that is)

UK, Ireland / Immigrants trigger Irish rethink [71]


The BBC, which is supposed to be as non-biased as possible.


But he probably wouldn't have liked it since before the 1950s. Actually the Protestant Palatine Germans and the French Hugenots and Flemish weavers and so on would have probably got him just as riled. Some people are never happy.


Go on then. I won't miss you.

edit: Isn't this supposed to be about the Republic of Ireland? So noimmigration, shut up about the U bloody K.

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]

I thought that some sounds tend to be pulled by the sounds adjacent to them.
This can be heard in the voicing or de-voicing of some consonants, for example.
It might have just been someone's accent I used to hear, but I have definately heard words such as 'cześć' where the 'e' has been pulled into a slight dipthong.

I do tend to think of English 'sh' as being somewhere between 'ś' and 'sz'.

Life / Shopping in Tri-City [46]


English guys are a bit like Russian women in that respect:

They say inside every Russian woman is a slightly smaller Russian woman,
and inside her is another Russian woman, slightly smaller still...

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]

I know how to pronounce them. I just can't hear the difference unless I'm given the other sound to compare.

Language / ż ź dź dż sz cz ś ć - which give most problems to foreigners? [65]

It would have to be all of the above, but let's pick on ś and sz.

I can't hear the difference and I can't really lip-read the difference.
That is unless i get someone to repeat one after the other a few times.

As most of the sounds listed are from two different positions, varying according to whether they are voiced or unvoiced, stops or whatever the opposite of stops are, there is the same problem with differenciating all of these sounds.

It helps if you're learning from someone who speaks clearly. Getting used to it pronounced clearly ought to help when you're talking to someone who doesn't and maybe even has a drink in their hand.

News / Illegal immigrant tries to get into Poland in a luggage [19]


The only Armenian I have ever met was quite small.