USA, Canada / Feminine surname endings in America? [48]


I used to know a Polish women whose last name was different than the rest of her family's. It seems the hospital made a mistake in filling out their forms (it was an odd name of non-Polish origin) and changed a ch to an h (or vice versa).

The family looked into changing it but utlimately decided it was far easier to have one member with a different name....

USA, Canada / Feminine surname endings in America? [48]


Must do what? I'm pretty sure a woman can keep her name if she wants to, on the other hand, I can't imagine a Polish woman living in Poland wanting to use the masculine form of a -cki or -ski name.

Now I relly don't know what the rules for a woman born in Canada as Anna Kowalski would be if she wanted to get a Polish passport.

One advantage of using the feminine form is it can be declined while Kowalski can't decline as the last name of a woman.

Anna Kowalska
Annę Kowalską
Anny Kolwaksiej etc

but

Anna Kowalski
Annę Kowalski
Anny Kowalksi etc

Generally Polish people perceive Kowalski and Kowalska as different forms of the same name (like Smith and Smith's, Smiths and Smiths' are different forms of the same name in English) and not two different names)

All add that Czechs are far more extreme than Poles in this regard. Virtually all Czech last names have specific male and female forms Czechs routinely modify the names of non-Czech women to conform to their system so you'll see references to Hillary Clintonova or (my all time favorite) Doktorka Quinnova.

USA, Canada / Feminine surname endings in America? [48]

There are two separate issues.

1. It's generally expected that women change their names when they get married, though not all do and some just add the husband's last name to their own.

2. Some, not all, Polish names have distinct masculine and feminine forms. Basically these are adjectives ending in -cki or -ski in the masculine and -cka or -ska in the feminine. (well leave off plurals for the moment as there are other complications there).

There used to be other endings for wives and daughters but these aren't really seriously used anymore by anyone under 50.

So if Anna Nowak marries Jerzy Kowalski, she'll be Anna Kowalska. If she marries Jerzy Kaczmarek though, she'll be Anna Kaczmarek. Basically it's like the traditional American system AFAIK except that some names have different forms depending on the sex of the person.

USA, Canada / Feminine surname endings in America? [48]

Yeah, I think 'surname' in American English sounds kind of artificial or old-fashioned, people say 'first name' and 'last name'. That's often the case even on official forms.

Do Brits really use 'surname' or is it a fossil left over from language textbooks?


No, partly because a large number of Polish people don't know what transvestites are (or confuse them with transsexuals). And also because enough Polish people know that Polish names tend to revert to the masculine singular outside of Poland.

If Victoria Kowalski were to visit Poland, almost everyone would just assume she's the child of Polish emigrants.

USA, Canada / Feminine surname endings in America? [48]

I thought that first generation lady immigrants from Poland (and presumably Pepikistan) keep the female form of the name but their female children born in the new country take the father's name.

I hadn't heard of female immigrants changing their name and if they do it's probably because of concerns about confusing people that don't know Polish.

I did know an Asian woman who married a Polish man and officially used the masc form of his name (in Poland) because her country's government required husbands and wives to have exactly the same family name.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


A ..... _TAD_??????????

I still believe that the decision on whether the cross stays or is (respectfully) moved should be that of the sitting president, but threatening the cross people with a grenade is fooКing insane. This issue is attracting way too many kooks and misfits.

Kommie needs to get off his ass and (finally) grow a pair and do what needs to be done, even if it pisses off some people (no matter what he does, some will be pissed).

Language / "który" - relative pronoun question [12]


You're getting your cases mixed up,

the instrumental

singular sing masc = którym
plural (all genders) = którymi

dative sing masc = któremu
dative plural (all genders) którym

You'll note that the dative plural adjective ending looks just like the instrumental singular adjective ending (for masc and neuter nouns).


let's try an idiomatic translation

Even those, for whom things are going well, are also thinking of emigrating.

here wiedzie się (komuś) means something like 'go well for someone' but Polish uses the dative case instead of a preoposition in this particular context.

Clear?

If it makes you feel better, this kind of confusion is not anything to worry about, it takes time and a _lot_ of exposure to automatically recognize (and keep straight!) the various endings.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


My guess is he'd be disgusted and mutter something about plagues and both their houses...

Meanwhile, Mr. Poop-in-a-jar has just been trumped by an even bigger whacko on the other side who threatened the 'defenders of the cross' with a hand grenade....

wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/Wiadomosci/1,80269,8265571,Policja_zatrzymala_prz ed_Palacem_Prezydenckim_mezczyzne.html

Language / Easiest Language To Learn from English to Polish... [13]

Of those listed, Spanish would be the easiest for you in terms of speaking, reading and writing. It won't necessarily be the easiest to understand though.

Unless you come across some very careful speakers, native level Spanish can be very challenging to understand. This is partly due to the overall low consonant inventory of Spanish in addition to the fact that most speakers drop a lot of the sounds in everyday usage (different sounds by different speakers from different countries).

Standard German and French are probably easier to learn to understand (though German has that Dialektproblem and there's not much relation between written and spoken French).

For an American, standard Mexican (or Colombian) Spanish are the easiest to understand while Caribbean (Cuban, Venezuelan etc) and extreme southern (Argentine, Chilean) are the hardest IME.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

I just wonder before saving one's fecal matter in jars to throw around during debates spreads to the Sejm. Or better yet, the European Parliament.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

As I've said before. The cross was put up as a kind of temporary display that's very common in Poland after tragedies. Clearing away that kind of display afterwards has never been an issue before (the exception being crosses put up where people actually died, but the people in question didn't die in front of the presidential palace).

The government isn't proposing burning the cross, just moving it to a safe place which absolutely should be its perogative. If that displeases enough people it can become a campaign issue and returned to that spot in front of the palace if a party promising to do that is elected. That's how democracies work, not by a handful of people making irrational demands divorced from reality and irrelevant to the great majority of voters.

Travel / Holiday in Poland - do I need to learn Polish? [26]


Then you should never complain about foreigners in the US who don't speak English.

News / Poland's elite more pro-US than society? [29]

Well technically, Polish loyalty should be to the EU first (since Poland is a member by its own choice) and then the US (since Poland is not and will not be a US state or territory).

Historically, Poland has never been badly burned by a US government (at least any time the US left Poland down, other countries were doing worse).

Also, the Polish political elite's interest in the US probably has a lot to do with traditional, though unofficial, US policy of paying off pliable leaders (the old 'he's an sob, but he's our sob policy). I don't think they realize that a) it only works when there's a credible threat against US interests in play b) there's a split between pro and anti US politicians.

I've noticed definite changes in attitudes among university students toward the US over my time here so far. It was never overtly hostile but it was pretty indifferent for a few years after joining the EU. Recently there seems to have been an uptick in interest but not really as a political model or place to live, just more on a sightseeing or cultural basis.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

Seanus, you seem to have soft spot for these people but what on earth makes you think they would accept the results of a referendum? Even if the results were 70 % for moving the cross, even if the results were 90% in favor of moving the cross, nothing they've said or done so far indicates they're willing to listen to anyone else. I'm not even sure if they'd pay attention to Kaczynski (who wants to rename the country Lechokrzyżolandia) if he told them to cool it.

They're a small minority who want to force their political will (on how to mourn a national tragedy) on the majority.

Let the government do what it wants on this particular issue and let it join the list of issues that will influence the next election.

I mostly agree with you on the EU referendum process but that's a very separate issue.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


Yeah, I went from (just barely) tolerating them to being actively against them after they threatened a group priests and boy scouts and made it clear that they think they have more authority in the church than a mere arch-bishop.

"jeden arcybiskup to nie cały kościół" said one cross-lady dismissing clerical calls for the group to take a pill.

On the other hand, the article in Duży Format mentioned isn't entirely fair. I understand, as a former sort of journalist, that the journalists are going to publicise the most 'interesting' and not necessarily the most typical stories of the cross people. But, once any movement gets big enough you're going to find some fringe elements piggy-backing on to the movement to push their own agenda. The fact that you have some marginal and/or crazy people there is irrelevant to the larger point of the crossers. I still think they're wrong, but I try to be fair about it, they're wrong because they're wrong, not because they were attracting some weirdos.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


Like weekend or hobby or menu or jury?

The only criteria for a word being part of the Polish language is if enough native speakers use it. In the case of 'happening' (as a kind of political street theater) enough Polish speakers use it that it qualifies. It even gets declined, po happeningu, przed happeningiem etc.

The wyborcza headline in question uses 'happening' to stress the planned theatrical, slightly absurd nature of the (counter) protest. neither wydarzenia or zdarzenie would fit.

On the other hand, the movie from a couple of years ago "The Happening" was called Zdarzenie in Polish because calling it Happening (in Polish) would be completely misleading.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

Note: pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happening

and in the readings:

# Hanna Ptaszkowska, Happening w Polsce, "Współczesność" 1969 nr 9.
# Małgorzata Semil, O happeningu bez uwag, "Dialog" 1966 nr 7

Better yet, go to google and look up happeningiem, happeningu etc. It's not exactly an everyday word, but it's not rare either.


I don't necessarily disagree....

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

"Happening" has been used in the Polish media for a long time, since the early 90's at least to describe political street theater or unconventional public protests.

It's not a word that people use a lot in speech but it would be familiar to anyone who reads newspapers or watches the evening news on a semi-regular basis.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

"happening" has been a fullf-ledged Polish word for a long time now and is regularly declined. True, AFAIK no one has seriously used the word in English with that meaning for several decades, but that doesn't change its status in Polish.

I assume the thread is supposed to be more about nonse borrowings and/or people who use English words instead of common Polish words.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


Why? That would cost a lot of money and the result is basically foregone. All the opinion polls I've seen (not many, but ...) show a solid 70% in favor of moving the cross.

Much better for the government's plan to be carried out so that it can be used as an issue in the next election (bring the cross back to the Palace!).

And while there are some sincere people among the cross 'defenders' the majority of them have already made it clear that basically nothing will satisfy them except for a giant statue, the original cross and plaque claiming Kaczynski as an innocent victim of Tuskian agression.

Jaroslaw should be ashamed for using the corpse of his brother as a political tool. There, I said it.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

Practical advice. As soon as you're settled (or have even chosen the city) visit as many universities as possible in person. Poland is very much a 'bird in the hand' place when it comes to asking for a job and often serious hiring decisions aren't made until the last minute. That you've been there in person will count for more than a more impressive resume.

Remember. There are usually more English teaching positions outside the English department than inside. (Also, Polytechnics and Agricultural and Medical Universities are liable to have their own English teachers too). Traditionally, any unit that requires/offers English has to provide its own teachers. Sometimes there's a source (outside the English department) that supplies teachers, find out where it is and go there.

At the university, ask to meet and subsequently network with as many native speakers in the university as possible, especially those that know Polish (that's often who administrators go to when looking for native speakers - native speakers who have adapted successfully to local conditions).

Travel / Using two or three US passports to stay in the EU longer [4]


No you can't. It used to be that way a loooong time ago. But current regulations are very different.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


So you're in favor of rewarding rapists with the privilege of reproducing?

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

Random thoughts:

I'm glad this nonsense about putting aside the conflicts in Polish society has ended. Poles (especially their politicians) know one game and one game only - all hate all the time. I'm ony surprised it took so long.

It's completely normal for Polish people to spontaneously light candles and put up crosses when some kind of tragedy occurs. It's not normal for such temporary tributes to be institutionalized.

The conflict, as the lines are now drawn, has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with a minority trying to impose their will on the majority (the polls I've seen cited show something like 70 % in favor moving the cross).

Kaczyński is probably not as corrupt as Tusk and Komorowski. I don't necessarily think that's good - if fhe can't look out for his own interests how can he look out for the country's? And many of the absolute worst heads of state have been incorruptible ideologues. Give me politicians with healthy senses of self interest (who realize the better off the country is the better off they are) any day of the week.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


Be very careful about what you wish for....

Law / Urząd Skarbowy, I paid too little on my last PIT? [26]

Been nice knowing ya, maybe they'll let you write from the re-education camp....

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


And the smae kind of boy scouts came under attack when they tried to move it to a more appropriate place.

Like so much of Kaczynski politics this is about confrontation for the sake of confrontation.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]


Granted, there is a large group of people who that describes neatly and we don't really have a name for them as a group (mohery, PiS voters come close but ...)

They're also a more interesting and varied group than outside sympathisers like Polonius3 or critics (most of the Polish media establishment) realize. A few things to remember:

- While they're genuinely unhappy, they're mostly unable to articulate any particular changes or alternate states of affairs that would make them happier. They're almost entirely reactive. The current cross war is more of the same. Find something someone in power is doing and oppose it. Why? (crickets chirping)

- They're full of contradicitons. Many of them support PiS (the party most into demonizing the PRL years) but will turn around and say how much better things were back in the commie times. They seem unaware that this is a contradiction too.

- It's hard to predict which way they'll jump on any issue which means they have no single leader. I remember how their reactions to the Wielgus affair weren't what anyone really expected (they saw it as the government meddling in church affairs and they. didn't. like. it.)

News / Pole loses language discrimination case in Germany; Scandalous! [97]

I think from the Polish point of view the critical issue is this:

The father wants his children to speak and understand Polish (and so he wants to use that language with them as much as possible).

The German government (which doesn't have a good track record of respecting Polish) wants to prevent this.

You can argue wheher or not that's the real intention of the Jugendamt, but that's the practical effect - a parent not being able to naturally pass on his language to his children.

I doubt if a German parent in a similar situation would be happy if the Polish government seemed to be taking steps to prevent their child from speaking German. (If that's happened then the Polish government would also be in the wrong and I'd be critical of it).