History / History of Poland which was "absorbed" by Russia [9]


Sorry to say this, but it's a common mistake, repeated constantly at schools... The truth is that Russia, Prussia and Austria sweared never to restore the name "Poland", but after the Viennese Congress (1814-15) Russia was forced to form the Kingdom of Poland. Yes, yes, of course - the king was also, ironically, the tsar, and the country didn't have independence, but it's without difference when talking about Poland's very existence on the map. The Kingdom of Poland (and thus the name "Poland" at all) vanished from the map of Europe again in 1865, when tsar Alexander II formally incorporated it to "Mother Russia" (the new name was now "Priwislinskij kraj" (pol. "Kraj Przywiślański - "Vistulan Country") as a punishment for the January Uprising (1863-65).

There was no independent Poland in the period 1795-1918(19) - I can agree here.

[BTW: Hi, it's my 1st post here. :)]

Pozdrawiam,
Gustaw

Language / Changes in the Polish Language [11]

I personally do not have much confidence in our Polish language experts, etc... Especially in Mr Andrzej Markowski, who (not so long ago) allowed the form "poszłem" (instead of the correct one: "poszedłem", meaning : "I went" [masculine]) in everyday's language... :/ Is every stupidity to be oficially permitted, only because many undereducated people use it?

Pozdrawiam,
Gustaw

Genealogy / Is Rafal a Polish Name? [56]

Yeah, there are many methods... e.g.:

[full name - short form]
Aleksandra - Ola
Olga - Ola :)
Alicja - Ala
Alina - Ala
Aldona - probably also Ala, but I haven't met any girl called Aldona... only in Machulski's comedy "Kilerów 2-óch" Aldona presented herself as... "Dona" (?). :)

Jerzy - Jurek
Stanisław - Staszek, Stach, Staś
Gustaw - Gucio (as in my case :))
Jan - Jaś, Janek, Jasiek
Włodzimierz - Włodek
Władysław - Władek
Bogumił - Boguś
Ryszard - Rysio, Rysiek
Anna - Ania
Joanna - Asia
Magdalena - Magda, Madzia
etc., etc....

Some names are almost never shortened (unless we want to make them really tender, for example, when calling a baby, or our beloved...), such as Marek, Leszek (Leszek is also a short form of Lech, but that's a different name), Mariusz, Janusz, Paweł, Robert, Marta, (we don't have any Bob :)) and many other names.

Ah, I think diminutives are versions of names which not only make them shorter, but also show that we know the person well, he/she is our friend, family member etc... But doesn't the shortened form have the same features? :(

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive DEFINITION FROM WIKIPEDIA

Language / genders in Nouns/ VERBAL NOUNS/ PRONOUNS/ DIMINUITIVES/ CONJUNCTIONS - A brief Polish Grammar lesson [32]

Gee, kind of an effort to do sth like this, respect... But I would correct some typing errors in Polish words, because some people may not notice... :) :

"W Nieczech" -> W Niemczech
"masusia" -> mamusia
"-atko" (suffix) -> -ątko
"Amerikanin", "Amerikaninem" -> Amerykanin, Amerykaninem
"dyż" -> gdyż

"! The word 'nic' is an exception and remains unchanged - Nic nie widzę."
Actually, you're not right. The gramatically correct form is "Niczego nie widzę", so this is absolutely regular, BUT, in everyday language, we all sometimes say e.g. "Nic nie widzę", "Nic od ciebie nie chcę" ("I don't want anything from you"), "Nic dla ciebie nie mam" ("I don't have anything for you"), etc.

"rispekt" again, :)
pozdrawiam,
Gustaw

News / November 11 in Poland [15]

Of course Poles have a day off, (actually, this year it's Saturday... :)) this is the most important national day (regaining independence November - 11, 1918).

Pozdrawiam,
Gustaw

Language / Any sweet Polish phrases [255]

Rather "Mee-shee-oo", with this "shee-oo" said almost at the same time.

Pozdrawiam,
Gustaw

Language / Any sweet Polish phrases [255]


"Mój skarbie" ("My treasure", exactly).


"Pagórki", "pagóreczki"? :) Quite funny, I've never heard that here in Poland, but... It means "hillocks" :)

Pozdrawiam,
Gustaw

Language / Terms for greetings in Polish [10]

'Co tam?' / 'Jak tam?' (Tsaw tahm/Yak tahm - how stupid it looks... :))
Means 'Wazzup'. :)

Pozdrawiam,
Gustaw