Life / What is the reaction of Poles to Russian? [95]


Um... Maybe not :) But I wouldn't be surprised if Polish had more German loanwords than East Slavic languages.


Hungarian is also a Finno-Ugric language:
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungaryzm
...and gulasz, harcerz, puchar, etc.

So not only in Russian.


I think Ukrainian is more understandable for us, because it has more words similar to Polish. I may be wrong but it looks to me like Ukrainian is a mix of Russian and Polish (due to geography and historical reasons).

Btw, some Russian nationalists claim that Ukrainian is an artificial language invented by Poles to drag away Ukrainians from Russia, set them against Russians, etc. lol

I wonder if Ukrainians think the same?
Or maybe it was about Belarusian (or both)...

Travel / Starbucks in Poland? [149]


"Kraków is infamous for its cafe culture"

Oh dear... ;D Coffee is bad for you, I guess lol

Btw, I remember when we met with our friend (Polish) who lives in London at our favourite café in our city when she came to visit her family in Poland and she said there are no cafés over there like the ones there are, for example, in Poland. I've never been to London so I was completely surprised by what she said. I told her that I couldn't believe it - such a big city and no cafés? She answered that there are pubs, restaurants and places like Sturbucks but no cafés o_O Is it possible that she simply haven't stumbled into any? She's been living there quite awhile...

Life / What is the reaction of Poles to Russian? [95]


Oh dear... I'm sorry! It's because Vlad123 didn't give the author of the quote ;) And you guys all look so alike! lol

;))


filmweb.pl/film/Ma%C5%82a+Moskwa-2008-370628 (Btw, this film has won many awards on Polish film festivals.)

filmweb.pl/film/Szwadron-1992-1167


I guess I would have to find some text in Ukrainian and check how much I'd be able to understand. But I imagine you know Russian better than me so you have an advantage ;)


Polish also has quite large non-Slavic vocabulary.
German, for example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanism_(linguistics)#Polish
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanizm


at Polish film festivals ;P ;)

Vlad123, maybe you could give me a link to some text in Ukrainian? Preferably something not the most difficult ;)

Life / What is the reaction of Poles to Russian? [95]


Don't mind Wulkan, he's probably a russophobe - those more hardcore ones like to bring up this "Tatar-Mongol" thing lol


Mala Moskwa

Szwadron

;)

Life / What is the reaction of Poles to Russian? [95]


Oh definitely... I had Russian classes at secondary school (my school was probably the last one to have them lol). Our classes consisted mainly of reading texts aloud from our textbooks and I remember I was making cribs with phonetic transcription for other students because they couldn't even read the text as they didn't learn the alphabet lol I think I can recall one single grammatical test and it was a farse... And I really disliked the teacher, she was horrible... ;/

I enjoyed studying Russian language, I had good grades, but I remember I wanted to learn English back then, nobody wanted to study Russian at that time... However there weren't enough English teachers yet lol

And of course soon I could remember only "Kak tjebia zawód", "Spasiba" and "Haraszo" lol
It's good that at least I didn't forget the alphabet :)
Btw, some Poles regret nowadays that they didn't put too much effort in studying Russian during commie times.


It doesn't sound backward to me. It's softer and probably more melodious than Polish.


I've seen a documentary not so long ago probably on TVP Polonia or TVP Info about some Ukrainian festival in Poland and almost everybody spoke in Ukrainian there and I must admit I had to read Polish subtitles all the time so I don't know if it's far more understandable than Russian (but maybe it's because I know some Russian).

I don't know, you can compare yourself:

Ukrainian ("Przegląd ukraiński" on TVP):

Russian ("Rosyjski ekspres" also on TVP):

Ukrainian does have more words similar to Polish ones.


Ukrainian sounds like a mix of Czech and Russian lol
Dunno, there's something I like about it...

Travel / BIGGEST MOSQUE IN POLAND! - Gdansk [42]


"But Buddhism, like the other great faiths, has not always lived up to its principles - there are numerous examples of Buddhists engaging in violence and even war."

"In Sri Lanka the 20th century civil war between the mostly Buddhist Sinhalese majority and the Hindu Tamil minority has cost 50,000 lives."

Quotes from:
bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/war.shtml


She isn't a Roman Catholic, rybnik, she's an atheist ;)

Life / What is the reaction of Poles to Russian? [95]


What do you mean by "most people understand it"? You mean Russian language in general or those few words like "Thank You", "Good", "Very Good" and numbers in case of taxi drivers?

Life / What is the reaction of Poles to Russian? [95]


I hope you mean "господин" and not "товарищ" ;D


Use or know?
Probably few know Russian. Usually people in their 40's, 50's, etc, I suspect.
Those who use it are probably businessmen who have contacts in the East. And Poles of Russian origin.
And some younger people who are interested in Russian culture.


I don't know, I think most aren't bothered.
When one Russian from Moscow I know came to Poland she was using English for most of the time. But I guess she used also some Russian and she had no problems, as far as I can remember.


No idea ;) But I think there are probably more Russians in Warsaw.


That's true. Unless you're going to Zakopane ;)

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


Who?


So?
What does it have to do with a Polish TV commercial?

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


Ooooh! OK :D Thank you! :)


That's very kind of you ;)


What I meant was that he had only mustache :P


?


I wouldn't be so sure about those "many" and there were already plans to remove Lenin from Red Square not so long ago:

Fewer and fewer Russians believe that the mummy of Vladimir Lenin should be in a mausoleum in the Red Square in the Kremlin. According to a survey of the All Center for Public Opinion Research wishes that only 15 percent . Russians. Three years ago I opted for the 22 percent . respondents. Exactly two-thirds of the opinion that Lenin's body as quickly as possible removed from the mausoleum and bury.

Led by Vladimir Putin's party United Russia urges countrymen to have agreed to the elevation of the mummy of Lenin's Mausoleum on Red Square and bury him in the cemetery. The Internet carries even a plebiscite on the issue. The need to prevent the body of the Bolshevik leader says Moscow city center for many years.


Yeah, that's because Nazi Germany lost the war and there was:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denazification

Have you seen "Fatherland" with Rutger Hauer? If the Soviet Union lost the war and there was something like denazification there wouldn't be Lenin's mummy in Red Square.

But what does it have to do with Polish TV commercial?

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


Well, it was because of your "anyway" at the end, I guess. As if you went along with the others: "Oh, why you silly Poles have a problem with that ad? I don't! And that's what matters! (And the dude looked more like Molotov than Lenin anyway.....)."

That was my impression, of course :)
And my comment wasn't just directed at you. More at the others.


Erm, isthatu2, just because I commented that I don't know how Molotov looked like you presume I have never heard of him??? :)))
Gee, I wonder whom Molotov cocktail was named after? ;)
Btw, I'm not sure how one could confuse those two even in a cartoon version - Molotov had more hair, no beard and he was wearing glasses.

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


And yet the ad with Lenin is "harmless - even amusing"?
How would you call a Heya ad with Hitler then? Hurtful and not funny?


Yes, the other one, however, was destroying whole classes of people.
The fact that one was worse than the other doesn't make Lenin cool and OK. So why an ad with Lenin is cool and OK and with Hitler it wouldn't be cool and OK?


I've instantly recognized him as Lenin. I even don't know how Molotov looked like.

I have this impression that for you guys it would be easy to understand controversy around an ad with Hitler, but you dismiss any controversies conected with communism. I just wonder, if it was Stalin instead of Lenin - would it be more understandable for you?

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


I completely understand that.

However, as I wrote before, I don't think comparing a politician because of his populism to Hitler on a cover of a magazine is the same as using Hitler to advertise/promote something in a TV advertisement.

It's simply not the same.
So, you're wrong in claiming that Hitler was already used in a commercial like the Heya ad.


I've asked where you live before you edited your post, smartass :)))


I saw it once and it didn't offend me. But I thought it was a bit "too much" and that even the younger generation who treats some elements of PRL "culture" as a fun popcultural thing won't be able to relate to this ad ;)

Btw, you still haven't answered why would you consider Heya ad with Hitler "much much worse" than Heya ad with Lenin.
So? Why?

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


How am I supposed to know that? lol You claim they were. Where do you live?
I don't remember any such billboards in my city.

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


No, a cover of a magazine stylised on totalitarian imagery which was used to criticize a politician. The billboards were only advertising that issue of the magazine. Hitler, or even Hitler-looking anyone, wasn't used in any Polish advert as far as I know.


Then why would you call Heya ad with Hitler in it instead of Lenin "much much worse"? It wouldn't be "harmless and even amusing" if Hitler would be in it?


Of course I don't agree. You're being a demagogue right now.
The billboards were only advertising that issue of the magazine, Hitler-like looking Lepper wasn't advertising anything (I don't even remember any such billboards in my city, anyway). The cover of that magazine wasn't advertising anything, it wasn't promoting anything. It was critisizing. As Grzegorz wrote - totally different case.

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]

I've read it carefully.
You suggested that a billboard advertising a cover of a magazine (yes?) with Lepper's photo looking a bit Hitler-like had created a precedent for this sort of advert in Poland as the Heya advert - do I understand you correctly?


You would call it "much much worse"? But that would imply that Heya ad with Lenin was... bad?

UK, Ireland / Polonization of Britain - Tipping Point Confirmed in 2011 Census [97]


Giertych was given a high ranking position in a government only because of a deal with PiS, which had a minority government and needed support from small parties like LPR and Samoobrona. The choice of Giertych for Minister of Education caused many controversies and widespread protests:

Before the town hall in Poznan youth protesting against acquisition by Roman Giertych as Minister of National Education .

Gathered manifest their opposition under the slogans : " Deputy Prime Minister

Giertych , it momentnieuwagi " and " Fascism - stop " .

Several hundred people gathered around the pillory standing in front of the town hall in Poznan . At this point, the criminals were punished years ago and today young people came to say "no" Roman Giertych in the ministry of education.

The PiS government survived only 2 years.


As much as I don't like that guy, I don't think he's a Nazi. He was a radical right or nationalistic politician but that's not the same as a Nazi, to be fair.

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]


lol
That's not an avdert. Quite on the contrary - it's a cover of a magazine criticizing a politician. Um... Don't you see a difference? o_O

Would you also call Heya ad "a good advert" if there was Hitler in it instead of Lenin?

News / Repost: Heya ad about communism in Poland [36]

You mean this?:

Hmm, I don't think comparing a politician because of his populism to Hitler ("Heil Lepper!") on a cover of a magazine is the same as using Hitler to promote something in a TV advertisement.

You would also call it "a good advert" if there was Hitler in it instead of Lenin?

Love / ARE POLISH GIRLS GOLD-DIGGERS? [359]


LOL!


Haha :D lol


Indeed lol


Tommy, it's really nice you bother to respond to this, but it's probably rather futile ;D There seems to be something dysfunctional about people writing such things ;)

Btw, I'm Polish and I've never EVER cheated on a guy. The same applies to my friends (and girls talk, you know ;)).

One more thing - I can literally spot a foreign man even in a crowded place, like in the street, for example. Not because of his looks, facial features or clothes. It's because of how they look around. When a Polish man walks in the pedestrian precinct he just looks straight ahead. When some really pretty girl walks by he turns his head and that's it. Foreign men, on the other hand, look like they're in a constant women hunting mode. For example, once I was walking with my female friend by a hotel in my city. And there were some men walking out of that hotel. In theory they could be Polish, but just by the way they looked at us I knew they were foreign. Creepy ;/

Another time, some guy was walking in the street with a Polish girl talking to him in English. I was passing by and naturally I turned my head in that direction, as there aren't that many foreigners in my city. And the guy was looking intensely into my eyes o_O That's something they all have in common, as far as I've noticed. Yet another time some guy almost run me over on his bicycle, doing the same thing - looking intensely into my eyes with a smile on his face lol Wtf?

So, just you'd know - we SEE you ;D And we know what you're after. Normal girls stay clear from you, sorry...

I'd say that in this case "podobieństwa się przyciągają" - scum attracts scum, and that's pretty much it...

UK, Ireland / Polish city that's moved to Britain [120]


Rather German :)
Hear, hear!
You forgot "defensive" (that's my favourite, I guess :D).


xD
I like you ;D

Food / How to cook Frozen pierogi? Boil or Fry? [90]

LOL I had no idea! Funny :)
Interesting, thanks for the info! :)

Language / Polish in a Nutshell - Language Patterns Reference (verbs and nouns) [18]


lol I thought the same thing! ;)

Language / Polish Language - Basic concepts [52]


I guess, although I don't use Google translate to be honest :P Someone sent me a Polish-Russian translator (once it was added as a bonus to a Polish newspaper) and I think it's better than any on-line ones I found so far.


Oh... Well, that's not good ;P The really good thing about that Pol-Russ translator is that it shows at the same time different meanings of the same word (in the window on the right). It's really useful:

i668.***************/albums/vv42/owlet215/Pol-Russtranslator_zp s44f97cc2.jpg

It translates "считаю" as "liczę" instead of "uważam" because it's first on the list ;)
After a while I simply remembered that it translates "uważam" as "liczę" and then I... remembered that "считаю" means "uważam" :)

Maybe try to find a translator like this one?


Good luck! :) You can always pm me if you have problems.

Language / Polish Language - Basic concepts [52]


vs.


Woman, I'm gonna kick you in the butt, seriously! :D

Have you not read what I wrote about my Russian friend who has learned Polish by discussing with Poles on internet blogs? ;)
And you already have some knowledge about the language! You wrote "no-one has a problem understanding me", so what's the problem? By writing notes, comments and reading comments written by Poles you'll imrove your Polish. That's the point :)


At the beginning you probably won't understand a lot, but you can always use a Polish-English translator. At first I was using Polish-Russian translator all the time (I had to learn to "decode" those translations, though lol).

The problem with the "Rozmowy po polsku" section is that it's on an English speaking forum. You're not forced to discuss in Polish, because you'll be always tempted to discuss in English, as it's easier. One of the blogs where my Russian friend is writing is on Polish server and the Cyrillic script doesn't work there. So she had to use Polish, she had no other way :)


It's not, like, perfectly correct, but it's understandable even without your translation in English! :)

Language / How hard is it to learn Polish? [178]


It's true!

Language / Polish Language - Basic concepts [52]


Hmm, what am I writing... lol Actually, it depends... On one of the blogs I've mentioned at some point the discussions usually had nothing to do with author's original post ;) It was like a stream of consciousness ending with 500 posts or more under one note lol

So it depends what you'd prefer.


That's true. But one has to remember to practice and have some contact with everyday language because studying grammar all the time, especially Polish grammar, can make some people go crazy ;D (at least that's the case with me ;))

But back to topic, cause it looks like I'm hijacking the thread:


You can kill me, but I don't know what "case" is ;O I'm a grammatical heathen ;D

But "zrobiony" is:
zrobiony 'done, made'. past perfective participle of zrobić 'do', 'make'.

From: polish.slavic.pitt.edu/firstyear/lessons/lesson9.pdf

Language / Polish Language - Basic concepts [52]


Great :) Where do you live? You could write about your country, what's going on there, about what you're interested in, about films you've watched, your take on world events or whatever.

The problem usually is with finding readers and getting the discussions going. The discussions on those Polish-Russian blogs I've mentioned earlier were usually fuelled by controversy, but maybe there's another way too ;)


Indeed. I have one Russian channel. Not particularly fascinating one ;P but sometimes I'll watch a film or some TV series because the language is usually fairly simple there and I can understand something. Sometimes I even watch the news or some talk-shows O_O xD


Exactly!

Language / Polish Language - Basic concepts [52]


What do you say to this, pam? :)
And of course for me watching films and TV series in English was enormous help... Do you have access to Polish TV?


Oh, OK, thanks! :)

Language / Polish Language - Basic concepts [52]


One can say "goat's cheese" (like "cow's milk") or is it only "goat cheese"?

Btw, you can also say "kozi ser/ser kozi" = goat cheese


Oh, OK... I didn't know that :)


How do you know? And even if, there's like the whole Polish internet out there! ;) You just have to find a forum, or even better, a blog for yourself to comment. My Russian friend has learned Polish solely by discussing with Poles on two internet blogs about Polish-Russian relations (one of those blogs was run by a Russian writing in a broken Polish). We're still impressed by her Polish, although she still makes mistakes. I think that the good thing about those discussions was that Poles rarely corrected her and probably thanks to this she wasn't too easily discouraged. Discussion was all that mattered! ;) Of course, it was easier for her - being Russian - but still... Maybe create your own blog in Polish? I could comment :)

Btw, I've studied English since high school, but I still don't get and hate English Tenses, I still make mistakes and I do a spell check ALL THE TIME ;D


From context!

"To jabłko spadłoz tego dużego drzewa."
"This apple fellfrom this big tree."

"To pióro spadłoz nieba."
"This feather fellfrom the sky."

Treat language like a puzzle you have to... no... you want to solve ;) That's my way with Russian language, because I dislike any grammar of whatever language ;D


Kcharlie's right ;)