Language / TYPICAL MISTAKES OF POLISH LEARNERS OF ENGLISH? [23]


Now, now. Touchy!
Most contributions stressed the endearing quality of the mistakes that native Poles made with their English. No malice or even sarcasm.

I find it wonderful when one of the women I work with makes these errors.
Jola, a few days ago:
"Paul, what is 'easy peasy lemon squeazy?'".

Now how do you answer that?
Wonderful

Language / To sa truskawki , To jest chleb. Difference between the two? [22]

What?

History / Poland Betrayed in WW2 [243]

Thread attached on merging:
WW2 How did the West betray Poland?

I was educated to believe that Britain entered WW2 to try to protect Poland from Germany.
I was never taught anything about promises being broken. Unholy alliances with Stalin leaving half of Europe in the grip of a man who was, arguably, as bad as Hitler.

I WAS JUST TAUGHT THAT BRITAIN FOUGHT THE MIGHT OF NAZI GERMANY BECAUSE IT WAS THE NOBLE THING TO DO. HELPING POLAND WAS THE DECENT THING.

Educate me.

History / Poland Betrayed in WW2 [243]


I want to read the opinions of fellow forum members

My Great Uncle was POW of the Japanese in Singapore and one thing that was certain to cause anger were news stories concerning the modern Japanese whitewash of their historic war crimes.

The idea that most Japs under 40 knew nothing about their countries inhuman treatment of others in WW2, that Jap schools were ordered NOT to teach about it always struck me as disgusting.

Now I discover a similar thing has been happening in my education.
Land of hope and glory defending the underdogs, moral high-ground... only nation to stand up to Hitler from '39 to '42 etc....

I want to hear views, opinions and suggestions.
And if someone suggests I do some research I expect something a little more specific than the location of most PC's search facility.

And if you've already read topics that have been covered before you can simply refrain from reading them agaun.
Unless, of course, this forum is being run for you and only you?

History / Poland Betrayed in WW2 [243]


I HATE THIS KIND OF STATEMENT.
and the thread that my enquiry was merged with is full of such statements.
Very little information about the actual events, promises, treaty's.....

I really want to hear opinions without the thread being accusations and insults.

Afterall it's a few generations ago that these events took place so no one under 80yrs old can be held responsible.

History / Bielski Brothers - does anyone know the story? [38]

Ray mears did a survival programme on this very group , showing how they used their knowledge of the forest to hide and survive the war without being detected....[/quote]

After WW2 the oldest of the Brothers was offered a very senior position within the newly formed Nation of Israel. It was as a General in the Army (something like that).

He declined the offer and spent the rest of his life as a cabbie in New York.

I thought that made a wonderful ending to the story of one mans amazing life.

On another note....
I mentioned the Bielski's to a Polish academic I know and she told me that they murdered Poles in cold blood????
Does anyone know a less saintly story concerning this group?

Travel / wloszczowa station [4]

I could see similar things happening in Southern Ireland a few years ago.
There were 8 lane super-highways that just stopped dead, or turned into a dirt track, when the European grant money ran out!

And they'd always stop in Irish equivalents of Włoszczowa!
Three men, two pigs and a wanted Serbian War Criminal living in a nearby cottage.

PS.
You should merge this thread with anything to do with the former Yugoslavia.
I have mentioned 'Serbia'.

History / Poland Betrayed in WW2 [243]


In UK we get a very limited, very one sided story concerning our entry into WW2
We are taught that Hitler invaded Poland so we declared war on Germany.

It all sounds very noble. 'The British. Defenders of our oppressed Polish cousins'.

I read lots of history BUT I have never read anything about this time and these events.

So far this thread as contained no useful info or opinions and it would be great if the Polish view of these events could be contributed.

It is not antagonistic. Just because I'm a Brit doesn't mean I cannot listen to criticism of Britains behaviour.
Churchill was a bastard!
He had the soldiers open fire on striking coal-miners.

He could sacrifice a thousand lives and not lose a minute of sleep over it.
He was a typical upper class English gentleman of his generation.
Born at Blenhiem Palace he believed it was his birthright to rule the 'common people'.

In 1945 the British electorate couldn't get rid of him fast enough.
But he was re-elected in the 50's?

OPINIONS ON BRITISH BETRAYAL OF POLAND AFTER WW2 would be interesting to read.

And if Bubba woo (et al) feel too patriotic to accept them maybe they should read a few history books.
We Brits didn't get the biggest empire the world has ever known by being honest and fair.

Language / What exactly all these grammatical terms mean! - feeling frustrated [19]


Yes you do!
Like me. Using a SKYPE connection.
I have a 90 minute lesson every week (£17.50) with an excellent teacher based in Krakow.

As for English Grammar 12 months ago I didn't know what a verb, a noun or an adjective was!
Turns out that many of my generation were not taught these things!!!!
We're the 'lost generation of English Grammar'.

So I have had to learn English Grammar also.

It's a challenge but determination will shine through.
Good luck.

Language / What exactly all these grammatical terms mean! - feeling frustrated [19]


I'll PM you.

History / Poland Betrayed in WW2 [243]

Lets also remember that in 1920 Poland was only just understanding itself after 123 years of political non-existance.

But we can concede that maybe Poland has wronged Ukraine in it's history.

During WW2 Britain made many promises to former colonies/allies.
The Shan (Burma) are a good example of a people who fouight for UK. Lost many lives in barbaric ways to the Japanese. Expected Britain to support their claim for an independent homeland (It was obvious that the colonial era was ending and the Shan wanted their own sovereign state. Not just to be a minority race within a free Burma....A far worse situation than being a British colony to the Shan!) Britain promised them all this. After WW2 we granted Burmese independance without honouring our promises to the Shan.

Lawrance of Arabia. 1919.
After years of promises to the Arabs of a free Arabia, no longer a colony of the Ottoman Turks. We sat down with France and divided the area between us like fat children grabbing handfulls of cake.

lawrance was deeply upset at the betrayal.....not unlike Pilsudski after the breaking of his treaty with the Ukrainians. (???)

Genealogy / Why would someone lie about their age? [26]

4 years difference is not apparent in old people but obvious in kids.

Can you look into your Grandfather schooling?

1924. Start school around 5 (1929)
1928. Start school around 5 (1933)

Even in later schools a 16 year old trying to pass as a 12 year old would be a non-starter.

Language / Verb patterns 'BYC' [29]


Yes.

I'd like more examples, with explanations (like above) because it is clear, concise and very informative.
Thanks.

Life / Illegal drugs enjoyed by many of the young male Poles. Availability? [24]


I noticed a few Junkies in Krakow. But compared to the amount of hard drug abusers you would see openly in a western European city of that size the amount was negligible.

At the moment I do volunteer work to gain experience/qualifications to start earning my living in the substance misuse field.
The fact I am learning Polish has been a fantastic door-opener because loads of new clients in UK are Polish lads.
Away from family structure. Bored after work. More money than they have ever had before....they're drifting into all the wrong passtimes.

It is my belief that has many return to Poland they will take their desire to use drugs with them and create the demand that will inevitably be met and supplied my any number of importers.

When the Irish economy took off and the Irish started returning in huge numbers the amounts of heroin deaths went from one of the smallest in EU to one of the highest.

Life / Illegal drugs enjoyed by many of the young male Poles. Availability? [24]


If this statement is true then Poland is the only country on earth to buck the trend.
When opiates, like heroin, enter a market they grow to a peak over years until 'saturation' then level off. This means the users remain around the same amount. Each death is replaced by one, rather than the 2 or 3 new addicts that have replaced every dead addict in most European countries over the last 20 years. (See Hong Kong, New York for 'saturation').

Countries that have managed to reduce the use of street heroin have done it with draconian laws (Singapore, Malaysia) or a very expensive programme of state prescribed alternatives (Switzerland). I don't mean substitutes like methadone I mean Diamorphine (Pharmaceutical heroin).

Over the next 15 years Polands wealth will grow dramatically. People will have much more disposable cash. There will be a much bigger incentive to smuggle into Poland as an actual market.

In the past it was far more profitable to continue on to Germany or Scandinavia with the contraband.

Language / Plural nouns in the accusative? [30]

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


Why no change to NOWAK in the female name?

Language / Plural nouns in the accusative? [30]

I just want to know how I should treat names.

I'm learning how to make adjectives/nouns into instrumental, accusative and genitive (from the nominative).
If I knew how to ttreat names I would know how to modify them into the appropriate case. Nothing overly complicated in that?

I know a noun can be an adjective.

Language / Plural nouns in the accusative? [30]

Well then, Bubbles, Ben, Donkey,
Can you post some examples of CASE changing the meaning of a similar group of words?

I notice that many nouns have the same spelling in nominative plural as they do in genitive singular. At the moment I have just started learning genitive so the material I study is simple stuff where adjectives (obviously denoting the genitive case) preceed most nouns.

Am I correct in assuming that nominative plural and genitive singular could be confused in certain sentences???

Love / Are Polish women "PRUDE"?!? [24]

I once said that polish girls had more morals than brits.
In about 3 seconds half the guys I was talking with (smoke shelter at work) had out their mobiles to show me a video of Malgosia (girl from different area of my work place) giving someone a very experienced looking blow job!

At one point she looked into the lens and flashed her eyes like a REAL PORN STAR!

The guy was Asian. Her Ex. When she'd dumped him he'd sent there 'movie' to about 250 of her work mates. Dirty trick.

Later I spent a few weeks in Poland. Most girls were less like;y to behave like animals (Blind drunk, sex with anything, typical Brit 21 yr old woman) but I did snog a few, get teased by several (in a good way) and spend a fantastic night with a girl I'd been dancing with every night since I'd arrived! Her body was PERFECT!!!

Polish girls, prudes?
Not in Poland. Not in England.
Probably nowhere.

Language / Plural nouns in the accusative? [30]


As above with WROCLAW RYNEK

Many of the street names in Krakow were GENITIVE (Nowakego, Kowalskiego....)
What is the relevence of this case for this purpose (naming public streets).

I'm a little unsure of the overall concept of CASES.

Language / Plural nouns in the accusative? [30]

As for liking grammar...
At first I hated it. Completely out of my comfort zone.
Now I quite like it and I have a real thirst to learn more.

I met an Irish pub owner (Tom, NIC NOWEGO, Krakow Old Town)
He'd been in Poland 11 years and I thought he was fluent. He'd speak really fast Polish to staff and customers with great confidence. Then one of the girls behind the bar told me his grammar was 'horrible'.

He'd learned parrot fashion phrases, increased his vocab by listening/nominative dictionary entries then did the best he could.
He made himself understood but I want to MASTER Polish.

Edit for this:
You bastard, Bubbles!
That PYTHON clip is PERFECT!!!!
When Chapman says 'Dative?' and Legionaire Cleese whips his sword out (to encourage him). CLASS.

Language / Tak bardo chcialbym/ Tak duzo mowic??? [13]


...but where is 'panstwo' in that translation?

I can relate to "Czy muszę (Must I ?) duzo mowic (much talk)".

Language / Czy lubi pani kawe z cukrem? [6]


"Czy lubi pani kawę z cukrem?"
Above is an exact copy of the sentence on my worksheet.

Life / Polish Police - my bad experience. [33]


Wow.
You sound like a class A sphincter!