Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]

Hey, stupid mods, why did you shitcаn an on-topic remark? I've edited slightly so that even you can understand the connection.


Well I do think of rap as a kind of art, just an extremely limited one without much emotional or rhythmic range that long ago exhausted it's limited potential. It's kind of like if twist records were made for twenty years instead of two.....

Similarly, grafitti as an art form is inherently limited and can't say anything meaningful or make anyone reflect on any broader issues (this includes Banksy - there's no there there). It's like the hula hoop, a vague diversion with no power to make people think.

All this makes the adoption of both by urban Polish youth culture puzzling and tragically misguided. Yeah, I know they're into it because Poles are fashion chasers (not fashion makers) but ultimately it's a lot of effort spent digging a dry well.

the topic is Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland. your post had nothing to do with the topic. if the topic wanders the posts will be removed

Language / which 'if' (jeśli, gdyż or gdyby) use in conversation? [13]

jakby is "as if; like"

Mówił, jakby już był dyrektorem. (He was talking like/as if he was the director already.)

Jakbyś tam była! (It's as if you were there!)

Zachował się, jakbym już się zgodził. (He was acting like I'd already agreed.)

Language / The Future of Polish Language [179]


Not sure (a philologist will have a better idea) but I would assume that either

żona (the original meaning seems to have been 'woman' just as mąż was 'man')
or
niewiasta (not sure of etymology, the Czech cognate means 'fiancee')

Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]

You don't own the trains.

If those that do own the trains don't want them painted by grafitti guys then painting them is criminal vandalism.

What part of 'respect other people's property' do you not understand?

Food / Malinówka & other cordials [14]

Polonius3, if you think I'm going to insult the hospitality of people here by suggesting that they should be spending time in the production of homemade alcohol instead of offering store bought products you've got another think coming.

(yeah I've had the homemade stuff too and it was nice, I'm not going to insult people that don't want to make it though).

ps. there are no "off-licences" in Poland. There is a variety of retail sources for alcohol (domestic and foreign) for every possible budget.

Law / Downfall of motor industry in Poland [30]


Enough Polish people have a 'never buy Polish' attitude that doesn't support industry.

I think the Czech attitude is 'support local industry so it can improve' while the Polish attitude is 'it has to improve before it can be supported'.

Life / Poles don't know how to celebrate the Polish Independence Day? [57]

Maybe you should move to Hungary. They make a very big deal of their national holiday with gigantic concerts and open air markets by the Danube and fireworks over it at night. I don't know about private parties but there's lots of public stuff to do.

Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]


That was the original intent of grafitti (in it's current form) to convince people they had no control over their environment (making it easier for gangs to do their thing).

Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]

I have no problem with some long wall (like in Warsaw) becoming an authorized place for grafitti people. Where I used to live in the US there was a similar wall. It's not my taste but within authorized places I have no quarrel with those who indulge.


No they don't.

Language / Paddy, Jock and Taffy; origin and translation to Polish [27]


No wonder, Taffy's a real bastаrd.... (and he never gave back those CDs he 'borrowed' either).

Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]


Not to mention another bigger question: How did the formerly vital, humanistic and basically optimistic urban black culture of the 50's, 60's and early 70's turn into the nihilistic cesspool that is has become?

Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]

One of the (many, so very many) things I hate about grafitti is that most 'writers' are abject cowards.
It doesn't take any courage to tag a tenement where the inhabitants barely make ends meet and can't afford to repaint the walls every two weeks. Why not go after shopping malls? Expensive cars? McDonalds? Tesco?

Because the sneaky little Sh(ts know what would happen to them.....

Food / Malinówka & other cordials [14]


I agree that those who don't learn the language and mainly hang out with other foreigners don't learn much about Poland.

But, yuppy-Poles (as you refer to them) are just as much a part of the country (just as Polish) as the old uncles piddling around with bimber. I'd be sad if Polish people stopped making bimber and nalewka but most young people would rather shop for alcohol than make it themselves and are liable to see the homemade tradition as a necessity brought about by communism and other economic hardships. It's a good thing that Polish people now have a choice between homemade nalewka and a broad variety of retail products (from mass market to boutique tastes, I recently had a taste of pigwóka (from quince) that was delicious made by one of the many firms creating quality versions of traditional Polish foods and drink.

And there are plenty of us foreigners who've broken bread with Polish families. If anything a foreigner who can speak the language well can get a broader panoramic of the country than those whose experience is limited to old world relations and still thinks of the country as one big skansen....

Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]

I've heard Police stations will give you a warm welcome.

Food / Malinówka & other cordials [14]


FWIW I've never heard of people making any of these, but malinówka, żurawinówka, cytrynówka, miodówka etc are now available commercially.

And the idea of Pol-ams visiting their relatives used to be one of the more common scenarios for non-Polish citizens to interact with the locals, but now it's one of the _least_ common. Keep up with the times please.

Life / Poles don't know how to celebrate the Polish Independence Day? [57]

Yeah, Halloween is mostly a non-starter here. But do make sure to go to a cemetery this evening (arrive between 7 and 8). It's an amazing experience and you won't regret it.

Independence day. Yeah, not so much celebrated as observed here, and by observed I mean 'ignored'.

I'm told that in some places they're starting to have more public kinds of celebrations but the time of year is not conducive to big outdoor public parties. They need to find a national day sometime in summer (early September at the latest).

Work / Venezuelan person asking for some advice about a job and a working visa in Poland [20]

FWIW the extremely limited experience I have with Venezuelan food makes me think it could be popular in Poland. Especially the shredded beef and arepas...

The main problem would be getting them in the door in the first place, but once they try it I think they'd like it (more so than Tex-Mex or Indian at any rate).

Work / Venezuelan person asking for some advice about a job and a working visa in Poland [20]

Two more bits of bad news to consider in terms of Spanish teaching.

Your only real chance is probably through connections. Otherwise they're not so interested in hiring a non-EU national when there are EU citizens already in Poland.

Spanish people are often prejudiced against Latin American accents in general and that attitude is often transferred to Polish teachers of Spanish. Keep that in mind if you ever do reach the interview stage with a Polish teacher of Spanish - be as hyper correct as you can manage and don't drop any s's.

News / Upping the speed limit in Poland [92]

Speed on brothers, hell ain't half full yet!

Language / Poles - don't fall into the French/Spanish trap re pronunciation/accent! [81]


American. You're welcome.

Language / Poles - don't fall into the French/Spanish trap re pronunciation/accent! [81]


I hear ya. That's one reason I never got further in French. As a child we had French speaking neighbors (at least the parents were). I learned a few words to impress them and instead of encouragement got a 15 minute lecture on how bad my pronunciation was (in very heavily French accented English).

Some years later I had a similar experience after reciting some song lyrics I'd learned (again from a Quebecois who saw nothing wrong with her very heavy accent in English). Another French speaker (Belgian) tried to encourage me and criticised the critic's French, mais le damage, shee was done.

I've never gotten anything but encouragement from Spanish speakers who, if anything, overdid the praise.

I've also mostly gotten encouragement from Germans (counterproductive my accent is good enough that they go ahead and use dialect with me that I have no hope of understanding).

With Polish it's a mixed bag. Mostly encouragement though again I remember visiting a friend's family and the father was initially impressed but less so when he realized I didn't understand esoteric literary references or plays on words.....

History / Star shaped symbol on Polish Eagle? [22]

8 +15 23 !!!

8 +15 +15 = 38 = 11 !!!

I forget what they're supposed to mean, but 23 and 11 are both big deals for numerology conspiracy people....

Language / Some Ideas for a band name using the Polish language? [94]

kostucha looks fairly transparent, the hard form of bone kość > kost- plus the augmentative/despective -uch-

I'd translate it as 'the grim reaper' rather than 'death' a lot of times. Although it's possible to refer to the grim reaper as death as well.

Language / Some Ideas for a band name using the Polish language? [94]

Words I think sound kind of cool while still being sort of English friendly (pay no attention to meaning)

Ganek - porch

Krupnik - either a kind of cabbage-potato-barley soup or a honey flavored liqueur

ślizgawka (shlizgafka) - surface for ice skating

kurdupel - (koordoopel) - short guy

pantoflarz (pantoflash) - hen pecked husband

żyleta - zhileta - blade, razor

USA, Canada / Sending money to Poland from the USA? [48]


They might not use the net, but most use cell phones (or know someone who does). The email could be sent to the phone.

Love / Being Taken For A Idiot by my Polish girlfriend? [37]

Memorize this, and learn from it.

Life / INVISIBLE MAN in shops and offices in Poland? [70]


Are you Polish? Did you explode in Polish or English?

IME criticising people's behavior in public has always been okay in Poland, sort of a national pasttime, but yelling and losing you're temper makes you look like a psycho and that's how you'll be treated.

The thing to do is to say something critical with some semblance of style (or trying for same) or at least in a calm voice.

"Hallo, pani zachowuje się jak bydło." or even the old favorite "Pani pcha jak bydło, czy Pani jest normalna? " would be more effective than screaming.

News / Poland goes bankrupt? [110]


So? Why do you need a drivers license?

I've driven a lot in the US (including travelling work that involved probably 10,000 kilometers within a few months, often) but I don't feel any need or desire for a car in Poland.

- the percentage of crazy drivers is way too high

- the roads are mostly in crap shape

- the percentage of crazy drivers is way too high

- there are always going to be worries about theft

- the percentage of crazy crivers is way too high

And public transport is lightyears ahead of anywhere in the US (where it mostly doesn't exist at all).

I'm much happier in Poland using public transport (relatively safer feeling, buses are bigger than cars) and the occasional terrifying taxi.

I know there are a lot of Polish people who feel they're above public transport, but they're fools.

Language / Some Ideas for a band name using the Polish language? [94]

drobiazg - (means, a small thing, a trifle)

jazda (yazda) - (approximately) ride, trip (by vehicle)

z lotu ptaka - (or as one one word zlotuptaka, a bird's eye view)

Love / Being Taken For A Idiot by my Polish girlfriend? [37]


Because she's a flake and a user? Seriously, she sounds like bad news.