Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]

but Roger, if people say should of instead of should've (which they do) and then they use it in writing, who really cares that much? After some time customary usage becomes 'correct'. If you are going to start blustering and getting all upset about it, you might do yourself an injury at your age, dear.

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]

it is fine Roger, you got the wrong end of the stick, nobody thinks it should be 'of' and nobody needs you to 'explain' thanks.

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]

no but they do often say/write 'should of'

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


:D really? I would have thought FCE was a fair bit harder than that. Still it does depend on grade..:)

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


this is so true. I have in the past, actually walked out of a class of Swiss Germans (twice, two different classes, different schools) , once with a class who were 'advanced' yet when I corrected one of them for saying 'mens' as the plural of men, just shrugged and said 'it doesn't matter!!'. The attitude on both occasions was 'dont give a toss, it is only English'

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


yes that is true now, but not long ago people did actually talk in a much 'posher' and more clipped way. Accents change so fast, even since I was a child the London accent has changed.

Check out Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter....:)

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


personally I don't have a problem understanding English.....of any variety.
Now Polish on the other hand,,,,,,,what a beast of a language to learn!
yes you are right maf, all native speakers do that (of all varieties) More or less unintelligible!

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


what on earth does that mean?

and what on earth does " That makes it more complex, but not more authentic. " mean anyway?

All versions of English are "authentic" surely?

I think we should spend less time arguing about tiny differences in spellling and usage and just sit down in a big circle, light a big dooby and all sing 'Kumbahyah' together...:)

oohh ellipses. like 'let's' instead of 'let us'? or don't instead of do not? It is not only Brit speakers of English that do that is it?

I would say that mmmm, about 99 per cent of English speakers are quite aware of that.
The other one per cent are illiterate.

News / Don't let Poland become like my country, France. [630]

edited
Did Poland invade and colonise vast swathes of NOrth Africa among many many other places?
Duh, no.

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


well that is quite a stupid thing for a teacher of English to say (who only got that job because English is an international language!) Sadly ELT does attract more than its fair share of feckwits.

But who on earth gave her a job if "nobody could understand her"? What is this thick Dover accent of which you speak?

"mobbing " sounds quite fun....

oh and btw Scottie, practically every student I taught in Poland told me they wanted 'British English'. I suspect they are quite adept at saying what they think people want to hear..:)

Anyway it is pretty much by the by as the vast majority of learners would be hard pushed to distinguish one accent of 'English' from another.

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]

well why get into a discussion about it then? Damn I thought you might even have something interesting to say for a change.
Never mind.
IME most Polish people are more interested in learning proper English than "American"...:)

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


American E
British E (or you leave out the Welsh, Scots and Irish)
Australian E
Caribbean E......

Everyone else - "mash up" English?

Life / Is it common for Polish people to speak English in Poland? [122]


but Lyzko it doesnt matter, it is for international communication not critiquing Shakespeare...:)
Perhaps we should divide it into TWO languages, real English, and BiznisInglish?

Nocy I think the age u mention could be raised to at least 40.

Work / Cost of living in Gdańsk, average salary for experienced software engineer in Poland [64]


i think you are living in lala land if you really think that people could SAVE the equivalent of over 6000 zlots a month while working in eg London.

Check out the price of a rented room or small flat if you don't believe me.

Life / Canadian Moving to Poznan, Poland - what to bring over, areas to avoid, school for a child. [54]

Also I believe the education available in Ireland is of a high quality and therefore Irish people tend not to construct sentences like


Just saying.

let's back to Poland

Life / Why are Muslims seen as a deterrent to Poland? [564]

Also, Sikhs wear turbans and Muslims don't.
But you know what Roger and Harry we only know this due to Britain invading the Punjab, kidnapping the heir and disinheriting him, and stealing the Koh i Noor diamond.

Just saying. What I mean is, there is no need to get all holier-than-thou about it.

News / PiS to force every hard working, low earning Polish family to pay for TV [96]

of course it is not 'left wing' it is a mouthpiece of the establishment in Britain and is there to brainwash people into being 'good' paying citizens.

The only way to break free of this insidious control is get rid of the TV completely.

News / PiS to force every hard working, low earning Polish family to pay for TV [96]


I know that that is what they SAY but the truth is that if you have a TV, you have to pay.
Also, you get these muppet goons coming to your house with fake search warrants to use on people who look like they dont know any better.

Surely that is illegal? Anyway...
How would this work in Poland? Surely people would just refuse to pay?

News / PiS to force every hard working, low earning Polish family to pay for TV [96]



If you have a TV, you need to buy a licence, whether or not you watch the BBC. Trust me I know, I have a criminal record for this. You couldnt fecking make it up could you? Here we are living in this consumer society where words such as 'freedom' and 'choice' are bandied about, yet if you don't want this service, you are criminalised. Imagine if SkyTV or similar tried this trick.

I had to attend court the same morning as a well known child murderer.

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]

fine maf, just make sure you use a condom when you visit Poland wont you? because of general ignorance about the condition and a total lack of public information and eduction, AIDS/HIV has really got a grip of heterosexuals aged 18-30 who mistakenly think it is a disease of gays and drug addicts. Just saying.

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]


people go on about 'nanny government' and 'PC' in a knee jerk kind of a way, but it is not necessarily a bad thing.
For example our 'nanny gov't' undertook a massive AIDS/HIV awareness/education programme in the 80s.
Other countries that didnt do that now have an exponiential (sp?) AIDS explosion. Just an example.

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]


You make a good point Kaz but on the other hand would it have been better to have left it and still have certain people talking about 'coons' 'micks' 'pakis' 'chinks' and so on, with anyone raising objection being told to STFU?

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]


I agree -

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]


yes it does it affects the sisterhood...:)

Jose, honestly have you actually been attacked? because there are idiots in every country you know...

Travel / Englishman's travel across Poland! [19]


maybe 'Englishman' went to English public school and has an anal fixation? In which case he should really like the bogs in western Poland with their 'inspection shelf'.

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]


exactly Levi, on the one hand he is complaining about 'racism' but on the other hand he seems to have zero awareness of sexism issues, which are particularly strong in his country. I bet a Western woman would get stared at by these guys with their tongues practically hanging out, with not one of them having the thought that this might make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Not to mention the other issues...

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]

it is true that ANYONE speaking a different language or dressed differently will be stared at, but it is not 'racism' it is simple curiousity.

FGS where I live, even I do a double take at the sight of a black man in the Post Office, and I spent many years in Brixton...:)

Actually in Poland it did used to bug me sometimes - and used to mutter 'Co?' under my breath a lot.

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]

well yes that is what he was complaining about. perhaps we should return to that.

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]


actually the mainstream media does not really cover FGM.
Like I said, I would not visit Egypt. Egyptian men are very charming which as 95 per cent of their mothers, wives and sisters have had their genitals hacked at with razor blades and so on, strikes me as beyond creepy.

Life / Welcome to Poland ! (Stay away for your own sake) [239]


no not really but on the other hand we dont have the custom of hacking off women's genitals.
Not really in the same league is it?
A man who jumps forward and acts as though I am too weak to sit myself down or open a door, simultaneiusly turning a blind eye to genital mutilation, is NOT a gentleman.

And Nocy - what is a 'multi culti praiser'. Perhaps find out the meanings of phrases before using them.