Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Not to me, Chem, but then what do I know:-)

@Ironside, you know plain well that English is my first language and that I know it far better than you ever will, so pipe down!

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Fair enough, Chem. Now I got your meaning:-)

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Don't "need" to speak??

I reiterate, what language would the average mere mortal speak in Poland, Germany, France, WHEREVER, other than the language of the country?
After the initial novelty slowly wears off of hearing an English script perfectly imitated by some attractive young thing at the front reception desk of the Warsaw Hilton looking forward to American tourist dollar, not knowing at least bare minimum daily Polish for comfortable transactions would be for me a nightmare.

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Poles are always, make that usually, delighted when foreigners take the time and loving care to learn Polish. Only once was I asked why I learned Polish, to which I glibly replied for the same reason no doubt that Poles learn English; in order to communicate.

Stopped her dead in her tracks:-)

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

I figured as such, Ziemowit!
Just ribbin' ya, that's all.

Language / How to pronounce the Polish word "w" in sentences? [15]

I trend to pronounce "w" more or less like "f", particularly in rapid speech.

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

...even harder, I should think:-)

As I recall the expression, it reads "Polska MOWA, trudna mowa!", but perhaps as a native Polish speaker, you'd know a variant with which I'm not as yet familiar!

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Yep, that's for sure.

Study / Diploma of engineering is equivalent to undergraduate studies in Poland? [6]

Most people who are focused on their studies etc. often do let lots of stuff fall by the wayside.

Study / Diploma of engineering is equivalent to undergraduate studies in Poland? [6]

I applaud your decision to embark upon a course of study abroad, the importance of learning the bare minimum of the local language cannot be stressed enough in my mind.

Although the English of other international students may appear "adequate enough" for your purposes, I can assure you, it probably isn't and part of respect when living in a foreign country is being able to communicate with one's neighbors in their language.

Were I to undertake a journey for an extended stay in Katmandu for instance, although a challenge, I'd make every effort to learn just enough Nepalese to get by,

albeit definitely more people on average speak and understand English than they do in Poland:-)

Again, only my two cents worth, whatever it's worth.

Study / Diploma of engineering is equivalent to undergraduate studies in Poland? [6]

Where are you from and have you any plans to learn Polish? Although probably all European universities nowadays have numerous courses for foreigners offered
in English, it's always better to have a working knowledge of the language:-)

Study / Moving to Poznan from Barcelona - school for my 2 kids [2]

Apart from securing lodgings, I'd check out my local Polish Consulate in Barcelona before I leave, just to insure all the legal details have been ironed out well in advance of your move.

Furthermore, as I indicated in my private message, learn the language:-)

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Words, perhaps yes. Their names?? Not in my experience:-)

'My name's BASIA, not 'Bosh'!!!
lol

Travel / Visiting the Polish Balitic Sea coast in the Winter [30]

First of all, he's only expressed his observations here, not in public, orally or whatever, but within the confines of an (intentionally) ANONYMOUS, if technically, "open", forum.

The text of his message is plain enough, and yet scarcely grounds for a cause celebre!

Travel / Visiting the Polish Balitic Sea coast in the Winter [30]

So long as the bloke keeps it to himself....WHO THE F.***** REALLY CARES??!

Travel / Visiting the Polish Balitic Sea coast in the Winter [30]

As I said, he thought the Polish people whom he encountered courteous, found the pollution bad, happened to mention there was a single Japanese couple...

Think you're reading way to much into this, mate:-)

Don't forget either, he's writing in English as his second language, although he writes it quite well, I think. No language barrier here for sure, only a cultural one, perhaps.

In other words. cut the dude some slack, huh?

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Impressive at any rate!

Travel / Visiting the Polish Balitic Sea coast in the Winter [30]

I fail to grasp your meaning, Dougpol1. All the chap did was criticize Poland's pollution policy, that's all. Moreover, he found the Poles courteous. What's wrong with that?

Quit trolling, sir!

Travel / Visiting the Polish Balitic Sea coast in the Winter [30]

To whom might you be referring, pray?

Travel / Visiting the Polish Balitic Sea coast in the Winter [30]

Glad you seem to be enjoying your sojourn, Intermarium! Have you been learning any of the lingo by any chance?

Work / Why do so many Poles accept to do such hard works abroad? [6]

...for doing the D.D.D (Difficult, Dangerous, and Dirty) jobs which Brits choose not to do:-)

Work / Why does this Polish guy act like this at work? I don't understand his behaviour [11]

Language barriers too might play a role. As I've said, second-language speakers in dicey social situations can often use bluster and braggadocio to hide feelings of inadequacy, men in particular as part of the almighty image of being in control:-)

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

To each his own, Milo. Once more, I can only speak from my experience. Although I can recommend it freely, it doesn't work for everyone:-)

Work / Why does this Polish guy act like this at work? I don't understand his behaviour [11]

Well, what was in the box? Let's be practical here:-)

Regarding your "ethnicity", Poles are actually no more xenophobic towards Kosovars or Albanians than many other Europeans!

Work / Why do so many Poles accept to do such hard works abroad? [6]

Poles, Ukrainians, and Russians are, sad to say, the low-ballers of the Continent! If folks are looking for cheap labor, look no further.

Work / Why does this Polish guy act like this at work? I don't understand his behaviour [11]

Annoying the opposite sex is often merely a clumsy attempt at flirting. Cuts both ways:-)

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

I try to watch Polish movies with Polish subtitles. It works most of the time, although I gladly admit I often miss plenty of stuff. And so, when I can, I try again and study

the movie as a sort of subtext from which may be gleaned cultural gems:-)

Work / Why does this Polish guy act like this at work? I don't understand his behaviour [11]

Eloise, it sounds to me as though what you've described are merely the personality "flaws" of a poorly adjusted male, scarcely something typical of Polish men:-)

On the other hand, every cultural group has its typical behaviors which can lead to stereotyping. We Americans for instance, I can state being from the States, tend to be like the proverbial bull in the China shop abroad, expecting everybody to speak, at least know basic, English any place they go! We also tend to be overly familiar with strangers and expect that what works at home works throughout the world! Reality ck, it DOESN'T!

Polish men, at least young men, do tend to come across a bit alpha-male as a rule, macho cool with the ladies, dowsed in (expensive) cologne, chewing gum and

getting drunk at the drop of a hat. However, for every Pole who fits this description, there will be others who break the rule, rather than confirm it.

The same description I gave, might as easily apply to American, French, German, Russian, Italian or Israeli men, certainly as much as to Polish males.

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Often, it's hard to learn a language, albeit with near perfect pronunciation, without having some degree of historical context in which to frame cultural nuance which come at one literally every second of the day, in even most seemingly mundane communications:-)

Humor, for example, is to me (that and being able to get angry in another language) is what separate the men from the boys, so to speak. I know a Polish acquaintance round about forty-five, who speaks American English certainly as well as I. He's been living here for over ten or so years, went to college in Rochester, works in an investment bank and only on occasion speaks Polish in my presence.

Only the other week, we were chatting on the street and he said, 'Bye, Mark! See you soon.", to which I replied, "Not if I see you first!". An American English native speaker would have chuckled a bit and then walked off; my friend suddenly looked at me as though I were from Mars, raised a quizzical eye brow and left.

He clearly didn't get the retort, as I know he was honestly floored.

Motto of the story, is that until somebody can watch a prime time movie in the language their studying and get the subliminal stuff, they're still in their diapers as far as complete understanding is concerned.

Study / What do Poles think of a foreign person who tries to learn Polish [47]

Having studied Polish for over four-and-a-half years, I have a quite solid idea of how Poles think, particularly when speaking English!
The best teacher of a foreign language are the transfer errors native speakers of that language make when speaking the learner's mother tongue:-)

Darek: Mark, so what you're thinking about all this stuffs?

Mark: Well, I feel things have surely gotten out of hand and we've lost all sense of proportion.

Darek: Yeah, it's the common sense! What they have to make all this bullshit and stuffs of what they don't know what they're talking?

Mark: I couldn't agree with you more, Darius! Tell me, do most of your friends feel the same way?

Darek: It's whole mess now in Poland.....

You get the picture, don't you Ironside?