Polish Thoughts on Britain and the British

I couldnt beleive the shear level of hatered between to of the same people. The amount of secruity and police they needed to have a football match. If that happened in the UK the match would either be banned of played behind closed doors.

please don't talk about them like all poles are violent.they aren't representative,hoolie is a hoolie,wherever you go.stupid brutes.
english hoolies are worst,but I don't think all englishmans are violent.and fat.and bald.

I did not suggest that for one minute. I wish people reading these comments would damn well read the properly. And in actual fact the Polish hoolies are said to be the most violent and feared in europe. So please read the facts b4 you judge.

i do not judge.argentinian hoolies are worst in the world.
in europe we have some competition.turks carry knives on games,remember liverpool?

How could i forget. I do not agree with the Brits being the worse. Actually over the years they have calmed down alot. I was just saying that I couldnt beleive the amount of security they needed for one footie match. Fans being taken to a match under arm guard. You just would never see that in the UK...........

You would if the Police were armed over here as they are in Poland.

lol,to British cusine,by that do you mean the curry I had for tea or the spag' bol' I had for lunch?


Why would you do this? Do you assume every one is as nosy as you in wanting to know everyone else's conversations? I suppose it would be a little rude to obviously be talking about someone in front of them in another language but any other situation ,caring if complete strangers are speaking "funny" smacks of paranio and a lack of worldleness. You should maybe venture out of the Hundred Acre woods a few more times,take tigger and eyore along if you like,maybe one of them can speak a little Polish...

I have worked with Polish people who knew little more English than the swear words.
If they tried to only speak English, that would have been rude.


That's why my minimal Polish speaking comes in handy when I don't want my fellow Englishmen to know what I am saying when I'm talking to Polish colleagues.

I do expect them to be able to understand what I am saying in English about the work they are doing, but between themselves, why the flip shouldn't they use Polish? I am just a rare example of an Englishman learning a foreign language.

I think people should be able to communicate properly when it goes for professional matters. But in their private conversations it's their business what language they use. If they want to talk about e.g. auntie's aching back, should they learn all the medical vocabulatry that's connected to it then just to talk about it in English ?

I found learning Polish from workmates was a help to some of them learning English, mostly because it made communication generally between us a lot easier.

But for others, it made no difference - they weren't going to learn much anyway.


Auntie's a pain in the arse.
You know how it is when you haven't entirely got to grips with the language.

Why does that bother you? What if someone told you to stop speaking English when you are in a different country?


There's a big history between England and Poland. You should read up on it.


Not really. If you gather all the info on the hoolies of Europe, i'm gonna have to say the italians are. They throw the flares and what not.


It's appreciated...

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quote=Grzegorz_] Do you think that English visiting Poland speak Polish ? [/quote]

You miss the issue.People visiting a country only learn that language as a curiosity or they have a previous interest in it. People that go to live and work in a country should feel an obligation to learn thaty country's language and integrate with those with whom they work and live, koniec kropka.

If they dont feel this need then they are infact showing disrespect for those around them and should accept the results. If they can't,they should consider relocation to somewhere where they will be a little more successful.

I agree entirely. How can someone came to a country to work and live here without knowing a word of English??? That is either disrespect or pure and utter stupidity. People like that WILL feel alienated, they will not be treated fairly and will not be understood.And it is their fault .hat's it.Cameron's policy on immigrants seems appropriate to some extent!I suggest a basic English test for new migrants!That would certainly clamp on the flooding!

Coming here with no english is o.k,but only if they make a concerted effort to learn as soon as possible.Their coworkers give them more than their fair share of understanding and patience while they are learning.They should respect their coworkers for this when they are on their feet.

People who cant commununicate are open to abuse.When its just one man ,the others can protect him-its in their interests to do so.When its a couple hundred thousand men it cant end well.The coworkers of those people are taking a serious beating right now.

Many of the workers concerned are blatantly taking advantage of the situation,not making any effort to get out of it and disrespecting their colleagues by allowing themselves to be used by their employers who are actively seeking to lower the standards of pay and conditions available to their coworkers.To the point that they no longer see the job as viable and give up.

Anyone who goes to a foreign country to live or work,makes no effort to integrate,disrepects the locals or allows their presence to work to the deficit of those already there isn't worthy of any good treatment or respect.Many good people are making the effort but they will be overlooked and tarred with the same brush as the others.People who congregate in closed groups(ghettos) are always distrusted and often despised.Its up to the people concerned to be good guests.

On secong thoughts......I read somewhere about a big company in Wales.They employ so many POlish people that the signs and regulations and basic papers are translated into POlish for their workers.BAsically, the whole floor was labelled and sign posted in POlish. So, some would take to it like a duck to water. They are not encouraged to mingle and to integrate with other people.They have a very easy set up.That leads to laziness and to lack of motivation. But, hey, all the best to them!!! MAybe they will learn one day through 'immersion'!

it has been only 2 years since Poles are allowed to work in Great Britain an Ireland - so it will take some time to immerse. In my humble opinion they are doing just fine.

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quote=olamum] signs and regulations and basic papers are translated into POlish for their wo [/quote]

It raises questions about the employer,thats for sure.It certainly doesn't look like they'll be looking for people of other nationalities and that raises a question ,as to why,in itself.

Health and safety rules are such that a certain degree of english is compulsory.

One of my old employers started employing Lithuanians and they were told not to associate with the english drivers.At the start when there weren't many so we took them to the pub with us and clubbed together to get them dinner sometimes too.What he didnt want was for us to know their employment terms and it was good for him if it was them against us-didn't work that way though.If we knew he was ill treating them we could sort it out for them. We since got completely replaced by Lithuanians and those first Lithuanians were replaced by cheaper Lithuanians!There are office staff that speak their language and they dont need to learn English either.They all get a bad deal there and they've only got themselves to blame-they knew what he was doing and when they let him screw us, that meant that they were next.

Do you think that English living and working in Poland speak Polish better than Poles living and working in England speaks English ?

A few people expressed this opinion to me at work. I said that "unless the person is talking to you, what they are saying is none of your business, why do you care? If you're really worried they are speaking about you, learn the language. I'm sure you don't hear every conversation had by english-speakers, so why should you know every one of theirs?"

I, myself, often wonder what is being said, but only because I like to imagine it is more interesting than the conversations I'm having. I like to ignore the fact it probably isn't, because it's more fun this way.

Why shouldn't someone speak the language they are most comfortable speaking (i.e their own) if they are only conversing with another who speaks that language?

I agree with this. The official rules in my workplace is that English must be spoken during working hours but excluding breaks.


Me to! :) Which is why I am learning the language...

In some situations, effective communication is more important than cultural differences.
Particularly when doing heavy manual work where accidents and injuries can happen.

Absolutely.

Polish Thoughts on Britain and the British

Ok I will share my opinion ...

I have been to UK but as a Tourist ...

I have noticed that people who come back form UK (from work, holyday ... ) Have good opinion about UK citziens, they complain about small things or particular persons (their employer or neighbour, some customs) but generaly they enjoyed UK and its citizens.

What I have heard about UK and I want to ask is it true : Do you feel discriminated in your own country, because a lot of people noticed that in some parts of big English towns they were asked when they were there If they are English and when aswered that they arent, atmosphere was more "safe". What is more I have hearded that there are some wars/riots betwen native and other UK citizens. So it is just the rumor or is it true?

I ask because I was surprised that you have parts of your towns where it is dangerous to be native ...

Not really. Some areas, especially in bigger towns and cities have become ghettoised. I don't like this, but very rarely do I feel threatened by stepping into such an area. Going into poorer areas that are unfamiliar to me generally is what makes me feel uneasy.

Areas that are culturally mixed are fine. I don't know where I'd be without the complete mix of people you find in London for example. In some towns, particularly in the north of England, there have been riots involving some Muslims of Pakistani descent and some of the nastier side of white British people. This is not a regular occurrence.

Something that I really don't like is the chavs that hang around my local shops who make anyone and everyone uncomfortable.

To summarise, the problems we find are more to do with communities condensing into their own areas, and not the fact of having people from all corners of the globe living in our fantastic country. People who continuously moan about the state of Britain are small-minded pessimists who will always find someone else to blame.

Perhaps if u had watched that program you would see the the polish use brute force to. they throw bricks bottles fire crackers and flares......

I find it intimidating when around the polish who are chatting in their own language.

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If a firm in Poland wanted people to put coats on hangers and hang them on a rail,but these people must speak fluent Romanian(which they know is very unlikely) you would be rightfully appalled.It is a blatant discrimination against the local people and just fits inside the law on advertising.

Thats happening here now and if you are a reasonable person you will concede this point.

Migrants are entitled to free language tuition in the U.K so there is no excuse not to learn.
I and many other people in Poland had no such luxury.That said we all learned your language in order to live effectively and we put much more effort into doing it too.At the time I had great difficulty in finding a polish book/cassette to learn with.It was and still is a minor language.English is one of the two main world languages.Books are and always were readily available almost anywhere.Not many Brits will live all year round in Poland,but most of them will learn Polish and many will have a connection or special interest there.

As for which language is spoken at work.. Thats the firms choice but i would say that people must be able to use english when its neccessary-safety,efficiency,e.t.c

it can be intimidating, awkward, lonely and uncomfortable being around speakers of other languages but is this not more to do with one's own insecurities rather than anything else

could you be more specific about this? I have heard of a few courses, but running at specific times (usually when people are working) and certainly not in all areas.. so I think this is a bit of a sweeping statement.

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quote=poohbear] Perhaps if u had watched that program you would see the the polish use brute force to. they throw bricks bottles fire crackers and flares...... [/quote]

Dont believe everything you se on the telly.There are idiots everywhere and they are usually a minority who nobody knows anything about.I lived there for years and the only thing i saw like that was when Lodz played Legia.That was entertaining and it was a closed fight between consenting hooligans.

Some Polish guys do tend to feel the need to make fun or belittle people other groups, but never in that groups own language strangely enough.That doesnt mean that is the norm but those that do it aren't usually very good at disguising the subject of their conversations.That said most conversations are perfectly innocent and you neednt be alarmed.I always try

Who are "we all" ? You may find on these forums many British living in Poland and I doubt that even one of them is fluent in Polish.

Withe a name like 'poohbear' .... I'm not surprised.