strzyga
17 Sep 2012
Travel / Poland in photo riddles [3134]
I don't know, but it looks like the light fixture for my fish tank.
I don't know, but it looks like the light fixture for my fish tank.
strzyga
16 Sep 2012
Travel / Poland in photo riddles [3134]
Many a time I was gaping at these lamps (or lamping at these gaps... PL lampić się = gapić się), thinking about something else, everything, anything but the lesson...
so where is the place where they still survived?
The same design reminds me of my childhood!
Many a time I was gaping at these lamps (or lamping at these gaps... PL lampić się = gapić się), thinking about something else, everything, anything but the lesson...
so where is the place where they still survived?
strzyga
16 Sep 2012
News / There's still hope for Poland! [19]
Fakt.pl has reported Polonius3’s associates saying that the P3 was displaying mood swings and had panic in his eyes. “He is swinging between radical solutions – either a frontal attack or a pull-back, and his threads are therefore unpredictable,” unnamed associates were reported as saying. On a single day they were twice called to the Polish Forums for emergency threads.
Fakt.pl has reported Polonius3’s associates saying that the P3 was displaying mood swings and had panic in his eyes. “He is swinging between radical solutions – either a frontal attack or a pull-back, and his threads are therefore unpredictable,” unnamed associates were reported as saying. On a single day they were twice called to the Polish Forums for emergency threads.
strzyga
15 Sep 2012
Travel / Poland in photo riddles [3134]
Tytuń sie susy...
dried up tobacco leaves.
What about the lamps? I remember the design from my school times. Do you mean they are historic, or something?
Tytuń sie susy...
dried up tobacco leaves.
What about the lamps? I remember the design from my school times. Do you mean they are historic, or something?
strzyga
13 Sep 2012
Life / Poland and every aspect..... Please help me learn and understand the realities? [108]
P3, did you see this thread?
The beginning of the Polish state
P3, did you see this thread?
The beginning of the Polish state
strzyga
13 Sep 2012
Food / Where can I get free yeast to bake with in Poland? [11]
You can buy fresh yeast in most grocery stores. Look for "drożdże", usually they're located in the refrigerators close to dairy products and cost about 1 zł for a 100 g packet.
You can buy fresh yeast in most grocery stores. Look for "drożdże", usually they're located in the refrigerators close to dairy products and cost about 1 zł for a 100 g packet.
d1.jpeg
d2.jpeg
strzyga
13 Sep 2012
Life / Poland and every aspect..... Please help me learn and understand the realities? [108]
Aren't you Irish, Teflcat? If so, just think St. Patrick's Day, it's like the whole country's nameday.
The namedays came from the idea of saint patrons. In older times people usually gave their children names of saints and the saint was supposed to protect and guide the baby through life, therefore the day associated with a saint was special for the person named after them.
There were lots of Catholic saints so practically every day of the year had a patron or two.
Also, a child often got the name which it "brought itself" coming to this world - meaning that a child born on St. John's day got the name John, and so on. This way, the birthday and the nameday were on the same day.
Another thing is that in older times the saints or church holidays were the usual way of telling time. Nobody knew when, let's say, 17th February was - in any case, it took some serious thinking and lots of calculating - but everybody knew St. Agnes' or St. Gregory's day.
The Protestant churches got rid of the saints, so just the birthdays remained. In Poland though, celebrating birthdays is a relatively new thing. Even my parents didn't do it when they were kids.
One more factor is that the official birth dates often did not correspond with the real ones. In my family, most of the aunts and uncles who were born shortly before the war, during the war or just after the war, have double birth dates - the real ones and the official ones, written in the documents. They were born at home and although there was an obligation to register a child within a given period of time, sometimes weeks passed before anybody had a chance to do it. And there were fines for not registering on time, so they didn't think twice about giving the registry office a wrong, later date. One of my aunts was born in October 1942 but the documents state January 1943.
Also, the namedays were convenient - you did not need to remember all the individual birth dates, but everybody in Poland knows when Barbaras or Stanisławs celebrate their namedays :)
I'd personally like to know why name days are more important to some people than their birthdays.
Aren't you Irish, Teflcat? If so, just think St. Patrick's Day, it's like the whole country's nameday.
The namedays came from the idea of saint patrons. In older times people usually gave their children names of saints and the saint was supposed to protect and guide the baby through life, therefore the day associated with a saint was special for the person named after them.
There were lots of Catholic saints so practically every day of the year had a patron or two.
Also, a child often got the name which it "brought itself" coming to this world - meaning that a child born on St. John's day got the name John, and so on. This way, the birthday and the nameday were on the same day.
Another thing is that in older times the saints or church holidays were the usual way of telling time. Nobody knew when, let's say, 17th February was - in any case, it took some serious thinking and lots of calculating - but everybody knew St. Agnes' or St. Gregory's day.
The Protestant churches got rid of the saints, so just the birthdays remained. In Poland though, celebrating birthdays is a relatively new thing. Even my parents didn't do it when they were kids.
One more factor is that the official birth dates often did not correspond with the real ones. In my family, most of the aunts and uncles who were born shortly before the war, during the war or just after the war, have double birth dates - the real ones and the official ones, written in the documents. They were born at home and although there was an obligation to register a child within a given period of time, sometimes weeks passed before anybody had a chance to do it. And there were fines for not registering on time, so they didn't think twice about giving the registry office a wrong, later date. One of my aunts was born in October 1942 but the documents state January 1943.
Also, the namedays were convenient - you did not need to remember all the individual birth dates, but everybody in Poland knows when Barbaras or Stanisławs celebrate their namedays :)
strzyga
13 Sep 2012
Genealogy / Coats of arms of Polish cities [51]
The village Bochotnica still exists in the area. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bochotnica
The former village Bochotnica was renamed Nałęczów
The village Bochotnica still exists in the area. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bochotnica
strzyga
13 Sep 2012
Genealogy / What does Germanised mean? [29]
That's hilarious, but very telling. Indeed, nothing is clear-cut with these territories and these peoples.
When the All-Bohemian Social Democratic Party broke into a German and a Czech fraction in the early 1900s, due to massive differences caused by the rising ethnic tensions between Germans and Czechs in Bohemia and Moravia, there was the funny coincidence that the family name of the leader of the new German party was "Czech" while his Czech oponent bore the family name "Nemec".
That's hilarious, but very telling. Indeed, nothing is clear-cut with these territories and these peoples.
strzyga
13 Sep 2012
History / The beginning of the Polish state [11]
I'm not a historian but I've read a few times that the stories about the Polans, Vistulans etc. seen to have been invented by 19th c historians who cared more about strenghtening the sense of national identity than about historical truth.
Certainly there were Slavic tribes living in the territory of today's Poland, some of them quite powerful and significant, especially in the southern part, Wiślica being the biggest centre of power for a couple of centuries. It remains a mystery though why the centre of power shifted to Gniezno in the 10th century and how the process of unification went. There are also a lot of mysteries concerning Prince Mieszko, even his nationality (or ethnicity, if you prefer) is not clear. There are theories that he might have been a Norwegian Viking, or closely related to them.
Barney, there are no written sources from the period, all we have is legends and what the archeologists manage to dig up. So it's not clear at all. Some hints are concentrated around Wiślica in the south, some other in Wielkopolska (Gniezno, Biskupin, the Gopło lake). Nobody knows what was really going on there. At school we were taught the stuff about Polans, Vistulans etc. - what Pawian wrote above, but the present date historians hold most of it in serious doubt.
Anyway, it's very probable that there existed a strong and prominent tribal state in the south of today's Poland. Some serious digging in the Krak Mound (Kopiec Kraka) in Kraków could perhaps explain a thing or two.
The most important Polish tribes are Polans, Masovians, Vistulans, Silesians and Pomeranians[1].
I'm not a historian but I've read a few times that the stories about the Polans, Vistulans etc. seen to have been invented by 19th c historians who cared more about strenghtening the sense of national identity than about historical truth.
Certainly there were Slavic tribes living in the territory of today's Poland, some of them quite powerful and significant, especially in the southern part, Wiślica being the biggest centre of power for a couple of centuries. It remains a mystery though why the centre of power shifted to Gniezno in the 10th century and how the process of unification went. There are also a lot of mysteries concerning Prince Mieszko, even his nationality (or ethnicity, if you prefer) is not clear. There are theories that he might have been a Norwegian Viking, or closely related to them.
How do Polish people view the period before then, I know something of the Bronze age and Iron age but not a lot about immediately before.
Barney, there are no written sources from the period, all we have is legends and what the archeologists manage to dig up. So it's not clear at all. Some hints are concentrated around Wiślica in the south, some other in Wielkopolska (Gniezno, Biskupin, the Gopło lake). Nobody knows what was really going on there. At school we were taught the stuff about Polans, Vistulans etc. - what Pawian wrote above, but the present date historians hold most of it in serious doubt.
Anyway, it's very probable that there existed a strong and prominent tribal state in the south of today's Poland. Some serious digging in the Krak Mound (Kopiec Kraka) in Kraków could perhaps explain a thing or two.
strzyga
11 Sep 2012
Language / What is the proper term for Gesundheit ? [7]
In the version I know the first three rows of the participants were escorted out and shot before the sneezing culprit admitted his guilt :)
- Kto czichnuł?- Kto czichnuł?- Kto czichnuł? - Eto ja, towariszcz Stalin.- Nu, zdarowja żełaju, comrade!
In the version I know the first three rows of the participants were escorted out and shot before the sneezing culprit admitted his guilt :)
strzyga
11 Sep 2012
Language / What is the proper term for Gesundheit ? [7]
Na zdrowie is fine to, when someone's sneezing.
Na zdrowie is fine to, when someone's sneezing.
strzyga
11 Sep 2012
Travel / Poland in photo riddles [3134]
It's doing a sentence behind bars for stealing your lettuce?
It's doing a sentence behind bars for stealing your lettuce?
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
Language / How to say, "let's go!" in Polish [16]
Fine, but it's not for cheering in sports, and this was the original question.
Fine, but it's not for cheering in sports, and this was the original question.
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
Life / Are surf/skate clothes popular among Polish kids? [15]
Yes, I see lots of inspiration coming from the Cossacks culture.Nothing new, really.
Strzyga - you might have something there. Hammertime?
Yes, I see lots of inspiration coming from the Cossacks culture.Nothing new, really.
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
USA, Canada / Who is better informed, the expat or the Polonia crowd? [144]
Yes, of course.
I wonder what Polonius' opinion would be.
strzyga,I'm assuming that was directed at Polonius3?
Yes, of course.
I saw that movie.Fantastic!
I wonder what Polonius' opinion would be.
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
USA, Canada / Who is better informed, the expat or the Polonia crowd? [144]
Have you seen this? You might find it an interesting watch.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_(film)
Have you seen this? You might find it an interesting watch.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_(film)
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
USA, Canada / Who is better informed, the expat or the Polonia crowd? [144]
I see. Well, the love for the sinners is truly permeating all your posts.
Love the sinner, not the sin.
I see. Well, the love for the sinners is truly permeating all your posts.
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
Language / The longest polish word in existence is..... [23]
Depends what its actual age is :)
I'm still not on facebook and don't spend much time on youtube, but with PF you have a point :)
I am sure that you are not that old though :-)
Depends what its actual age is :)
I'm still not on facebook and don't spend much time on youtube, but with PF you have a point :)
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
Language / The longest polish word in existence is..... [23]
And to think that I remember times when there was no Google. I even remember the pre-Internet era!
I feel as old as Dąb Bartek :(
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartek_(tree)
And to think that I remember times when there was no Google. I even remember the pre-Internet era!
I feel as old as Dąb Bartek :(
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartek_(tree)
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
Life / Are surf/skate clothes popular among Polish kids? [15]
Rings a bell...
Rings a bell...
k.jpg
k2.jpeg
k3.jpeg
k4.jpeg
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
UK, Ireland / Poles becoming British subjects [39]
As Britain is a monarchy, all the citizens are royal subjects at the same time - or am I wrong?
it's not subject,it's citizen, old man.
As Britain is a monarchy, all the citizens are royal subjects at the same time - or am I wrong?
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
USA, Canada / Who is better informed, the expat or the Polonia crowd? [144]
Polonius, as a devout Christian aren't you supposed to love all facets of God's creation?
You and I do not have to worry about the garbage churned out by Hollywood (which I use as a code-name for the entertainment industry), but can add MTV and imitators the crapola paper and virtual media, writers like Manuela Gretkowski, etc., etc
Polonius, as a devout Christian aren't you supposed to love all facets of God's creation?
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
Language / The longest polish word in existence is..... [23]
Good one! I didn't even know it. Cats, how did you find it?
My question was supposed to be a joke, the answer being Uć (£ódź).
Oś
Good one! I didn't even know it. Cats, how did you find it?
My question was supposed to be a joke, the answer being Uć (£ódź).
strzyga
9 Sep 2012
Language / The longest polish word in existence is..... [23]
now something from the opposite end: do you know a city in Poland with a two-letter name?
now something from the opposite end: do you know a city in Poland with a two-letter name?
strzyga
8 Sep 2012
Genealogy / Poles born under Russian control - are we Russian? [29]
Nope :) not Prussian, but German, yes... after all my ancestors lived under the General Government.
Hey, what about Prussian???
Nope :) not Prussian, but German, yes... after all my ancestors lived under the General Government.
strzyga
8 Sep 2012
Genealogy / Poles born under Russian control - are we Russian? [29]
Then I'm Austrian too. And Hungarian.
Technically it's true, our ancestors were under Russian rule and in a way somewhat citizens.
Then I'm Austrian too. And Hungarian.
strzyga
4 Sep 2012
News / Kaczyński presents alternative to PO thievery [26]
First I expect him to build the 3 000 000 apartments he promised when coming into the office in 2005.
First I expect him to build the 3 000 000 apartments he promised when coming into the office in 2005.
strzyga
4 Sep 2012
Travel / Driving in Poland, are there any rules at all? [149]
Automatic transmission is rare so it's harder to drive when talking on the phone.
Is it harder than in the us? H
Automatic transmission is rare so it's harder to drive when talking on the phone.
strzyga
4 Sep 2012
Language / Nominative (Mianownik) vs Accusative (Biernik)? [17]
Because it's "taking a bath", the name of the activity.
Siedzę w kąpieli - I'm sitting in a bathtub full of water.
Kąpiel gotowa - the bath is ready.
"Kąpiel" basically means getting wet.
The thing that you have in your bathroom is called wanna. Kąpiel w wannie - taking a bath in a bathtub. But kąpiel w jeziorze means swimming in a lake.
You can, but the dictionary doesn't know which meaning of a word you need. You looked up "bath" and got "kąpiel". If you had checked "bathtub", you'd have got "wanna". Best to get a dictionary which gives examples of usage in sentences, this helps a lot.
I'm sure you'll do better next year :)
Why is kąpiel wrong?
Because it's "taking a bath", the name of the activity.
Siedzę w kąpieli - I'm sitting in a bathtub full of water.
Kąpiel gotowa - the bath is ready.
"Kąpiel" basically means getting wet.
The thing that you have in your bathroom is called wanna. Kąpiel w wannie - taking a bath in a bathtub. But kąpiel w jeziorze means swimming in a lake.
Why can't I just copy (the nominative) from the dictionary?!
You can, but the dictionary doesn't know which meaning of a word you need. You looked up "bath" and got "kąpiel". If you had checked "bathtub", you'd have got "wanna". Best to get a dictionary which gives examples of usage in sentences, this helps a lot.
I'm sure you'll do better next year :)