Life / Prices of cars in Poland? [88]

New car prices for a few selected models now stand as follows.
How they compare to your local prices depends entirely on the
złoty’s exchange rate against the currency you use:
Alfa Romeo Mito 49,900zł
Suzuki Swift 39,000zł
Chevrolet Aveo 34,450zł
Opel Agila 37,900zł
Fiat Panda 29,700zł
Fiat 500 41,000zł
Fiat 600 23,490zł
Ford Ka 34,600zł
Dacia Logan (Romanian Renault) 29,500zł

Genealogy / JARENTOWSKI/BIELAWSKI/MAKOWSKI [20]

There are at least 4 localities called Lisiec in today's Poland -- three of them are neighbouring villages in western Poland's Wielkopolska region. The fourth is in Lower Silesia, one of the recovered lands.

USA, Canada / PRICE OF POLSKI SPIRYTUS IN CHICAGO? [9]

You cannot have 200 proof spirits, it has to be 95% (190 proof) because some water is needed to keep it in liquid form.

News / What does Poland Import? [18]

inter alia: cars, Made in China junk, wines, spirits, sound equipment, pop culture...

USA, Canada / Shipping a piano from Poland to the U.S. [8]

Calisia (Latin for Kalisz). Incidentally, the pianos they exported to Finland were badged Sonata because Calisia had a humorous connotation (the Finnish word fro underwear).

Genealogy / Robert, bobka, stosh, iggy, kasia? - What is my name in Polish? [32]

Iggy is from Ignacy, in soem dialects Ignac (Ignatius).

Genealogy / Changing my name to a Polish one [35]

An excellent, very Polish and noble-sounding name. There were four lines of nobles amongst the Mieczkowskis, each entitled to use one of the following coats of arms:

Zagłoba, Mora, Odrowąż and Bończa. You may view trhem online at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Polish_coat_of_arms_images
answers.com/topic/list-of-polish-nobility-coats-of-arms-images

Life / Which on the list of Polish girl's names do you like the most? [67]

Given only those to choose from I'd rank them in this order:
Celina
Julia
Klaudia
Emilia
Izabela (or Izabella)
Cecylia
Sabina
Olivia (Oliwia) - I hate this one, esp. its pet form Oliwka...sounds like something I spear with a toothpick in my drink.
But if there were no limits I'd rank the following near the top of my list:
Ewa
Anna
Barbara
Beata
Wanda
Halina
Grażyna

Genealogy / Duplaga, Data surnames [67]

You'd probably have to consult a professional genealogist. My speciality is linguistics, ie the name itself, its etymology, structure, modifications it may have undergone, etc.

Language / Free and accurate Online Polish-English / English-Polish translator? [49]

Many dzięks! ling.pl is defintiely the best online translator I have ever seen. Esp. since words are translatable into all the major European languages at a single site. I tried some no longer very common words such as bednarstwo and podczaszy and they were there.

Language / Free and accurate Online Polish-English / English-Polish translator? [49]

Thread attached on merging:
WHAT IS THE BEST FREE ONLINE POLISH-ENGLISH & ENGLISH-POLISH DICTIONARY?

I have not found any good online two-way dictioanaries. Usually the word I'm looking for is not there and I have to go to my good, old reliable bookcase. Are there any decent, comprehensive dictionaries online? How many entries does it contain? 50,000 is the beginner's level. for normal users upwards of 200,000 would be needed, better yet at least 500,000.

Genealogy / Duplaga, Data surnames [67]

Dupla is also the Ukrainian word for a tree hollow (in Polish: dziupla). However a Duplaga I contacted in Poland said their family tradition points to the Itlaian connection. This is therefore merely a hypothesis, not an unquestionable truth.

Yiddish is a dialect of German and many woprds are identical in both langauges. That also pertains to the word Schewe. But after 2 or 3 geenrations a family usually became assimilated and naturalised in the country of residence unless they lived in an ethnic enclave. Also, many Jews converted to Catholicism. Only a professional genealogical researcher could possible track down your roots but in view of the volume of records lost in the wars, partitions and insurrections there is no 100% guarantee of success.

A kozioł is also a billy goat (main meanign in agrarian Poland); male roedeer is the secondary meaning. But most -owski ending surnames are of toponymic origin, hence Kozłowski was the way someone from Kozłów, Kozłowo or Kozłówka would have been nicknamed.

I did not say Duplaga means obscure, I said its meaning was obscure, ie uncertain, difficult to determine. You would have to consult a reliable Italian philologist to establish its etymology and possible variant spellings.

Food / MAKE TWARóG (Polish curd cheese) AT HOME [8]

Yes, commercial means industrially preapred and sold in shops. Nearly all commercially sold milk is pasteurised.

Genealogy / Knew I was Hungarian, but my DNA came back Polish? [23]

Could you please share a few comments on the DNA check? How is it done, what does it cost, etc.?

USA, Canada / A good Polish restaurant in Michigan? [25]

American-Polish Cultural Center is on Maple Rd (15 Mile) and Dequindre in Troy. BTW locals do not pronounce the street the French way de-KANDR but say de-KWIN-der.

USA, Canada / List of colleges & universities (in the USA) that offer Polish courses [14]

Columbia
Univ. of Wisconsin
Univ. of Michigan
I imagine some Chicagoland univeristies should offer Polish coruses: U of Chicago, Marquette, Loyoya, Northwestern???
NOTE: Any such list usually fluctuates from semester to semster; courses depend on available staff and the number of interested students.

Food / Borscht - Zurek / Bialy barszcz recipe [153]

polana.com/category/Polish_Condiments

Polana of Chicago charges only $3.70 a bottle.

Food / Borscht - Zurek / Bialy barszcz recipe [153]

I've noticed that Polish cooks in Poland and Polonia often cheat and sour their żurek and biały barszcz with a little citric acid crystals (kwasek cytrynowy). Of course, if they maek their own soup base, then that's still better than using the instant packet soups which are now quite widespread in Poland. These are avialable in Polish delis across America as well.

Food / Polish cookies recipes [43]

just say kroosh and add cheeky (kroosh-CHEE-ky)

Life / COMBATING "POLACK" JOKES [460]

May 15, 09, 23:09 - Thread attached on merging:
WHY DUMB POLLACK, NOT CZECH, SERB OR HUNGARIAN?

The "dumb Pollack" stereoptype, Pollack jokes, etc. are said to have originated because of the ignorance and illeteracy of the Polish immgrant masses that started arriving in America in the latter half of teh 19th century. But immigrants from Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, Ukraine, Croatia, Romania, Belarus, Serbia and other such places were not exactly aristorcrats. In fact, many of them were even poorer and less educated than the Poles. Of course, all ethnic groups have at one time or other have had the stuffing taken out of them over the years in America -- Bohunks, Hillbillies (ignroant WASPs), Scandihoovians, Kikes, Wops, Spics, Jigaboos, Cannucks, Krauts, Micks, etc., etc., but all those jokes came and went. The Pollack ones have displayed unusual durabiltiy. Anyone know why?

Genealogy / JARENTOWSKI/BIELAWSKI/MAKOWSKI [20]

Thadzinska cannot be Polish. TH does not exist in the language.