Lyzko
11 Aug 2015
Life / Catholic idol worship in Poland [29]
Exactly, roadside shrines are quite common in Southern Germany, for example.
Exactly, roadside shrines are quite common in Southern Germany, for example.
Lyzko
11 Aug 2015
Life / Catholic idol worship in Poland [29]
Idol worship??? Afraid you've lost me here a bit! Throughout the whole of Catholic Europe pious Christians have typically taken great pride in likenesses of the Holy Virgin, Jesus etc. for centuries. Unless I'm missing something, this scarcely goes under the heading of "idol worship", a concept exclusively associated with pagan, i.e. pre-Christian civilization(s).
Idol worship??? Afraid you've lost me here a bit! Throughout the whole of Catholic Europe pious Christians have typically taken great pride in likenesses of the Holy Virgin, Jesus etc. for centuries. Unless I'm missing something, this scarcely goes under the heading of "idol worship", a concept exclusively associated with pagan, i.e. pre-Christian civilization(s).
Lyzko
11 Aug 2015
History / Peasantry system in Poland - Did it consisted of three classes? [13]
I never suggested the contrary! All I was saying is that perhaps you were being quick to generalize the aristocracy, that's all:-)
I never suggested the contrary! All I was saying is that perhaps you were being quick to generalize the aristocracy, that's all:-)
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
History / Peasantry system in Poland - Did it consisted of three classes? [13]
Your overview is a bit too basic and simplistic, at least insofar as not ALL Polish aristocrats were drunken, illiterate bullies, as you seem to suggest! Don't forget about the szlachta, who after all, served as the basis of the Polish "upper middle class"!
The unassimilated, orthodox Jews lived more or less on the periphery of mainstream Polish society. Many never moved much beyond their shtettls until well into the 19th century.
Your overview is a bit too basic and simplistic, at least insofar as not ALL Polish aristocrats were drunken, illiterate bullies, as you seem to suggest! Don't forget about the szlachta, who after all, served as the basis of the Polish "upper middle class"!
The unassimilated, orthodox Jews lived more or less on the periphery of mainstream Polish society. Many never moved much beyond their shtettls until well into the 19th century.
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
History / Frederick the Great governments from Poland's perspective [24]
Frederick the Great/Friedrich der Grosse is often credited with being a reformer of sorts, paving the way for von Stein, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau during the early to mid-19th century! German historians tend to look up to him immensely.
Frederick the Great/Friedrich der Grosse is often credited with being a reformer of sorts, paving the way for von Stein, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau during the early to mid-19th century! German historians tend to look up to him immensely.
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
History / Age of Enlightenment in Poland? [80]
Thanks, jon! Yes, I forgot to mention those as well:-)
Thanks, jon! Yes, I forgot to mention those as well:-)
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
My wife and I know here in Queens a young Polish woman from Warsaw with an MA + TESOL training from the University of Wrocław, the London School of Economics and a translation certificate from the University of Bologna. She's mid-thirtiesh, highly articulate in English (spoken with ZERO Polish accent, so far as I've been able to detect!!), fluent in at least a half-dozen languages and fancies herself quite the cross-cultural expert. From her resume, honestly impressive by any standards, one might assume her to be both thoroughly culturally as well as linguistically competent in English.
Though her spoken English is bloody flawless, sometimes her e-mails reveal ever so few minor blemishes, though nothing to which I'd draw her attention. Just the other day, we met her in the park with her young daughter Monika. My wife remarked casually, "My Agata! Your daughter's gotten so much bigger since the last time we'd seen her!", upon which Agata knitted her brow ever so slightly and retorted "Well, ahhem, I'd certainly hope she hasn't shrunk!" and appeared mildly annoyed. We thought nothing of it. Later, my wife said to me. "Why d'you think she's so touchy? Did I offend her?" "No", I answered, both of us simply chalking it all up to cross-cultural differences.
Moral of the story? Even those who call themselves "intercultural experts" sometimes don't know the inside-and-outs of the target culture as comfortably as a native:-) And ya know what? She'd likely be a fine English teacher.....up to a given point and there's that wall again against which one goes BAM!!!
My wife and I know here in Queens a young Polish woman from Warsaw with an MA + TESOL training from the University of Wrocław, the London School of Economics and a translation certificate from the University of Bologna. She's mid-thirtiesh, highly articulate in English (spoken with ZERO Polish accent, so far as I've been able to detect!!), fluent in at least a half-dozen languages and fancies herself quite the cross-cultural expert. From her resume, honestly impressive by any standards, one might assume her to be both thoroughly culturally as well as linguistically competent in English.
Though her spoken English is bloody flawless, sometimes her e-mails reveal ever so few minor blemishes, though nothing to which I'd draw her attention. Just the other day, we met her in the park with her young daughter Monika. My wife remarked casually, "My Agata! Your daughter's gotten so much bigger since the last time we'd seen her!", upon which Agata knitted her brow ever so slightly and retorted "Well, ahhem, I'd certainly hope she hasn't shrunk!" and appeared mildly annoyed. We thought nothing of it. Later, my wife said to me. "Why d'you think she's so touchy? Did I offend her?" "No", I answered, both of us simply chalking it all up to cross-cultural differences.
Moral of the story? Even those who call themselves "intercultural experts" sometimes don't know the inside-and-outs of the target culture as comfortably as a native:-) And ya know what? She'd likely be a fine English teacher.....up to a given point and there's that wall again against which one goes BAM!!!
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
History / Age of Enlightenment in Poland? [80]
There's been a tendency, at least here in the States, to imagine 18th century Poland, as some sort of Slavic backwater, both hopelessly behind the plough as well as the times. While it is true that up until the mid-to late 19th century Poland was more rustic/rural than much of North Central Europe, Poland did indeed have her own Enlightenment, just a bit later than France, England or Germany. Poland's crowning jewels in the crown of Slavic culture include Chopin and Mickiewicz, among those later part of the Romantic and Nationalist movements!
There's been a tendency, at least here in the States, to imagine 18th century Poland, as some sort of Slavic backwater, both hopelessly behind the plough as well as the times. While it is true that up until the mid-to late 19th century Poland was more rustic/rural than much of North Central Europe, Poland did indeed have her own Enlightenment, just a bit later than France, England or Germany. Poland's crowning jewels in the crown of Slavic culture include Chopin and Mickiewicz, among those later part of the Romantic and Nationalist movements!
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
I only wish to reiterate that I was in no way intimating or implying that I was grouping Professional Teacher as an "illiterate backpacker" laboring like some migrant in the vineyards of pedagogy. All I was suggesting is that it becomes all too easy in these globally mobile times to presume that a university knowledge in any foreign language, particularly English, automatically entitles every Yurii, Natasha and Jurek to call themselves "teacher", merely by virtue of some conferred title, without the sufficient grounding in the myriad fine points of the language, relying instead on a British or American-style pronunciation to wing things along.
As one who is more than ready, able and willing to acknowledge a foreign-language mistake, I'd certainly expect my Russian, Ukrainian or Polish counterpart to acknowledge their's in English.
The reason for this double-standard should be obvious. English, unlike Russian, Ukrainian or Polish, has no absolute monocentric standard, since, by its nature a pluracentric tongue, it's spoken so widely, many varieties of same have developed their OWN standard(s) with their OWN dictionaries etc..
German too is in a similar situation. What's High German in Berlin or Hanover, is not necessarily so in Vienna or Zurich.
This all can sometimes add to the frustration we English teachers face when it comes to the ticklish business of correction.
My gosh, even spellings vary so between British and American, in a number of cases, (gaol vs. jail, kerb vs. curb etc.) it's hard to even recognize the mother tongue as ours!
I only wish to reiterate that I was in no way intimating or implying that I was grouping Professional Teacher as an "illiterate backpacker" laboring like some migrant in the vineyards of pedagogy. All I was suggesting is that it becomes all too easy in these globally mobile times to presume that a university knowledge in any foreign language, particularly English, automatically entitles every Yurii, Natasha and Jurek to call themselves "teacher", merely by virtue of some conferred title, without the sufficient grounding in the myriad fine points of the language, relying instead on a British or American-style pronunciation to wing things along.
As one who is more than ready, able and willing to acknowledge a foreign-language mistake, I'd certainly expect my Russian, Ukrainian or Polish counterpart to acknowledge their's in English.
The reason for this double-standard should be obvious. English, unlike Russian, Ukrainian or Polish, has no absolute monocentric standard, since, by its nature a pluracentric tongue, it's spoken so widely, many varieties of same have developed their OWN standard(s) with their OWN dictionaries etc..
German too is in a similar situation. What's High German in Berlin or Hanover, is not necessarily so in Vienna or Zurich.
This all can sometimes add to the frustration we English teachers face when it comes to the ticklish business of correction.
My gosh, even spellings vary so between British and American, in a number of cases, (gaol vs. jail, kerb vs. curb etc.) it's hard to even recognize the mother tongue as ours!
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
Delphi,
To a NON-native speaker, another non-native might actually pass for an American, Aussie, Brit or Canadian. To a native speaker, there's always going to be a certain gap between acquired vs. organic knowledge. It's like the old saying; "To your mom you're a big shot, to you're best friends you're a big shot, to a big shot...you're no big shot!"
Delphi,
To a NON-native speaker, another non-native might actually pass for an American, Aussie, Brit or Canadian. To a native speaker, there's always going to be a certain gap between acquired vs. organic knowledge. It's like the old saying; "To your mom you're a big shot, to you're best friends you're a big shot, to a big shot...you're no big shot!"
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
David Crystal's articles on the "native speaker" concept are certainly worth exploring! As an ESL- teacher, I'm often in the quandry of fluency vs. accuracy. Guess it's an ongoing issue:-)
David Crystal's articles on the "native speaker" concept are certainly worth exploring! As an ESL- teacher, I'm often in the quandry of fluency vs. accuracy. Guess it's an ongoing issue:-)
Lyzko
10 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
Thanks, Professional Teacher!
I agree with much of what you said. The point I was making was simply that as a non-native speaker teaching a language not completely one's own, one must be DOUBLY, indeed TRIPLY certain (moreso even than a native speaker) that what is being taught is as faithful to the natural idiom, inflection, above all usage, of the target language as humanly possible. The proviso/disclaimer in both our cases as responsible "professionals" beholden to the ethics of our chosen trade, is that we let our students know ( only if push comes to shove, of course) is that we are NOT native German resp. English speakers, and therefore will always defer to an educated native speaker whose feel for their native tongue is unerring:-)
I did that before starting as a college German instructor and I trust you do the same.
Thanks, Professional Teacher!
I agree with much of what you said. The point I was making was simply that as a non-native speaker teaching a language not completely one's own, one must be DOUBLY, indeed TRIPLY certain (moreso even than a native speaker) that what is being taught is as faithful to the natural idiom, inflection, above all usage, of the target language as humanly possible. The proviso/disclaimer in both our cases as responsible "professionals" beholden to the ethics of our chosen trade, is that we let our students know ( only if push comes to shove, of course) is that we are NOT native German resp. English speakers, and therefore will always defer to an educated native speaker whose feel for their native tongue is unerring:-)
I did that before starting as a college German instructor and I trust you do the same.
Lyzko
9 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
Professional empowerment through imperturbable self confidence in nearly any field can be both a help as well as a hindrance:-)
A number of years ago, a visiting English adjunct professor from Germany visited our college and gave a presentation on various hints and tips for foreigners learning English as well as English native speakers learning a foreign language as adults. On the whole, the gentleman spoke almost unaccented American English, the idiomatic flavor sounded practically flawless on every level! It was then however that the third part of the presention appeared on the power point screen: "SPEAKWORDS IN THE TOTAL WORLD". Patiently (but no-end irritated, I freely admit!!) I sat and listened in rapt attention to the conclusion of the lecturer's talk, politely applauding, as were we all.
I then raised my hand during the question and answer session, inquiring as to whether just perhaps the last power point number might have actually meant "PROVERBS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD". I was then sharply corrected, that as a (presumably) monolingual American, I naturally wasn't aware of the difference between "speakwords" vs. "proverbs", furthermore, that "in the total world" was what he learned at Maximillian-Universitaet in Munich, and was perfectly correct English, end of discussion.
Obviously, the fellow had mistakenly transferred the German "Sprichwoerter" (literally "speak words") into to English and may not have known, or inadvertantly forgotten, to write "proverbs. And yet, the arrogance of his upbraiding remarks to myself, a fellow colleague, was so off putting, I only need here to caution our Professional Teacher against similarly overweening instances of such hybris:-)
Professional empowerment through imperturbable self confidence in nearly any field can be both a help as well as a hindrance:-)
A number of years ago, a visiting English adjunct professor from Germany visited our college and gave a presentation on various hints and tips for foreigners learning English as well as English native speakers learning a foreign language as adults. On the whole, the gentleman spoke almost unaccented American English, the idiomatic flavor sounded practically flawless on every level! It was then however that the third part of the presention appeared on the power point screen: "SPEAKWORDS IN THE TOTAL WORLD". Patiently (but no-end irritated, I freely admit!!) I sat and listened in rapt attention to the conclusion of the lecturer's talk, politely applauding, as were we all.
I then raised my hand during the question and answer session, inquiring as to whether just perhaps the last power point number might have actually meant "PROVERBS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD". I was then sharply corrected, that as a (presumably) monolingual American, I naturally wasn't aware of the difference between "speakwords" vs. "proverbs", furthermore, that "in the total world" was what he learned at Maximillian-Universitaet in Munich, and was perfectly correct English, end of discussion.
Obviously, the fellow had mistakenly transferred the German "Sprichwoerter" (literally "speak words") into to English and may not have known, or inadvertantly forgotten, to write "proverbs. And yet, the arrogance of his upbraiding remarks to myself, a fellow colleague, was so off putting, I only need here to caution our Professional Teacher against similarly overweening instances of such hybris:-)
Lyzko
8 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
@Professional,
Once more, it was far from my intention to appear condescending. I was merely pointing out the double standard often found these days in the ESL field. While I can already see that your English is more than adequate to teach foreigners English, as is my German more than adequate to teach German to native Anglophones, in both of our respective cases, it is in no way perfect enough to teach our respective second languages to NATIVE speakers of either English or German!
To be sure, standards throughout the English-speaking world have changed dramatically over the past decades, since about the early '80's. Before that, the most someone such as yourself could have hoped for in the pedagogic area would have been as an instructor/professor of Russian and/or Ukrainian at one of the better colleges here in the States, e.g. Middlebury, which still has a fine foreign language program:-) Hire you as a freshman English instructor at any of these institutions with a tenure track prior to 1970?? Keep dreamin' kid!
The most you might expect is, for example as a professor of world literature, where frankly, knowledge of the finer points of written English style isn't paramount. Tough though for most non-native speakers to judge the subtelty and or nuance of Chaucerian and Shakespearean vs. Spencerian verse etc. Probably only an authentically bilingual native English speaker could do that effectively.
@Professional,
Once more, it was far from my intention to appear condescending. I was merely pointing out the double standard often found these days in the ESL field. While I can already see that your English is more than adequate to teach foreigners English, as is my German more than adequate to teach German to native Anglophones, in both of our respective cases, it is in no way perfect enough to teach our respective second languages to NATIVE speakers of either English or German!
To be sure, standards throughout the English-speaking world have changed dramatically over the past decades, since about the early '80's. Before that, the most someone such as yourself could have hoped for in the pedagogic area would have been as an instructor/professor of Russian and/or Ukrainian at one of the better colleges here in the States, e.g. Middlebury, which still has a fine foreign language program:-) Hire you as a freshman English instructor at any of these institutions with a tenure track prior to 1970?? Keep dreamin' kid!
The most you might expect is, for example as a professor of world literature, where frankly, knowledge of the finer points of written English style isn't paramount. Tough though for most non-native speakers to judge the subtelty and or nuance of Chaucerian and Shakespearean vs. Spencerian verse etc. Probably only an authentically bilingual native English speaker could do that effectively.
Lyzko
7 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
Don't think I was trying to belittle your training in any way. I've merely had years of experience as a university-trained English lecturer myself and have frequently encountered other foreign-born/trained instructors who showed little modesty about their second-language English skills, that's all. I also teach German at the college level and have only been met with continued surprise that I, a non-native German speaker (despite bilingual abilities!) can even think to teach a language not my mother tongue. The difference therefore between your teaching English as a professional teacher and graduate of Kiev University and I a Columbia graduate, is all a question of perception;the average American still has a reputation for being under- or plain uneducated compared with the average European. The stereotype cuts both ways, incidentally
I trust some of those errors in your post were merely typos, as by same token, was my "in" instead of the correct "by" leaps and bounds:-)
Don't think I was trying to belittle your training in any way. I've merely had years of experience as a university-trained English lecturer myself and have frequently encountered other foreign-born/trained instructors who showed little modesty about their second-language English skills, that's all. I also teach German at the college level and have only been met with continued surprise that I, a non-native German speaker (despite bilingual abilities!) can even think to teach a language not my mother tongue. The difference therefore between your teaching English as a professional teacher and graduate of Kiev University and I a Columbia graduate, is all a question of perception;the average American still has a reputation for being under- or plain uneducated compared with the average European. The stereotype cuts both ways, incidentally
I trust some of those errors in your post were merely typos, as by same token, was my "in" instead of the correct "by" leaps and bounds:-)
Lyzko
7 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
Agreed that "by leaps and bounds" might sound somewhat old-fashioned to the new fangled out there among us in cyberland for whom even the 90's is ancient history:-) Other than that, "rated tops" as in for example "rated tops in one's field", is perfectly good, natural and idiomatic English.
It seems our Professional English Teacher knows the full outline of English grammar, it's the subtleties of the language which elude her slightly. Furthermore, it's no sin not to know something, it is however, either to gloss over the fact, or worse, pretend it's unimportant in the bigger picture.
Just a last point; big bloopers are only little pittling stuff that kept growing:-)
Agreed that "by leaps and bounds" might sound somewhat old-fashioned to the new fangled out there among us in cyberland for whom even the 90's is ancient history:-) Other than that, "rated tops" as in for example "rated tops in one's field", is perfectly good, natural and idiomatic English.
It seems our Professional English Teacher knows the full outline of English grammar, it's the subtleties of the language which elude her slightly. Furthermore, it's no sin not to know something, it is however, either to gloss over the fact, or worse, pretend it's unimportant in the bigger picture.
Just a last point; big bloopers are only little pittling stuff that kept growing:-)
Lyzko
7 Aug 2015
Classifieds / Private English Lessons by Experienced Professional Teacher in Poland (Warsaw) [107]
I noticed several usage errors, e.g. I am top rated vs. I am rated tops, or I can get them great vs. I can help them to improve in leaps and bounds etc...
I noticed several usage errors, e.g. I am top rated vs. I am rated tops, or I can get them great vs. I can help them to improve in leaps and bounds etc...
Lyzko
7 Aug 2015
History / When will you Poles give back German land and the cities which you robbed? [557]
@Funky,
You mean like Klaus Wowereit, the former mayor of Berlin?
@Funky,
You mean like Klaus Wowereit, the former mayor of Berlin?
Lyzko
7 Aug 2015
History / When will you Poles give back German land and the cities which you robbed? [557]
@Funky,
As you probably know, among Siegfried Lenz' major writings "So zaertlich war Suleycken" takes place in the former East Prussia. The Baltic influence is everywhere. Perhaps even some Germans nowadays have forgotten that Prussian was in fact a Baltic, not a Germanic or even a Slavic language:-)
Correction/Addendum:
The spelling is "Suleyken" without a "c" and is known as "Sulejki" in Polish, located in the Masurian region:-)
@Funky,
As you probably know, among Siegfried Lenz' major writings "So zaertlich war Suleycken" takes place in the former East Prussia. The Baltic influence is everywhere. Perhaps even some Germans nowadays have forgotten that Prussian was in fact a Baltic, not a Germanic or even a Slavic language:-)
Correction/Addendum:
The spelling is "Suleyken" without a "c" and is known as "Sulejki" in Polish, located in the Masurian region:-)
Lyzko
7 Aug 2015
News / Are Poland's politicians able to speak foreign languages? [29]
Many world leaders may well know English, for that matter, a number of other languages, but will steadfastly refuse to speak them in public. Such a figure is Fidel Castro! The man attended Columbia University Law School in the 50's and spoke English fluently for much of his middle years. In fact, there's an old, old clip of the late, great Jack Paar interviewing Castro IN ENGLISH at the Governor's Palace in Havana from around 1960 (obviously before the Missle Crisis):-) It sounded accented, but fine to me.
Many world leaders may well know English, for that matter, a number of other languages, but will steadfastly refuse to speak them in public. Such a figure is Fidel Castro! The man attended Columbia University Law School in the 50's and spoke English fluently for much of his middle years. In fact, there's an old, old clip of the late, great Jack Paar interviewing Castro IN ENGLISH at the Governor's Palace in Havana from around 1960 (obviously before the Missle Crisis):-) It sounded accented, but fine to me.
Lyzko
6 Aug 2015
History / When will you Poles give back German land and the cities which you robbed? [557]
Know several octagenarian Germans from the former Ost-Preussen or East Prussia, close to the former Allenstein/Olsztyn and one from the former Koenigsberg/Kaliningrad. Their accent when they speak German is truly a museum piece, including antiquated syntax, scarcely recognizable specialized vocabulary and a tongue-trilled "r" that sounds quite comical"=-
Know several octagenarian Germans from the former Ost-Preussen or East Prussia, close to the former Allenstein/Olsztyn and one from the former Koenigsberg/Kaliningrad. Their accent when they speak German is truly a museum piece, including antiquated syntax, scarcely recognizable specialized vocabulary and a tongue-trilled "r" that sounds quite comical"=-
Lyzko
6 Aug 2015
News / Are Poland's politicians able to speak foreign languages? [29]
@Smurf & Co,
Clearly if/when now-President Duda should decide to meet with the Danish Head of State, for instance, the common language between them will be Globish, ahhemm, 'excuse moi, English (unless there is a Danish-Polish interpreter called in, which is highly unlikely, not to mention prohibitively costly!). Can you imagine an unscripted English-language encounter between them:-)
President of Poland: It is werriy najss tu greet you!
Prime Minister of Denmark: Ah, yes. How do you do?
President of Poland: Sorry? How do I do what, please?
etc..
Almost as much of a riot as when round about the mid-60's, the that-time West German President Luebke entertained a special State Visit by Queen Elizabeth. Seated beside her in their private box seat for a recital at Covent Garden, legend has it just when the lights dimmed and curtain rose, Luebke said to Her Majesty "Equal goes it loose!" Old timers still are chuckling over that one (forget Luebke's already well tarnished reputationLOL)
@Smurf & Co,
Clearly if/when now-President Duda should decide to meet with the Danish Head of State, for instance, the common language between them will be Globish, ahhemm, 'excuse moi, English (unless there is a Danish-Polish interpreter called in, which is highly unlikely, not to mention prohibitively costly!). Can you imagine an unscripted English-language encounter between them:-)
President of Poland: It is werriy najss tu greet you!
Prime Minister of Denmark: Ah, yes. How do you do?
President of Poland: Sorry? How do I do what, please?
etc..
Almost as much of a riot as when round about the mid-60's, the that-time West German President Luebke entertained a special State Visit by Queen Elizabeth. Seated beside her in their private box seat for a recital at Covent Garden, legend has it just when the lights dimmed and curtain rose, Luebke said to Her Majesty "Equal goes it loose!" Old timers still are chuckling over that one (forget Luebke's already well tarnished reputationLOL)
Lyzko
6 Aug 2015
News / Are Poland's politicians able to speak foreign languages? [29]
Ms. Merkel's actually a good case in point here. While she is attested to speak really "fluent" conversational English, servicable Russian as well as French, when last in the Rose Garden being welcomed by Obama, she spoke GERMAN before the TV cameras for a solid half hour!
The issue is, does any world leader want or certainly need to risk a serious linguistic blunder merely to satisfy their ego i.e. "Hey everybody! Look at me, I don't need an interpreter. I can speak English, just listen!!!"
On the other hand, as mentioned once before on PF, decades ago when an American State Dept. interpreter, a certain David Seymour, met Carter's head of state partner Eduard Gierek, the American botched the job but royally. As I recall, he translated Carter's remark to the then Premier as "The Americans lust after the Polish people..." instead of "The American people all yearn for Poland's freedom!" or some such thing:-)
Ms. Merkel's actually a good case in point here. While she is attested to speak really "fluent" conversational English, servicable Russian as well as French, when last in the Rose Garden being welcomed by Obama, she spoke GERMAN before the TV cameras for a solid half hour!
The issue is, does any world leader want or certainly need to risk a serious linguistic blunder merely to satisfy their ego i.e. "Hey everybody! Look at me, I don't need an interpreter. I can speak English, just listen!!!"
On the other hand, as mentioned once before on PF, decades ago when an American State Dept. interpreter, a certain David Seymour, met Carter's head of state partner Eduard Gierek, the American botched the job but royally. As I recall, he translated Carter's remark to the then Premier as "The Americans lust after the Polish people..." instead of "The American people all yearn for Poland's freedom!" or some such thing:-)
Lyzko
4 Aug 2015
Food / What a typical Polish family eats. How do they prepare food and who cooks at home? [37]
Well, my personal favorites for real stick-to-your ribs home cookin' consist of żurek (sliced sausage soup in a thick mixture), bigos ("Hunter's Cabbage", spiced with black pepper and filled with cooked Polish kiełbasa aka Polish pork sausage) along with placki ziemnaczne, potato pancakes to you, all washed down with some nice Warta (mocna) or "Warta Strong" for a nice refreshing taste!
Then, settle back to a coffee and a healthy slice of jabłeczna (apple cake), and you're set for the rest of the day:-))
By the by, birkhof, are you a German speaker perchance?
Well, my personal favorites for real stick-to-your ribs home cookin' consist of żurek (sliced sausage soup in a thick mixture), bigos ("Hunter's Cabbage", spiced with black pepper and filled with cooked Polish kiełbasa aka Polish pork sausage) along with placki ziemnaczne, potato pancakes to you, all washed down with some nice Warta (mocna) or "Warta Strong" for a nice refreshing taste!
Then, settle back to a coffee and a healthy slice of jabłeczna (apple cake), and you're set for the rest of the day:-))
By the by, birkhof, are you a German speaker perchance?
Lyzko
4 Aug 2015
UK, Ireland / Why can't unemployed Polish people on benefits just leave UK and go home please? [240]
So far as I've observed, it's the polar (no pun intended) opposite of Western and Northern Europe! Here, it's up to the individual firm if and even how much unemployment they choose to pay out. Furthermore, since Reagan, the laws which are still supposedly "on the books" are rarely, if ever, seriously enforced. Inequality reigns supreme at every level of society. If you're unemployed, but the [former] employer claims to be able to show cause why said applicant was let go, well uh-, yer up s****s creek without a paddle, buster!
So far as I've observed, it's the polar (no pun intended) opposite of Western and Northern Europe! Here, it's up to the individual firm if and even how much unemployment they choose to pay out. Furthermore, since Reagan, the laws which are still supposedly "on the books" are rarely, if ever, seriously enforced. Inequality reigns supreme at every level of society. If you're unemployed, but the [former] employer claims to be able to show cause why said applicant was let go, well uh-, yer up s****s creek without a paddle, buster!
Lyzko
3 Aug 2015
Language / How do you write and pronounce "carry on" as in "continue" in Polish? [5]
How does "Tylko dalej" strike you?
How does "Tylko dalej" strike you?
Lyzko
2 Aug 2015
History / The story about German- Polish reconciliation [194]
All of that's true as well, Delphi! I nonetheless hold firm to my original opinion. As far as Kohl's competence, I frankly think a lot was merely political rhetoric from the left-wing, liberal German press, notably DER SPIEGEL, which attacked Kohl in the early years of his administration at every bend and turn:-)
All of that's true as well, Delphi! I nonetheless hold firm to my original opinion. As far as Kohl's competence, I frankly think a lot was merely political rhetoric from the left-wing, liberal German press, notably DER SPIEGEL, which attacked Kohl in the early years of his administration at every bend and turn:-)
Lyzko
2 Aug 2015
History / The story about German- Polish reconciliation [194]
Look, let's face facts, you people! Eastern Germany imploded, pure and simple. It was practically fated to self-destruct, sooner or later, it simply came a little sooner than previously expected.
Round about summer of '88, I joked with an at that time "West German" acquaintance from the Dortmund area who'd been living for almost fifteen years in Jamaica, Queens, that the GDR was a ticking time bomb, due to explode any time within the next year or so. Well, Fall '89. "EAST GERMANY OPENS UP BORDERS TO THE WEST!" screamed across the banner headlines of the NYT, almost a year to the day I'd predicted it would. While we'd made no bet, the human spirit could only survive so long before it must be
free.
Reagan was dead wrong about a lotta stuff; about Communism? He was right on the money!
Look, let's face facts, you people! Eastern Germany imploded, pure and simple. It was practically fated to self-destruct, sooner or later, it simply came a little sooner than previously expected.
Round about summer of '88, I joked with an at that time "West German" acquaintance from the Dortmund area who'd been living for almost fifteen years in Jamaica, Queens, that the GDR was a ticking time bomb, due to explode any time within the next year or so. Well, Fall '89. "EAST GERMANY OPENS UP BORDERS TO THE WEST!" screamed across the banner headlines of the NYT, almost a year to the day I'd predicted it would. While we'd made no bet, the human spirit could only survive so long before it must be
free.
Reagan was dead wrong about a lotta stuff; about Communism? He was right on the money!
Lyzko
1 Aug 2015
History / The story about German- Polish reconciliation [194]
Right on, Polonius!
@Frank,
A little surprised at your yawning naivete, sir:-)
Right on, Polonius!
@Frank,
A little surprised at your yawning naivete, sir:-)