Language / Opinions on Google Translate for Polish [28]

As with so many so-called "improvements", GoogleTranslate is just great if one doesn't really need it, save for barest of bare minimum basics. Again, "How do I say

"book" in Polish?", is an ideal Google question. Unfortunately, translation, as with effective language learning, is NEVER plugging slot B into slot A, or something similar!

Literal translation doesn't exist and if one relies on it, you'll get stuff like "invisible idiot" for "out of sight, out of mind" and other such monstrosities:-)

News / The Polish film director Andrzej Wajda has died. [4]

Merged:

"Niewinni Czarodzeje" by Andrzej Wajda (1960)

Just wondering whether or not anyone here's ever heard of or seen this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it's gritty, hand-held camera documentary feel and felt I was actually in post-War Warsaw.

Study / Good cheap course to learn Polish in Warsaw [44]

I've always contended that Polish is exceedingly practical. Geopolitically, Poland is key to both the present as well as the future of Europe because of its historical position as a sort of bridge between Eastern and Western Europe, notably throughout the Communist Era:-)

Study / Good cheap course to learn Polish in Warsaw [44]

Slovak looks more like "simplified" Slavic. Not sure learning the latter will necessarily help in learning Polish. That's only my opinion though.

Language / Opinions on Google Translate for Polish [28]

Hear, hear, Chemikiem!

Language / Opinions on Google Translate for Polish [28]

Absolute "literal" renderings only, e.g. "kapelusz" for "hat" (for men or women), "ulica" for "street" etc. are obviously nor an issue. The problem, as I say, all too often arises when expressions become more complicated and thus less straight forward, for instance, register of language such as formal vs. informal address, and so on. If you don't pay attention, that is, if one copies verbatim what GoogleTranslate shows on the screen, it might land a person into trouble.

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

Sometimes screen text print is too small for me as well, even with glasses:-)

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

Ditto, I'm afraid! Have to go along with Ziemowit as a native Polish speaker on that one.

Language / Opinions on Google Translate for Polish [28]

GoogleTranslate is, if I must confess, the last of last ditch efforts at understanding a particular phrase, if one has no other recourse at hand.

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

Technically, Maf, Dirk's right, it's "armia" cf. "Armia Krajowa".

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

"W armiji" is what I would opt for.

Language / Opinions on Google Translate for Polish [28]

Think my experience in previous message just now speaks for itself! In plain English, GoogleTranslate is crap shoot, with emphasis far too often on the word "crap".

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

Many thanks for your prompt reply, mhurwicz!
Did you perchance already receive my private PF message I sent the other day? No rush to respond.
:-)

Language / Sense of "duchowego" [13]

As often the case, the English term is somewhat more limited than the Polish:-)

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

Good point, Maf!

What sort of writing project are you working on presently, mhurwicz? I see you read German. Are your trying perhaps to translate a German article into Polish?

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

I know and I try to avoid any form of slang, certainly in writing:-)

Thanks though.

Language / Sense of "duchowego" [13]

The words are related, "duch" (spirit) and "dusza" (soul).

Language / Meaning of "w tern" in Polish [27]

There are many such variants in Polish, mhurwicz:-)

swej instead of swojej
poszlem rather than standard correct poszedlem

etc.

Life / Babysitting in Poland - unwritten rules [7]

Cross-cultural misunderstandings are bound to crop up in any such situation if you act precipitously and, as Terri said, don't research well beforehand, just what your duties are:-)

If the other party remains unwilling to abide by written legal contracts, for instance, to hell with 'em!! Don't take a chance....or in certain instance with which I'm familiar, it could be your last. No fooling!

Language / Having trouble pronouncing Polish words? [35]

Maybe there's a missing letter between the initial B and the G.

Love / Confuse about how friendship works in Poland [3]

Relationships can often be tricky, international "friendships"/dating and this sort if thing, magnify said by at least four-fold, if not more!!
Foreign women relating to American men who show interest in getting closer than merely "hello","Dzien dobry" etc. will frequently encounter this
dilatory, almost cat-and-mouse game of "Let's see who's (playing) harder to get." Might also be not too shabby an idea to learn a little of HER language, and not

to solely rely on her English. European women especially find it "cute" when US guys make an attempt to speak some their language, but will usually grow tired of dudes who almost insist without asking is the woman in question even speaks or understands English, although the answer will most of the time be yes:-)

Don't take it personally, Leny!

Genealogy / DNA Testing in Poland. Is it popular? [81]

That's entirely true as well. During the days pre-Berlin Wall collapse, all Soviet citizens of Jewish origin typically had a large "Z" stamped on their passport, those born in the Soviet Union or not, so as to identify them in order that they might be recognized by the authorities. Poland, to her credit I must say, never instituted such vile practices, allowing Polish gentiles along with their Jewish neighbors to coexist, if not always peacefully, at least more or less "equally"!

Trust this is no longer in force in present-day Russia.

Life / What's the family life and culture of families like in Poland? [14]

Don't I know it! Check out that great old propaganda movie "Forbidden Songs" with Danuta Szaflarska. It's idealized, but nevertheless showed Polish audiences

the toughness of women, who despite adversity, march forward in to war.

Genealogy / Mary Barnawich (?) - Is my great-grandmother from Poland? [28]

I do though know plenty of married Polish women who still continue this practice, albeit their numbers are surely dwindling, you're right there:-)

Genealogy / Mary Barnawich (?) - Is my great-grandmother from Poland? [28]

Polish though does almost the same, "Nowak"/"Nowakowa"/"Nowakowna", "Millerowa" etc.

Life / What's the family life and culture of families like in Poland? [14]

On the other hand folks, what are many an entrepreneur/entrepreneuse other than formerly unemployed persons who managed somehow to get their own motor going and start a business:-)

During WWII, there were scores of women, a large number of whom were mothers, whose husbands were off fighting and who got jobs in factories.

Life / What's the family life and culture of families like in Poland? [14]

Dad, as in much of the known world, used to be more or less chief to sole breadwinner. Nowadays, uncounted female entrepreneurs in Poland have basically changed all that, and in most urban families, there are two solid incomes, mom's and dad's:-)

Real Estate / Looking for a room or flat to rent in Poland - discrimination against age [17]

Envy is scarcely the province of the Poles, envy! In France, I was told that if someone in a modest suburb brazenly flashes a brand new ostentatious automobile before the neighbors as if to show off, "I've made it!", that someone might expect to find scratches in the chrome, dirty looks from certain people, and perhaps even a gentle scolding from an irked fellow citizen on the evils of trying to make oneself look "better":-)

Real Estate / Looking for a room or flat to rent in Poland - discrimination against age [17]

I agree with Ziemowit and Maf in this instance.

Real Estate / Looking for a room or flat to rent in Poland - discrimination against age [17]

I hate to agree with my nemesis here, but the bare minimum of respect required as a foreigner in ANY country, is at least to learn the basics of the local lingo.

Wouldn't you, as a Brazilian, in YOUR country expect conversely that a visitor from Poland, for example, at least make a polite attempt to learn some of the language of your country, even if only some courtesy phrases?