Embarassment of the egocentric use of English language in Poland!

I lived in Poland (Opole) for a couple of years back in the 90's and taught there. My wife is from Opole and my Dziadek was from near Grudziadz. Loved my time there and we go back for a weeks weeks every year (now that we're back in my native Northern Scotland). Kocham Opole i Polska.

One thing bugged me whilst there though (perhaps ironically, as I was teaching English there!): It was those native speakers who spoke SO loudly, just to try to impress people by the fact that they speak English! I know that there are many more native speakers there since, but it still goes on (though obviously less people take any notice). It was frankly embarassing at times - and I occasionally would hear native speakers almost making everyone's ears bleed on buses etc, just to let themselves be heard speaking English.

Obviously in the larger cities, such as Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, a lot more English is heard anyway - and no-one will bat an eyelid. But I just wonder if in more rural areas, there are other native speakers such as myself that still hear such loud numpties and want to just slap them across the chops with a fence post/bus seat?!

Now in Scotland, we've obviously lots of Polish nationals here - but I don't really hear them shouting from the rooftops in Polish! (Perhaps some people only have a 'fetish' about speaking English!).

I thought I noticed this with a couple of Italians the other day. But it also occured to me that the only reason I noticed was simply that they sounded different. They just stood out more. They were by no means talking in loud voices.

I'm sure that it's very much the same with most native speakers. You can pick them out because it's your native tongue.

I was in La rochelle earlier this year at the beginning of the Summer and the Germans! Well, when they speak amongst themselves you could hear them in Moscow! As for the English, I have never heard it spoken in Poland much. Are there many English in Poland? I would have though that the wage rates were too poor to attract English people, except of course for TESOL teachers who obviously go there in search of a partner. I can not think of any other reason why an Englishman would spend time in a place like Poland other than self 'fulfillment'.

Michal, my postman told me he was looking a the shopping channel on TV the other day, and apparently you can by a device that turns your old cracked records into cds

As a P.S. I know Oplole a little and we drove there as I drove on to the Czech frontier. It looks quite a nice town from what I saw of it. Very close to the town of Czestochowa. Well, to answer the point above, why otherwise would a person study for a TESOL and move to Poland if it was not connected with sex? Come on-don't be so naive!

Thats quite a leap you've made there.

its funny that when i am on a tram or bus with my girlfriend or another English speaking friend, as soon as we start talking, the Polish voices on the tram/bus stop, and everyone listens. Occasionally, people will just stare at us.

When we talk, I try to talk close to the ear of the person I am with. I don't care to stand out.

Lol :)

To be honest I avoid this because it’s not so bad now, but when I first came here seven years ago you open your mouth and speak English and you were immediately stared at like you were in a zoo, especially by the older generation. My five-year-old daughter shows off with her English though, because she is fluent in both English and Polish, if we are in a shop and queuing at the checkout, she will wait until someone notices her and then speak to my wife in Polish, then she will turn to me and repeat the same thing in English. When you turn to look at the person who she has targeted, their mouth has dropped open in shock. I don’t think you can define this as “egocentric use of English language “ but its dam right mischievous lol :O)

why would a person get a job as a trolley pusher in Tesco, unless it was to lear at young girls shopping there

Michal, after many years of living here I have never met one person who has come here with this intension. In fact, all the English Polish couples that I know, and that is quite a few, have met their respective partners in the UK and have decided to move here for one reason only, and that is “love”, you narrow minded prat!!!!

You should ask a Tesco trolley pusher and not me this question.


I have met people who have worked in Poland as TESOL teachers looking for a partner and there is nothing wrong with that. After all, we all 'engineer' our lives to some extent. You use the word 'love' and sometimes it may well be 'love' but often a woman looks for more than that. Love on its own will not get you very far. Calling me a 'narrow minded prat is very rude', is that why you have to be an unskilled TESOL teacher in Poland earning five peanuts per month because otherwise, you lake education?

So you was lying when you claimed you was employed by Tescos to push trolleys.

How many more lies have you told on this forum?

tesco trolly pushers at least are working for there pay

I was in Tesco yesterday doing my shopping and I saw a lot of Polish people. I am often in Tesco as it is very near to my house. I think you will find that it was Grzegorz, the white dog, a long time ago made the comment or the joke 'why do you not just admit it, you work there'. I have never talked about working in Tescos.

I'm somewhat confused.....when you say native speakers, are you talking about natives of Poland who speak English, or actual native English speakers?

If it is native English speakers you are refering to, I doubt they were speaking loud to impress people.....probably just the way they talk normally.....I'm an American, and I never understood the stereotype of the "loud American" until I was sitting in Luton Airport, waiting on my flight to Gdansk.....there were 2 American girls talking about their plans for when they arrive in Scotland.....their voices carried a long way, but I think it's just their natural voices....may not be pleasant, but I don't think loud speaking is due to wanting to impress.

I think he means Americans or British. That's the impression that I got anyway.

Maybe it was just loud on the bus....as it usually is :) If I speak too low sometimes people can't understand what I'm saying.

Who said I was unskilled, unlike you Michal I do not keep going on about this god like TESOL qualification that you gained 20 years ago, and by the way I gained a degree in Education in the UK. You have no idea what I earn, but it may surprise you that I have a very good living here Michal. I have my own house with land, along with a successful business. I have four holidays a year skiing in the winter and going to the Mediterranean in the summer.

What really miffs me about your post is that you make such sweeping generalisations about people, without really knowing anything about what you are posting, and they are just purely supposition with no foundation.


Maybe in your case when your wife found her meal ticket to the UK.

I was out drinking in a Polish town. Much English was being spoken.
A couple of oiks passing by shouted something to the effect of:
"What language do you think you're speaking?"
I quietly muttered a Polish phrase I had learn, but don't know how to spell
(something like 'Who wants to know?')
A Polish friend, however, proudly shouted back in English:
'None of your f***ing business.'



If you speak with a nasal projection, your voice carries much further, rather like in a supermarket tannoy announcement.

Someone call the Police, Michal's been mugged!