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Posts by Moonlighting  

Joined: 28 Apr 2007 / Male ♂
Last Post: 5 Jun 2021
Threads: Total: 31 / In This Archive: 18
Posts: Total: 234 / In This Archive: 112
From: Native Belgian, living in Krakow since 2010.
Speaks Polish?: Tak.
Interests: Movies, cooking, classic French literature and my job (running an IT business in Poland).

Displayed posts: 130 / page 3 of 5
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Moonlighting   
2 Dec 2008
Life / Poles are very polite nation! [47]

support polish catholic church and I big fun of JPII.

Are you a big fun or a big fan ? :-)
Joke aside, I'm a fan of JPII as well although I'm not a Pole. I'm just a polite foreigner...
Moonlighting   
5 Dec 2008
Language / PROPER INFLECTION OF RZECZPOSPOLITA [13]

As a non-Pole learning Polish, I was surprised to find out that when a noun or a name is made of two words, the first one "inside" the word has to undergo proper declension.

As an example, I was watching Polish TV recently and heard the journalist say "w Białymstoku". A little shock for me, as if Polish weren't complicated enough. Well, it's challenging. Makes you feel alive. :-)

Good day!
Moonlighting   
6 Dec 2008
Life / WHAT HAPPENED TO ŚWIĘTY MIKOŁAJ? [17]

Wow! So that's how it is now in Poland? Here in Belgium, still Catholic but where religion is not as present with people as in Poland, "Saint Nicolas" (in French) is still always represented as you would expect:
Moonlighting   
9 Dec 2008
Life / HAND-KISSING WANING IN POPULARITY? [29]

Also, the man is supposed to bend at the waist and meet her hand, not yank it up to his kisser

Correct. And I always was taught that lips should not even touch the hand. Anyway, when I was a child, my grandmother usually took me to tea-room on Saturday afternoon and I had to meet her friends, same age or even much older. I was greeting them by hand-kissing and they were so "ooohh he's so polite... he's so cute... and this and that." :-)

Strange how things change with the time. Now at the age of 38, I kiss a woman everywhere except on the hand...
Moonlighting   
10 Dec 2008
Life / HAND-KISSING WANING IN POPULARITY? [29]

:*¨`*: ღ A kiss on the hand can be quite continental but Daimonds are a girls best friends ღ :*¨`*:

Excellent quote ;-)
Moonlighting   
23 Jan 2009
Language / How to use "jak długo" ? [3]

Hello,

I need more precisions on how to ask a question with "jak długo" depending on whether I ask "since when", "for how long" or "when in the future". In the question, should the expression "jak długo" be preceded by prepositions "na", "za" or left alone (with preposition being used only in the answer) ?

Thank you.
Moonlighting   
24 Jan 2009
Life / How do Poles feel about non whites/non Slavs living in Poland? [150]

We would not have immigration from outside Europe if those countries were as comfortable places to live in as ours. The only reason why these people came here is because in their countries, "it sucks" compared to here, for one reason or another. They don't come here because they love our culture, our language or our religion. They come here primarily for the benefits of welfare. It brought them a lot, but what did it bring us in return? Nothing, except problems.

Globally (I insist on globally as you can always point as successful examples), extra-European immigration of the few past decades is a failure. It costed us financially, socially and culturally. There are enough examples, I don't want to waste time quoting any here, search Google or think of what you've observed.

Failure resulting from welcoming people who can hardly read or write even in their native languages (in extreme cases), or can't cope with the cultural shock, can't understand and apply values like democracy and tolerance because they're not part of their culture, or simply refuse to submit their religion practices to our laws when not compatible. The latter has been particularly obvious with Muslims.

Of course, when we point at that, they just call us "racists". It's the only thing they can do. Simplistic, weak and hypocritical strategy. Please stop, we're fed up!

We're overcrowded with them, and I have to say I was happy when I went to Poland the first time, seeing only people of (obviously visible) European descent on the street. Like a relief of being "between us", being "home". I hope Poland will resist the immigration invasion, exploiting smartly the little possibility left by European law. I fear the worst though, as most of national law is now submitted to E.U. regulations. And this is where the fight must be conducted. It's pointless to be an isolated nationalist in your country. Time to kick ass, though.
Moonlighting   
24 Jan 2009
Life / How do Poles feel about non whites/non Slavs living in Poland? [150]

As for Ukranian chicks, cant say i find them particularly attractive. Their asses are too flat.

You should send a letter to your local member of parliament, asking to define an immigration policy which would keep Ukrainians out, because girls have a flat ass :-) And yes, Indian cooking is delicious. Well, as with all the rest, immigration too is a matter of priorities :-).
Moonlighting   
1 Feb 2009
Life / [Poland movies] "Sztuczki" (2007) Has anyone seen it? [4]

I didn't like Amelie. I thought the first half was great, but then it gets annoying, without a lot of imagination.

I finally saw Sztuczki last Wednesday as scheduled. Very good film indeed, although the rythm was a bit slow for my taste. I'm not sure it deserved so many prizes. As for imaginary world, the big difference is that the impact of actions from the boy gets bigger and bigger as the story unfolds, reaching limits of danger sometimes, as if the author also wanted to express how the combination of a boring small town lifestyle combined to frustration from a damaged family leads teens to borderline behaviour... But I might just be overdiversifying here ;-).

Where was it shot? I have the impression that some locations are quite similar to what I see when I drive to Poland (and come back from it), crossing Dolnośląskie, Opolskie and Śląskie.
Moonlighting   
5 Feb 2009
Language / Star Wars and Polish language in it :) [30]

YESS! Even I (non-native-Polish speaker) noticed it while seeing the film again recently.
and funny too, that "żaba" means "frog", often associated with how Jabba looks like ;-)
Moonlighting   
23 Feb 2009
Language / The traumatic experience of "jak" and its variants :-) [4]

Hi folks :-)

I'm wondering about how to correctly use "jak" and other words based on it.
As far as I know, it means "how, like, as" (examples below).
"Jak się masz?" = "How are you doing?"
"jak zwykle" = "as usual"

But I was wondering in which context it can be declined, and what's the rule? For example, imagine an intranet where users receive the following message after logging on:

"Pan jest zalogowany jako [+username]" or "Pani jest zalogowana jako [+username]".
In this example, I'm surprised to see that it is written "jako"? What does it mean exactly? I would rather expect "jaki" or "jaka" and if the related subject was of neuter gender, I would expect "jakie".

Next thing. What do words like "jakiś" and "jakoś" mean exactly?

Finally. A word like "jakikolwiek". I know what the suffix "-kolwiek" mean, but then again, what would "jakokolwiek" or "jakkolwiek" mean? What are all existing forms made of "jak-" and "-kolwiek", including those with "-ś-" (if any)? What do they mean?

Thank you
Moonlighting   
28 Feb 2009
Life / Confirmation / Bierzmowanie - tradition in Poland [9]

I had it when I became an adult, even after my studies. It was my choice and not my family's pressure. I was happy to do it. It was indeed a "confirmation". Actually my family didn't put any pressure on me for religion (on the contrary, as it is now in many countries of Western Europe - I'm Belgian). And when I'm in Kraków with my (Polish) girlfriend, we sometimes go to Church and it's so different (so crowded, even so many young people). I like it.
Moonlighting   
1 Mar 2009
Language / Declension of "-ość" - miłość / zieleń [19]

Hello,

I'm trying to find a declension model for female nouns ending with "-ość" but I cannot find any rule or explanation in my books. So, if one of you could pick an example and write down the declension for all cases (and plural), I would appreciate.

Thanks.
Moonlighting   
8 Jun 2009
News / How to register in wp.pl email account? [16]

Are you sure it was not simply a display problem ?

I already experienced this on the WP webmail : in the left column (where there is the mailbox list), the quantity of unread messages is inferior to the quantity of messages which subject is displayed with bold characters. So it looks like a message was not read while in fact I already read it on my previous session, probably because some HTML code is stored in the browser cache and not correctly renewed, but after one or two session it's OK.

Maybe you experienced the other way round. An unread message appears as read, for some reason...

You can check yourself when was the last logging on to the webmail by clicking on Opcje -> Parametry konta (on the left) -> then read Ostatnia wizyta on the right.
Moonlighting   
9 Jun 2009
News / EU elections in Poland: excuses for not voting please [43]

I voted.

Quite satisfied with the result on a European scale, but horrified by the result in my region ("Wallonia", southern part of Belgium) which saw the combined triumph of Socialists and Ecologists. Yes, in Belgium, we also had a regional election at the same time as the European one. So I quickly switched to TVP Polonia which showed me what I needed to go to bed with a smile.

My girlfriend also allows me to go to bed with a smile, but she desperately resides in Poland. :)
Moonlighting   
30 Jun 2009
Life / Poles in Poland: How did you learn your English? [60]

I think the problem Christy mentions is mainly the spoken language. It's the difference of sounds. Our ears aren't used to identifying the same sounds in different cultures.

I've been learning Polish for two years in evening classes. I can express myself quite spontaneously by mail, but spoken language still lacks spontaneity. And I still understand almost nothing of what people tell me in Polish, even simple phrases. I'm a native French speaker and Slavic languages rely on sequences of sounds we're not used to, therefore it's very difficult for us to catch what somebody says and identiy the words, especially with all those declensions which we have to recognize. Not to mention the order of words which may vary.

Probably the other way round is easier, for English looks simpler from a Slavic point of view. Now for an Asian person, perhaps the fundamental language differences really add to the difficulty...
Moonlighting   
8 Jul 2009
Language / The Dative Case [62]

I also learn Polish and I compiled here everything I could find about nouns in celownik.

Masculine nouns
============

"-owi" except the following:

Bóg => Bogu
brat => bratu
chłop => chłopu
chłopiec => chłopcu
diabeł => diabłu
kot => kotu
ksiądz => księdzu
kwiat => kwiatu
lew => lwu
ojciec => ojcu
pan => panu
pies => psu
świat => światu
wół => wołu

Neuter nouns
==========

"-u" except names in "-um" (muzeum, centrum...) which remain in "-um".

Feminine nouns
===========

-b,f,m,n,p,s,w,z- => -ie
-t- => -cie
-d- => -dzie
-r- => -rze
-ł- => -le
-k- => -ce
-g- => -dze
-ch- => -sze

-c,dz,sz,rz,ż,cz- => -y

-l,j- => -i
-nia => -ni
-ość => -ości

Plural
====

"-om" but there are some irregularities:

dziecko => dzieciom
imię => imionom
zwierzę => zwierzętom
-ość => -ościom
Moonlighting   
8 Jul 2009
Language / Declination of feminine nouns ending in -ia [4]

Hello,

I have a problem memorizing the rule to decline feminine nouns ending in -ia into singular dopełniacz, celownik and miejscownik. I know the declined name is supposed to end in -i but it's not clear for me when the final -a is dropped or when it is replaced with a second "i".

So, names in -ia:
In which cases do they end in "-i" ?
In which cases do they end in "-ii" ?

Thanks
Moonlighting   
16 Jul 2009
Language / FUTURE OF VOCATIVE IN POLISH? [14]

I think "Gośka" doesn't have a vocative case, or it is the same as its nominative

Wouldn't it be "Gośko" ?
Moonlighting   
17 Jul 2009
Language / FUTURE OF VOCATIVE IN POLISH? [14]

I was always curious to know the vocative form of Aga. Is it simply Aga? Maybe Ago? Certainly not Agu...
Moonlighting   
18 Jul 2009
Life / Why build a supermarket with 20 checkouts with only 3 till staff? [46]

Is this situation mentioned by OP general in Poland and in all supermarkets? My only experience is in Kraków, at the Kaufland of Krowodrza Górka and the Alma of Galeria Każimierz. Never had to wait too long there, always a sufficient number of tills on duty.
Moonlighting   
18 Jul 2009
Language / My Polish keyboard setting doesn't include all characters [9]

peter_olsztyn
Wow. Thanks for posting the image of the keyboard. I personally had no problem, but i learnt I could get the Euro sign by typing AltGr+U. Just didn't know that before... ;-)
Moonlighting   
18 Jul 2009
Language / Things Polish people who speak English language say [180]

Not too much to worry about that: 1. the "przyjaciel" is a noun that doesn't fall into any specific declension of nouns; 2. using z or not with the instrumental has been a matter of change in the language over past ages; yet if the notion of a thing serving you as an instrument is so strong as in your example, there's no need to support the instrumental case with "z".

I was always taught that utility/instrument is without the preposition, whereas accompaniment requires it. But even that is not obvious. For example: "sos z winem" (wine sauce).

When I first said it spontaneously, I said "sos winem". My Polish friend corrected me: "sos z winem". I said why? The sauce is not accompanied by wine, it is made of it. So it implies the notion of utility/instrument (as wine is here an ingredient), not accompaniment. She replied: anyway we say "sos z winem"...