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TYPICAL MISTAKES OF POLISH LEARNERS OF ENGLISH?


Polonius3  980 | 12275  
2 Jan 2009 /  #1
To Poles who are learning English as a foreign lnaguage and those who teach Poles English, what do you regard as the most common Polish errors or difficulties with English? Obviously verb tenses and articles, but what else?
Peter_H  3 | 47  
7 Jan 2009 /  #2
on the picture/photo instead of in the picture/photo!!
polishgirltx  
7 Jan 2009 /  #3
what else?

my English reminds Italian language...
;)
mafketis  38 | 10929  
7 Jan 2009 /  #4
Where she lives?

I don't know where does she live.
niejestemcapita  2 | 561  
7 Jan 2009 /  #5
yeh maybe v/w thing.......but most of the Polish people I have met socially or taught seem to be either very well prepared in the grammar, or smart enough to pick it up quite naturally, or both.
Marek  4 | 867  
7 Jan 2009 /  #6
It depends of course on one's experiences. Mine have been more with the former than with the latter variety of the kind you mentioned.

This is not to say however, that there aren't many Poles who speak a flawless American or international standard English. My experience though has admittedly been rather limited to those who didn't (..not necessarily couldn't).

Guess I'll have to broaden my horizons-:):)!! LOL
ArcticPaul  38 | 233  
7 Jan 2009 /  #7
'I will be waiting' or 'I will wait'.
Never
'I will be wait'

Little errors like the above are common....but very cute!
Wyspianska  
7 Jan 2009 /  #8
Not from my own experience but what I have noticed is that a lot of foreigners use something like 'he said me' instead of he 'told me'. Quite amusing.
Marek  4 | 867  
7 Jan 2009 /  #9
Yes, for example! This mistake though is general European. The Germans and French make the same error.

Poglish- DO a mistake English- MAKE a mistake
ON university AT (the) university/AT college
etc....
Seanus  15 | 19666  
7 Jan 2009 /  #10
Adding 'a' where not necessary.

Like, it was a hard work rather than it was hard work. There are many examples of this scattered throughout the forum.

Yeah, Marek, that's right. On is frequently misused. On the airport, on the lesson, on the party etc etc. At the airport or in the airport building, in class is more common (or sitting in on the class) and at the party are the correct versions.
sausage  19 | 775  
7 Jan 2009 /  #11
Polish people frequently do mistakes instead of making mistakes
polishgirltx  
7 Jan 2009 /  #12
why don't we talk about mistakes made by foreigners while speaking Polish? that would be one fat nice topic....
;)
Seanus  15 | 19666  
7 Jan 2009 /  #13
Och, laddie, I could care less (sic). This is a funny one :)
osiol  55 | 3921  
7 Jan 2009 /  #14
why don't we talk about mistakes made by foreigners while speaking Polish? that would be one fat nice topic....

I don't actually care how many mistakes I make as long as the number decreases over time. It also helps if the meanings behind mistakes are still understandable, yet still wrong enough to be funny.
niejestemcapita  2 | 561  
7 Jan 2009 /  #15
that would be one fat nice topic....
;)

too too fat :}
Seanus  15 | 19666  
7 Jan 2009 /  #16
Ja nie mowię z błędami. Hahaha, that's a lie right there.

Mistakes are often made with the conditionals. Polish allows for 2 futures together but English doesn't here.

If I go to Australia, I will buy a boomerang. This is the correct version

When I will go to Australia, I will buy a boomerang. This isn't.
mafketis  38 | 10929  
8 Jan 2009 /  #17
A typical mistake or two from non-native speakers of Polish.

Jechałem z samochodem.

z przyjacielami

Znam pięć Polaków.

Dwa kiełbasy proszę.

Proszę jedną żeberkę.

Nie mam samochód.
welshguyinpola  23 | 463  
8 Jan 2009 /  #18
Furnitures and advices and other uncoutable nouns.

Make a picture, make an exercise. I could go on and on, the list is endless.
Marek  4 | 867  
8 Jan 2009 /  #19
Perhaps the reason the thread is called "Typical Mistakes of Polish Learners...", is that far more Poles abroad are heard speaking English (even if slightly mangled--:)) than non-Poles speaking Polish in or outside Poland!

Therefore, English errors made by Poles are far less conspicuous than vice versa, i.e. everyone expects non-native English speakers to know English more or less fluently. The same is not true the other way round. LOL
ArcticPaul  38 | 233  
8 Jan 2009 /  #20
why don't we talk about mistakes made by foreigners while speaking Polish? that would be one fat nice topic....
;)

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
Siegfried  1 | 100  
8 Jan 2009 /  #21
a lot of things:
on/off, in/out etc
Marek  4 | 867  
8 Jan 2009 /  #22
Are those qualities equally as "endearing" in the reverse? LOL
I wonder if Poles find our mistakes cute, or simply annoying, over time-:)
Siegfried  1 | 100  
8 Jan 2009 /  #23
hmmmm... rather cute I would say, unless you dont speak polish at all and I would have to hear you and try to understand you every day for months.

but occasionally - cute

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