WHY POLISH PEOPLE DON'T USE THEIR NATIVE FIRST NAME WHEN ABROAD?

Why not? I have a French name myself, and most people here can't seem to pronounce it correctly either. I seriously dislike the alternatives though, so I guess I'm doomed to correct people.

So if you have a decent alternative to simplify your name, then why not? It'll save you a lot of little annoyances!

:)

Arien


Comes down to personal preference. True, there are Polish translations of first names. Last names are trickier, spelling only, unless you legally change it. My first name can't be translated to Polish. Your right, annoyances, can drive some to change their names.

Americans, pronounce my last name phonetically how it sounds. Which is wrong. I do take the time to help people say it. I usually break it down: ***-****-**-ski. That seems to help. My first name so far, is easy on both sides to say. Just have the last to contender with.

I'm sure I could pronounce it, I guess most people are just too lazy to try? (Or they really are stupid! I mean, how hard can it be?) I sometimes have to repeat my name a dozen times, and still they won't pronounce it right! If I didn't know any better, I'd say that it's almost as if they don't want to!

:)

Arien
You summed it up well!

Yeah, I know, I'm great. (Blow me a kiss please? I'm in a bad mood!)

;P

Why don't polish broads use their native first names?
I guess they don't wanna get caught by their husbands.

..or they don't wish to be bothered by the guys they leave behind with their heads full of fairytales.

;)

Well I have changed my name and it has made my life easier on many levels.

But people who really know me comment on how grand my real name is :)

Sometimes it's good to have a long, Polish name. Harder to steal your identity.

The szczengoola family have a fairly popular name around these neck of the woods:)

I think this works both ways....

I'm not Polish, my name is Katrina. Most English people call me Kat/Kate or my full name. The Polish people I work with have decided I'm Kasha!

so I have two names, one for the English people and one for the Polish people.

when Polish people call me by my first name they miss the "a" off the end, so it become Kat-trin and not Ka - tri -na

I've been told by one of my polish friends to call someone Jerry, but I can manage Jurek quite well. There are a few Polish people who "westernize" their names, but honestly, they are not so totally difficult to say, if you listen carefully and try hard. Mirek, Darek, Tomek, Radek, easy peasy!!!. :)

because when not in Poland like say you move to america. (they speak english there) so if your names Paweł they will be pronouncing it like it looks in english cause they dont know how unless you tell them. so they change it to make things easier. same with how you pronounce your last name like it looks in english

They can't pronounce English names properly in Poland either.
James Bond they say Jems Bont, or McDonald they say Mekdonalt.

Stubbornly enough only teachers have had problems with my name, often say it in English version -.-
But Grunwald! That's another story!
they read it pretty well but when I SAY IT then they write it all WRONG!
Grundval
Grondval
Grundvold
Grundvall

-.-
Anouys the hell outa me, I thought they got it right I come next day it's me Grunwald. "Well your not in the register"

"well you spell it G R U N W A L D"
"still nothing, oh wait I found Grynval"

Sometimes they say "Do MagDonalda" ^^

-.-
I am starting to be thinking about Grønnskog

I think most people are just lazy. My surname is actually quite easy to pronounce, yet most people don't take the time to actually read it. They see a foreign name and they butcher it assuming it's hard to pronounce.

It's very simple, three syllables *** *** ski. If they read it in English they will get it pretty much right except for the first letter which is pronounced differently in Polish. The first two syllables actually make up English words, and most English speakers know how to pronounce ski, so where is the problem?

If they take the time to read my last name, and if they're interested I can teach them how to pronounce the first letter. However nearly every time they screw it up and add two extra syllables that don't exist. I'm then forced to point out that the name is actually quite simple and break it down for them into three syllables of three letters each to prove my point. My conclusion is that they are lazy and it makes them look ignorant and rude.

So my only gripe with English speakers is when my name becomes *** **** *** *** ski, insted of *** *** ski because the reader didn't give me the courtesy of actually reading my name.

i'm pretty sure you would be much better off with Zielonolas ;)