Language / Jechac or Jezdzic? [35]

Or like: Idę do szkoły (budynku szkolnego), ale może jeszcze nie przyjdzę tamtędy.

przecziwko

Chodzę do szkoły i uczę się literatury polskiej.

Language / WHY "HIGH FEE" for HIFI in Polish? [12]

In most European languages, 'i-Pod' is pronouced indentically with English 'EYE-pod', including Polish and even French. Here, the one holdout, i.e. exception (as usual!-:)) is Spanish, where, at least in Spain, it's 'EE-pod', and only 'EE-pod', so help me G_d. (Actually more like, 'EE-pawth' in correct Castillian)

Probably as few people among the rank and file in Poland speak decent, if any, English as in Spain. Poles do however, seem to take English language study a bit more seriously than many in the EU.

Comments, arguments from my colleagues??

Language / I know Russian language - will it help me learn Polish? [105]

in Polish, 'dla duszy' (paa svenska 'till sjalen' , pa niemiecki 'fuer die Seele') and indeed, Swedish doesn't have the cache of either Russian or German, but is important, if anything, because the Swedes themselves are important!!

The myth that the Swedes all speak excellent English arose during the 60's, when the band "Abba" and a spate of blue movies ('Jag ar nyficken gul' etc.) helped propagate the image of Sweden as some sort of paradise!--:)

In fact, while many Swedes do speak English quite fluently, often with a curious British-US accent mixture, this by no means indicates that they communicate better in it than in their native language.

By all means, DO LEARN SWEDISH, should professional/personal endeavors dictate that you do so.

Language / I know Russian language - will it help me learn Polish? [105]

In terms of sheer speaker percentage, there's no comparison between the importance of German compared to Swedish--:)

Language / I know Russian language - will it help me learn Polish? [105]

Not surprising, Sascha! Although the two languages are from the same familiy, they're scarcely 'kissing cousins', so to speak--:) Same with Dutch and German, Swedish and Danish, Finnish vs. Estonian etc... Before I actually studied Swedish and visited the country, my knowledge of Danish barely sufficed to make even basic conversation with a Swede, much less watch a movie or read a novel in that language!!

Language / I know Russian language - will it help me learn Polish? [105]

Da, ja znaju-:) Spassibo. Nje charashol govorju ruskij jazyk, ja uczu.

Language / Jechac or Jezdzic? [35]

Some US and German maps though still refer to it by its 'historical'/occupied name, rather than by it's Polish form. Same for 'Wrocław'/Breslau, '£ódź'/Lodsch, 'Szczecin'/Stettin etc..... I'm not saying I agree with it, but it's often seen nonetheless--:)

Language / Jechac or Jezdzic? [35]

If I'm not mistaken (which I probably am), isn't 'I must travel to Danzig.' Muszę.....' rather than 'Mam.......'?? Furthermore, I think the indeterminite is spelled 'jeżdźić', or am I again wrong?

Language / WHY IS @ CALLED MAŁPA IN POLISH? [13]

Lorenc, your English is excellent! Most Italian native speakers I encounter have real problems with natural-sounding idiom, not to mention grammar. Then again, perhaps you speak with an accent (even if you don't appear to write with one--:)).

How many other languages so you know? I think if you set your mind to it, you'll do fine with Polish. From experience though, Italian looks far easier for a foreigner than Polish, particularly if the foreign learner's native tongue is one of the Romance languages.

Language / Anyone use "SERWUS"? [46]

Granted, I've never actually heard anyone younger than around sixty say 'Serwus!', either in Poland or in Polish communities here in the New York area-:)

By the by, the proper response to 'Hummel, Hummel'! is 'Mors, Mors'!, and not 'Moos, Moos'!

Language / Anyone use "SERWUS"? [46]

The 'Ur-Hamburger' always respond the same way: "Hummel, Hummel" - "Moos, Moos"

As far as 'Serwus!', of course I've heard it, much as in Austria and Hungary (Szervus).
'Pa!' or 'Cześć!' though, are far more common.

In Bavaria, I usually recall 'Pfueti!' (lit. 'Behuet dich Gott!') as the leave-taking equivalent to 'Gruess Gott!'. Occasionally, 'Mach's gut!' is also heard.

Language / Verb patterns 'BYC' [29]

..don't forget also:

Zobaczyć -
1) to see (one time or briefly) e.g. "Do zobaczenia!" = See you later! vs. "Do widzenia!" = So long!, Good bye! (more permanent, more final)

2) to look at

Obejrzeć -
1) to observe, to spy, to glance

etc...

Language / POLISH LANGUAGE POLICE? [9]

At least in German, the attempt was made to make the orthography more consistent with the High German standard, e.g. short vowels with 'ss' (Fluss, Schuss etc.) vs.long vowels with a so-called 'sharp s' or 'esszet' in words such as 'Fusss', 'Strassse' etc., both historically written the same way, although pronounced differently.

The idea was simply to streamline the spelling with the pronounciation in order to make the written and spoken languages more uniform.

Already Churchill, I believe, once proposed a Basic English for worldwide use with a simplified spelling. But it never caught on seriously--:)

Language / POLISH VERBS RICHER THAN ENGLISH ONES!? [12]

Nice to know. Thanks, Polonius! It didn't occur to me as a non-Polish native speaker, that I'd never seen a variant of 'lecieć' used when referring to wing-flapping critters, but come to think of it, I should have guessed that Polish would be more precise in some ways than English, and even more than German.

Language / POLISH LANGUAGE POLICE? [9]

Just as German had its 'Rechtschreibereform' (Spelling Reform) a few years ago, so too must the Poles and others follow suit, it seems--:):) Is there a Polish equivalent of the Duden-Gesellschaft, the OED or the Acadamie Francaise? If there isn't, there ought to be.

When English will finally have a long overdue spelling reform to iron out its sundry kinks and vagueries ('knight'/'night'/'nite' etc. ad infinitum....) is anyone's guess!

Some are calling for a German grammar reform!! Oh, Mark Twain would have been pleased to hear that, I'm sure. Looks like the Interpol of grammar police is going to be working extra hours. And rightly so, I say.

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

.....plus calques or loan translations abound in nearly every language, i.e German words translated directly from the Latin e.g. AUSDRUCK = EX + PRESSERE (aus-ex, druck - pressere) etc....

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

Zabłądziłem w lesie. = I got lost in the woods.
Jestem stracony! - I'm a lost soul!
Zgubiłem mój portefel. = I lost my wallet.

Cf. English lost is lost is lost......-:)

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

'pig out', 'smoke out', 'scarf down' etc.. yeah, man! Right on-:-:)

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

Indeed not, Seanus. If it's a bloody litany, don't want to start bloody weepin' there Dude, do I--:):)!!
Think I'll stop now (....'less the ol' trigger finger here don't start gittin' itchy agin!)

Language / Whats with the Polish word: Po? [12]

or.....
Nad = near
again
on (Kraków nad Wisłą)
by etc.....

Pod = under
beneath
at (Bitwa pod Lipsku)

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

......Indlish, Hunglish, Denglish....... the litany of transformation goes on and on and on.....

Language / WHY IS @ CALLED MAŁPA IN POLISH? [13]

--:) Koszi!!

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

You make a strong argument for the 'death', say in English, of 'thee' and 'thou', that is, in contemporary standard English (not dialectal) usage. Again though, much so-called linguistic demise, take my two examples above, is more politically/societally, than purely linguistically, motivated. 'Thee' once existed in English up until the end of the 18th century. But English society was infinitely more hierarchical than today, correct? Well then, the leveling out of society called for an end to the rigid formalities of a 'thee'/'thou' vs. 'ye' relationship.

Language / LEARNERS REJOICE: NO MORE DUAL NUMBER IN POLISH! [12]

Then I suppose Slovene remains the sole surviving Slavic language which retains its dual number, yes? Just wondering -:)

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

The question is not really 'word death', as much as usage needs. Find a more aesthetically suitable 'replacement' for 'blandishment' etc.. and I'm sure I would gladly use it. Admittedly, I'm being totally subjective here, but expressions such as 'archaic', 'demise' etc. are in fact more politically than linguistically motivated, in my opinion.

Is the overused 'awesome' (wspaniały, świetnie, doskonały) in the US really a more 21st century replacement of earlier 'splendid' or 'marvellous'? What's wrong with soudning a little bit "pretentious" every now and then?? Has the world economy so stifled and killed our sensibilities?? Is this really "time marching forward" or simply marching off the proverbial cliff, hte last words from the TV series 'Friends' on our lips? Furthermore, what the hell's wrong with being a snob from time to time? I've always found that the so-called snobs we hate when we're young, but come to respect their sense of standard the older we become.

Language / POLISH VERBS RICHER THAN ENGLISH ONES!? [12]

For what ever odd reason, the verb that got me was 'lecieć' vs.'frunąć'. That birds or flying things can only do the latter, but not the former, is still interesting, considering the relative straightforwardness of German (fliegen) or English (fly).

Surely, Polish IS much richer than most non-Slavonic languages, if only in this respect - :))!!

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

Magda,

By what temerity do you or, for that matter any non-native English speaker (regardless of how good - -:)), dare to declare a perfectly accepted, stylistically attractive word to be "deader than a doornail"??

'Blandish'/'Blandishments' are the type of higher-level vocabulary which separate cultivated English from 'Globish' speakers!

Perhaps this wasn't exactly your point, but to me at least, anyone, especially a non-native speaker such as yourself, who can use words such as 'blandish', 'emolluments', 'reliquent' and the like and sound absolutely natural doing so, has earned my respect as a wordsmith rather than a faker. How about a young, contemporary Pole using words straight out of Orzeszkowa or Sienkiewicz? Just 'cuz a word is old, doesn't mean it still isn't good.

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

If anything, Polish, as with other Slavic languages, is extremely precise, much moreso than English whose tenses are infinitely vaguer than Polish aspects. Understanding the mode of travel/conveyance, for instance 'to go' = iść, chodzić, pójść. etc. structures the dynamic of activity with infinitely greater clarity and economy than 'I go' vs. I'm going by rail', 'I wrote' vs. 'I have already been writing' and such what.

Language / Why Polish people use so many words to describe a situation? [122]

For my two zloties worth - -:)), I don't find Polish at all 'wordy', itself a culturally subjective and not terribly useful term. I do find however that Polish tends often to restate previously stated information in a manner usually avoided by English speakers so that it seems as if the writer is just repeating himself!

Indeed, as Magda and Seanus have convincingly stated, English is far wordier than Polish, where to be sure, a verb such as 'tłumaczyć' can mean 'to explain' as well as 'to translate', the noun 'noga' frequently covers both 'foot' and 'leg' etc...

Language / When to use Ręka / Dłoń [14]

Many, many thanks Krzyśiu!! This is precisely the answer/info. I was looking for. I always wondered why 'noga' instantly came to mind when that part of the body was being discussed, yet 'stopa' I practically forgot about until just now as I read your post -:) Here though, the similarity I found with German ends! In German 'hand' is always 'Hand', 'palm' is 'Palme', 'arm' 'Arm' and NEVER used to mean 'shoulder' or 'Schulter'.

Very informative!