delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
Love / Unmarried couples in Poland = pathology [310]
Just like the RCC, then?
The point is the media, advertisers and Hollywood ARE THE ONES TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO
Just like the RCC, then?
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
No luck there, the vote is likely to be restricted to residents of Scotland only. :(
I'd say that it is totally impossible to get the culture of Poland without the language - I recall having an interesting discussion with someone about how the meaning of words in English and then the literal translation in Polish meant something totally different.
Or wait 'till 2014. When the vote for independence comes.
No luck there, the vote is likely to be restricted to residents of Scotland only. :(
Can anyone imagine someone calling themselves English and not speaking English?? That's how silly I see someone who would call themselves Polish and not speak its native language.
I'd say that it is totally impossible to get the culture of Poland without the language - I recall having an interesting discussion with someone about how the meaning of words in English and then the literal translation in Polish meant something totally different.
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
As I said - some may identify with Poland, others may not. Quite normal for national minorities in Europe.
oh, so you read something? nice. i happened to go to college with someone whose entire family spoke nothing but Kashubian all day long and he would stick a fork up your a$s for telling them they weren't Polish
As I said - some may identify with Poland, others may not. Quite normal for national minorities in Europe.
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
From what I've read - they have an identity similar to Scots - where you can either be both Kashubian and Polish happily, or just Kashubian and nothing else (except grudgingly - like me with a British passport).
(actually - one reason why I'll take Polish citizenship is to get away from having to write "British" on forms ;))
From what I've read - they have an identity similar to Scots - where you can either be both Kashubian and Polish happily, or just Kashubian and nothing else (except grudgingly - like me with a British passport).
(actually - one reason why I'll take Polish citizenship is to get away from having to write "British" on forms ;))
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
Kashubians aren't Polish, in case that escaped your attention too.
Kashubians aren't Polish, in case that escaped your attention too.
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
Genealogy / Perz and Jakobowski genealogy [16]
Aha, very interesting.
moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/perz.html
From what you say (and what the map says) - it's likely he was from Prussian Poland.
Aha, very interesting.
moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/perz.html
From what you say (and what the map says) - it's likely he was from Prussian Poland.
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
Genealogy / Perz and Jakobowski genealogy [16]
No, he didn't. He left Prussia/Germany, Russia or Austria-Hungary - which was it?
My gr-grandfather left Poland in 1884
No, he didn't. He left Prussia/Germany, Russia or Austria-Hungary - which was it?
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
History / Warsaw - under whose occupation in late 19th century? [16]
Harry, I once read a reference somewhere to Poland becoming part of the Soviet Union as the "Polish SSR" - do you know anything about this?
You mean Polish: those guys were Poles, not citizens of the USSR.
Harry, I once read a reference somewhere to Poland becoming part of the Soviet Union as the "Polish SSR" - do you know anything about this?
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
Hardly, he was born in Poland and speaks the language fluently.
He might get mocked for staying there, but no-one here would deny that he's Polish.
Hardly, he was born in Poland and speaks the language fluently.
He might get mocked for staying there, but no-one here would deny that he's Polish.
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
Work / HELP ME FIND A JOB OTHER THAN TEACHING IN POLAND [39]
Right now, Wroclaw is flooded with people trying to live in "The Next Krakow" - it's not going to be easy to find work there, even with the CELTA and some experience.
Why are you moving here?
I am moving to Wroclaw in a few weeks and am hoping to find a job teaching english,
Right now, Wroclaw is flooded with people trying to live in "The Next Krakow" - it's not going to be easy to find work there, even with the CELTA and some experience.
Why are you moving here?
delphiandomine
20 Jan 2012
Work / In order to work in Poland, do I have to graduate from a Polish university? [10]
You're not going to get the residence card based on private lessons.
There are already plenty of native Chinese out there doing all the private lessons that there is demand for. And Poles aren't stupid - they're not going to pay some random Chinese person when they can have a real teacher of Chinese privately for not much money.
You're not going to get the residence card based on private lessons.
People do have common sense - for them possibility to interact with native chinese is worth much more than any certificates.
There are already plenty of native Chinese out there doing all the private lessons that there is demand for. And Poles aren't stupid - they're not going to pay some random Chinese person when they can have a real teacher of Chinese privately for not much money.
delphiandomine
19 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
Indeed, I even saw a row break out in my class today over the proper word for a "pencil sharpener" in Polish.
Indeed, I even saw a row break out in my class today over the proper word for a "pencil sharpener" in Polish.
delphiandomine
19 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
The pride in which Polish people take in speaking "correct Polish" suggests that this is indeed correct. Even the far-right lunatics would never admit that other languages (other than Polish) have anything to do with Polish culture.
You do realise that the borders have...well...shifted a few times?
Poland is nothing to do do with what is or isn't 'indigenous' - it is a culture, united with and indivisible from a shared language.
The pride in which Polish people take in speaking "correct Polish" suggests that this is indeed correct. Even the far-right lunatics would never admit that other languages (other than Polish) have anything to do with Polish culture.
Poles are an indigenous population.
You do realise that the borders have...well...shifted a few times?
delphiandomine
19 Jan 2012
Travel / Train Routes - from Poland to Slovakia [12]
You can't book it directly from the train companies online - but you can use the highly recommend PolRail service - polrail.com. I've got no connection to them, except as a very satisified customer - they're able to book all sorts of things, and they even tried to book a Serbian Motorail train for me!
You'll pay a bit extra through them, but - they are very, very professional.
You can't book it directly from the train companies online - but you can use the highly recommend PolRail service - polrail.com. I've got no connection to them, except as a very satisified customer - they're able to book all sorts of things, and they even tried to book a Serbian Motorail train for me!
You'll pay a bit extra through them, but - they are very, very professional.
delphiandomine
18 Jan 2012
Work / Cost of Living, Average Salaries and Job sites in Poland [263]
Would you seriously recommend sending a child with no Polish language to a Polish schools, especially "good" ones?
From what I know - "good" schools are the ones that are very very demanding - they won't have the patience to deal with foreign kids, especially ones who don't speak the language and risk dragging down their rankings.
Although I would have to know more about the needs for sofianec's kids before even mentioning schools.
Would you seriously recommend sending a child with no Polish language to a Polish schools, especially "good" ones?
From what I know - "good" schools are the ones that are very very demanding - they won't have the patience to deal with foreign kids, especially ones who don't speak the language and risk dragging down their rankings.
delphiandomine
18 Jan 2012
Work / Teaching salary per hour, PhD in Architecture [28]
What makes you worth more?
Being able to speak English is nothing special in Polish academia.
60 zl does not sound something good
What makes you worth more?
Being able to speak English is nothing special in Polish academia.
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
You mean "Polish Americans who have nothing to do with Poland identify with Native Americans".
The claim that "Poles as another indigenous people" is utterly laughable to anyone who knows the slightest thing about the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
by claiming that Poles, as another indigenous people that battled foreign invaders, identify with Native Americans.
You mean "Polish Americans who have nothing to do with Poland identify with Native Americans".
The claim that "Poles as another indigenous people" is utterly laughable to anyone who knows the slightest thing about the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
It's ridiculous. There should be a mandatory language check for anyone who is claiming through either naturalization or ancestry - and it should be set quite high. I'd allow the test to be done in a national minority language too - but there should be no citizenship without language.
It's frightening to think that there are people voting out there on the basis of such websites like freepl.info. A truly terrifying site.
Getting back to the topic, does anybody else think that it's a bit odd that one does have to speak Polish in order to naturalise as Polish
It's ridiculous. There should be a mandatory language check for anyone who is claiming through either naturalization or ancestry - and it should be set quite high. I'd allow the test to be done in a national minority language too - but there should be no citizenship without language.
It's frightening to think that there are people voting out there on the basis of such websites like freepl.info. A truly terrifying site.
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
And it's quite possible that the "Polish" part was actually German-Russian who ended up living in Poland as a practising Jew. Really, to claim any sort of "blood" in Europe is insanity to say the least.
I think you really are unable to understand that minorities often identified with the larger group, even if they weren't. For instance, Lemkos - they often identified with Ukrainians, yet they weren't. I know you don't understand it, but that's exactly how it is - it's the same reason why some Scots did and still do identify as British.
Mods?
Wow what an illogical claim! You acknowledge the fact that it was Poles who were mixing with these other ethnicities and so even if many Polish-Americans also have some other ancestry as well then they are still also "definitively" Polish.
And it's quite possible that the "Polish" part was actually German-Russian who ended up living in Poland as a practising Jew. Really, to claim any sort of "blood" in Europe is insanity to say the least.
No, you need to realize that Polish-Americans were not told by their immigrant ancestors that they were merely "from Poland" but rather that they were Polish. If they came from a non-Polish ethnicity then they would tell their families that they were of that specific non-Polish ethnicity. Believing that immigrants would lie to their own families about their origins is crazy.
I think you really are unable to understand that minorities often identified with the larger group, even if they weren't. For instance, Lemkos - they often identified with Ukrainians, yet they weren't. I know you don't understand it, but that's exactly how it is - it's the same reason why some Scots did and still do identify as British.
Why are you crying for the mods? If you don't like your inane racist assumptions about Polish-Americans critiqued then don't post here. If you can't stand the heat then get out of the kitchen.
Mods?
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
Work / Navy Guy seeks help looking for work in Poland! [19]
It's hard to say - he doesn't have a huge amount of experience that would make people bite his hand off, but he isn't some fresh-faced fool as well. But I think it's worth a shot - 8 years experience in this sort of thing in a decent military force doing something specialist like this should count for something. Then there's all the generic jobs such as project management too.
I can tell you that many of the top executives in Poland don't speak Polish well - I know one big telecommunications company has a new CEO who doesn't speak a word of the languages of the countries where they operate.
Undoubtedly, the OP's qualified but how does one manage "in the trenches" if you will, without knowing Polish. Will his English be enough?
It's hard to say - he doesn't have a huge amount of experience that would make people bite his hand off, but he isn't some fresh-faced fool as well. But I think it's worth a shot - 8 years experience in this sort of thing in a decent military force doing something specialist like this should count for something. Then there's all the generic jobs such as project management too.
I can tell you that many of the top executives in Poland don't speak Polish well - I know one big telecommunications company has a new CEO who doesn't speak a word of the languages of the countries where they operate.
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
Food / Refried Beans and taco seasoning to buy in Nowy Sacz [7]
Tesco, or Piotr i Pawel if you have one there - the latter definitely has them.
kuchnieswiata.com.pl will also be your friend :)
I am in Nowy Sacz and I think Tesco is my best bet to find this stuff.
Tesco, or Piotr i Pawel if you have one there - the latter definitely has them.
kuchnieswiata.com.pl will also be your friend :)
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
Work / Navy Guy seeks help looking for work in Poland! [19]
Could be worthwhile then - but I would recommend taking the 4 week long CELTA rather than part time. And yes - there is much to be said for shopping around, and you're in a great position moving to Warsaw rather than to the sticks. All in all - I wouldn't consider teaching as a first port of call (pardon the pun!) - but you would certainly be far more valued than some spotty 22 year old American fresh off the plane.
However - is there any chance of you managing to upgrade your foundation degree to a full degree? The reason for this is that the Poles take qualifications very seriously - and a lack of a full degree may hamper you a bit.
But I would push with your own experience - I have a good feeling that it'll be worth something here.
Teaching privately doesn't tend to follow such systems as half terms - I don't work for language schools anymore, but when I was - there wasn't anything such. You can expect around 10 days off at Christmas, a handful of days at Easter and that's about it between September-May. Some schools *may* close down for the 2 week winter holiday, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Wrong. Absolutely, totally wrong.
He's not just some fresh-faced graduate straight off the plane - he's actually got some decent experience behind him. The fact that he's already managed to line up one interview says it all - his skills are in demand, and he's likely to be experienced enough not to need the Polish language.
One of the perks of my job is that we are entitled to "Enhanced learning credits"
Could be worthwhile then - but I would recommend taking the 4 week long CELTA rather than part time. And yes - there is much to be said for shopping around, and you're in a great position moving to Warsaw rather than to the sticks. All in all - I wouldn't consider teaching as a first port of call (pardon the pun!) - but you would certainly be far more valued than some spotty 22 year old American fresh off the plane.
However - is there any chance of you managing to upgrade your foundation degree to a full degree? The reason for this is that the Poles take qualifications very seriously - and a lack of a full degree may hamper you a bit.
But I would push with your own experience - I have a good feeling that it'll be worth something here.
Teaching privately doesn't tend to follow such systems as half terms - I don't work for language schools anymore, but when I was - there wasn't anything such. You can expect around 10 days off at Christmas, a handful of days at Easter and that's about it between September-May. Some schools *may* close down for the 2 week winter holiday, but I wouldn't bet on it.
I'm afraid that without knowledge of the polish language it will be almost impossible for you to find a job in this field in Poland. It's worth a try though. Don't let your degree go to waste by taking up crappy work just to live in Poland. Think it through, talk to your partner.
Wrong. Absolutely, totally wrong.
He's not just some fresh-faced graduate straight off the plane - he's actually got some decent experience behind him. The fact that he's already managed to line up one interview says it all - his skills are in demand, and he's likely to be experienced enough not to need the Polish language.
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
Let's see - you're the one who comes on here, spouting off "limey" and other racist nonsense - and then you hysterically accuse posters (who are involved in pan-European projects) of being racist. Hahaha. ha. ha. ha.
Sorry, I am racist - I think anyone who says the word "Busia" should be banned permanently from Poland.
So in other words, your education system is so bad that it's teaching people that they are "Scottish" - when in reality, "Scotland" was formed from several very different, distinct tribes invading, as well as the locals?
We know for certain that Scotland was made up with Picts (the natives), the Gaels from Ireland, the Norse from Scandinavia and the Anglo-Saxons from England. "Scottish" is nothing but an artificial construct, an idea, a philosophy - there's certainly nothing "blood" there, because there's been centuries of mixing.
I suggest starting with your teachers, and perhaps continuing with your media. This stupidity must stop!
Des, I know your knowledge of Poland is weak, but you really ought to learn the basics.
The average American is highly unlikely to be able to definitively state that they are Polish, as for many years, Poles mixed with others quite freely. Even today, we see a lot of mixed Russian/Ukrainian-Polish couples - and in areas such as Cieszyn, there are plenty of mixed Polish-Czech couples. And in the Opole Province, there are plenty of mixed Polish-German marriages too.
The modern Polish-American is nothing but a mongrel genetically, like all of us.
Mods?
Oh my. You really do need to take a course on European history, specifically in terms of self identification.
Here's a start - why don't you research why, in 1931, a significant minority of people identified their mother tongue as "Tutejszy" and yet would have said "I'm from Poland?" if asked?
It's the exact same reason why many Lemkos and others were lumped in as "Ukrainians" - even when they weren't.
You;re in denial.
Let's see - you're the one who comes on here, spouting off "limey" and other racist nonsense - and then you hysterically accuse posters (who are involved in pan-European projects) of being racist. Hahaha. ha. ha. ha.
Sorry, I am racist - I think anyone who says the word "Busia" should be banned permanently from Poland.
Saying "i am scottish" here doesn't mean that "i am scottish," it simply means "i am scottish-america or canadian" -in other words, a canadian/yank of scottish heritage
So in other words, your education system is so bad that it's teaching people that they are "Scottish" - when in reality, "Scotland" was formed from several very different, distinct tribes invading, as well as the locals?
We know for certain that Scotland was made up with Picts (the natives), the Gaels from Ireland, the Norse from Scandinavia and the Anglo-Saxons from England. "Scottish" is nothing but an artificial construct, an idea, a philosophy - there's certainly nothing "blood" there, because there's been centuries of mixing.
I suggest starting with your teachers, and perhaps continuing with your media. This stupidity must stop!
Knowing that one's ancestors are Polish and thus referring oneself as a Polish-American is not nonsense.
Des, I know your knowledge of Poland is weak, but you really ought to learn the basics.
The average American is highly unlikely to be able to definitively state that they are Polish, as for many years, Poles mixed with others quite freely. Even today, we see a lot of mixed Russian/Ukrainian-Polish couples - and in areas such as Cieszyn, there are plenty of mixed Polish-Czech couples. And in the Opole Province, there are plenty of mixed Polish-German marriages too.
The modern Polish-American is nothing but a mongrel genetically, like all of us.
What a stupid bigoted generalization about Polish-Americans' knowledge of European history.
Mods?
Anyone who puts forth such a stupid staw-man fallacy regarding Polish-Americans deserves to be ridiculed. The vast majority of Polish-Americans know that they have Polish roots because their ancestors were immigrant Poles that told them so, and not because they found out their ancestors' birthplaces and then inferred it. Delphiandomine you are being ridiculous.
Oh my. You really do need to take a course on European history, specifically in terms of self identification.
Here's a start - why don't you research why, in 1931, a significant minority of people identified their mother tongue as "Tutejszy" and yet would have said "I'm from Poland?" if asked?
It's the exact same reason why many Lemkos and others were lumped in as "Ukrainians" - even when they weren't.
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
I'd be willing to bet a considerable amount of money that not one poster on this forum could identify 5 Polish people and 5 Jewish people from 10 pictures.
All goes to show that talking about "blood" is just bullshit racial superiority theories and nothing else.
I'm not buying the blood thing either as "Polish blood" is really just mixed blood.
I'd be willing to bet a considerable amount of money that not one poster on this forum could identify 5 Polish people and 5 Jewish people from 10 pictures.
All goes to show that talking about "blood" is just bullshit racial superiority theories and nothing else.
delphiandomine
17 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
Who said anything about their language?
Looks like the racist is you, sunshine.
Of course we don't understand it - because it's nonsense. They haven't got a clue about the history of Europe, and they seem to think that it's as simple as "Busia was born in Ivano-Frankvisk therefore I am Polish".
Anyone who puts European history into such simple boxes deserves to be ridiculed.
Ah PF's biggest racist has spoken once again, this time attacking african-americans for "their" language (ebonics). Try saying that in an inner american city, i suggest Detroit.
Who said anything about their language?
Looks like the racist is you, sunshine.
It's common in north american for people to make reference to their ancestry, something that europeans don;t understand.
Of course we don't understand it - because it's nonsense. They haven't got a clue about the history of Europe, and they seem to think that it's as simple as "Busia was born in Ivano-Frankvisk therefore I am Polish".
Anyone who puts European history into such simple boxes deserves to be ridiculed.
delphiandomine
16 Jan 2012
Law / IT department (computer programming) - Opening up an Office/Business in Poland [53]
Warsaw (though it tends to be more senior management there than day-to-day guys), Krakow, Wroclaw (boom-town right now for IT, but with the problem that you'll be competing against the huge names to get the best) and Poznan. Hard to put much between them - they all have their advantages and disadvantages.
Polish people don't tend to have any problem with relocating too, especially IT guys.
There's honestly not much to tell between Poznan/Wroclaw/Krakow - they all have excellent universities that are producing decent workers, they all have big companies there - it would be much more of a personal choice than anything else for you. However, Krakow is fairly "out of the way". However - worth pointing out that Krakow is pretty conservative - Wroclaw/Poznan are much more liberal, Western places in terms of mentality. But it's also considered to be the prettiest, although I don't see it.
Nightlife is much the same in all three cities too - not much to separate them.
see that would be interesting to know - where are other big IT offices (microsoft, etc.) or where are the best technical universities. stuff like that would help a lot.
Warsaw (though it tends to be more senior management there than day-to-day guys), Krakow, Wroclaw (boom-town right now for IT, but with the problem that you'll be competing against the huge names to get the best) and Poznan. Hard to put much between them - they all have their advantages and disadvantages.
Polish people don't tend to have any problem with relocating too, especially IT guys.
There's honestly not much to tell between Poznan/Wroclaw/Krakow - they all have excellent universities that are producing decent workers, they all have big companies there - it would be much more of a personal choice than anything else for you. However, Krakow is fairly "out of the way". However - worth pointing out that Krakow is pretty conservative - Wroclaw/Poznan are much more liberal, Western places in terms of mentality. But it's also considered to be the prettiest, although I don't see it.
Nightlife is much the same in all three cities too - not much to separate them.
delphiandomine
16 Jan 2012
Law / IT department (computer programming) - Opening up an Office/Business in Poland [53]
Actually, Poznan is home to significant back-end IT infrastructure too. You have no idea what he actually needs, so to dismiss it as a "non-issue" is somewhat ridiculous. The back-end infrastructure is why several big names in the IT world have offices here.
Then again, if you think that web-based programming isn't demanding, it's no wonder you don't know anything about infrastructure.
And then there's the intangible stuff, such as being able to hop in a car and be in Berlin in 2 hours for a weekend. Can't do that from the cultural wasteland that is Bydgoszcz. And Szczecin would drive anyone nuts after a few days.
It involves more education than primary school. I know your type tends to look down at anyone with an education (any education, for that matter) - but you know, it's important.
It's a non issue in case of IT.
Actually, Poznan is home to significant back-end IT infrastructure too. You have no idea what he actually needs, so to dismiss it as a "non-issue" is somewhat ridiculous. The back-end infrastructure is why several big names in the IT world have offices here.
Then again, if you think that web-based programming isn't demanding, it's no wonder you don't know anything about infrastructure.
And then there's the intangible stuff, such as being able to hop in a car and be in Berlin in 2 hours for a weekend. Can't do that from the cultural wasteland that is Bydgoszcz. And Szczecin would drive anyone nuts after a few days.
The very demanding part is... ?
It involves more education than primary school. I know your type tends to look down at anyone with an education (any education, for that matter) - but you know, it's important.
delphiandomine
16 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
Why? Are you Americans so badly educated as to European history that you can't see that they have always been somewhat of a special case, due to the lack of a homeland yet being widely spread?
Jews don't have "a language", unlike most other ethnic groups. I'd even have my doubts as to how "ethnic" they really are, given the amount of Poles who look strangely Jewish and vice-versa.
What has that got to do with using the term as a weapon against other "ethnicities" in America?
There's plenty of people in America who can't trace their families too - are they "European-Americans?".
Utter nonsense, all of it.
I'm honestly embarrassed for you at this point. No need to explain.
Why? Are you Americans so badly educated as to European history that you can't see that they have always been somewhat of a special case, due to the lack of a homeland yet being widely spread?
Jews don't have "a language", unlike most other ethnic groups. I'd even have my doubts as to how "ethnic" they really are, given the amount of Poles who look strangely Jewish and vice-versa.
What has that got to do with using the term as a weapon against other "ethnicities" in America?
There's plenty of people in America who can't trace their families too - are they "European-Americans?".
Utter nonsense, all of it.
delphiandomine
16 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
It doesn't, rather, it's a case of where Jews are somewhat different to the rest. However - isn't knowledge of Hebrew somewhat widespread among the American Jewish community? Worth pointing out though that unlike Poland, they never had an official language.
Not really - much of this "ethnicity" nonsense in America is bullshit. African-American especially so - it's like saying "I haven't got a ******* clue as to where I come from, so I'm just going to pretend that I'm from the whole continent even though I really have no idea".
It's scary how American society is dividing along ethnic lines though.
So - if that's true - what about the large amount of Poles with foreign names?
Off the top of my head, I have about 6-7 friends with clearly-not Polish names - including at least one with a Scottish name. Does that mean that they aren't true Poles?
And that's before we even start talking about things such as "Russian" babies.
(all this blood stuff, it's bullshit in a country that was occupied many times and in a continent where mixing is/was/always has been rife)
One thing that Americans don't get, and perhaps never will - is that in Europe, identity is often determined more by language than by blood once you go down a couple of generations. A child born to a British father and German mother in Germany will identify first and foremost as German. You'll never hear "I'm British-German" or some such nonsense.
So....what makes Polish/Poland different?
It doesn't, rather, it's a case of where Jews are somewhat different to the rest. However - isn't knowledge of Hebrew somewhat widespread among the American Jewish community? Worth pointing out though that unlike Poland, they never had an official language.
What an absurd question to ask
Not really - much of this "ethnicity" nonsense in America is bullshit. African-American especially so - it's like saying "I haven't got a ******* clue as to where I come from, so I'm just going to pretend that I'm from the whole continent even though I really have no idea".
It's scary how American society is dividing along ethnic lines though.
Blood is thicker than some piece of paper.
So - if that's true - what about the large amount of Poles with foreign names?
Off the top of my head, I have about 6-7 friends with clearly-not Polish names - including at least one with a Scottish name. Does that mean that they aren't true Poles?
And that's before we even start talking about things such as "Russian" babies.
(all this blood stuff, it's bullshit in a country that was occupied many times and in a continent where mixing is/was/always has been rife)
One thing that Americans don't get, and perhaps never will - is that in Europe, identity is often determined more by language than by blood once you go down a couple of generations. A child born to a British father and German mother in Germany will identify first and foremost as German. You'll never hear "I'm British-German" or some such nonsense.
delphiandomine
16 Jan 2012
USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]
I dunno, it would seem to be a pretty integral part.
Isn't "African American" largely bullshit terminology anyway?
(I found an article that made me cry - it was about how different "ethnic" groups - all American - were fighting over ward distribution in Chicago's city council)
Can you be Jewish without speaking Yiddish/Hebrew?
I dunno, it would seem to be a pretty integral part.
Can you be African American if you don't speak an African language?
Isn't "African American" largely bullshit terminology anyway?
(I found an article that made me cry - it was about how different "ethnic" groups - all American - were fighting over ward distribution in Chicago's city council)