Language / Too many English words in the Polish language! [709]

Michal, You are way too uptight -- If it makes you feel better, Polish /slavic words have come into English. Kiosk, Kielbasa, pierogi, rondo, Polka and Polock as well as scores of words from other languages and cultures.

English is the language of the world, Michal. Maybe you heard that in your village, maybe not. Besides, all languages change and evolve. Over the last 40 years, "whom" which is itself one of a few remnants of dative case left in English -- has almost become obsolete, and many educated people don't even know when to use whom and when to use who, properly.

I personally think it would be much better to take pride in other things, like not trashing your own country with litter and graffitti and picking up after your dogs -- just for starters.

Language / Some Ideas for a band name using the Polish language? [94]


Hello Teffle,

DEFINITELY Give up Centrum, dude.
Like it or not, it's a terrible choice -- it is the very widely-known household word for a dietary supplement for old people Centrum Silver. Your band will be stuck with tons of jokes forever about old people, and dementia, and no bladder control, or the DEPENDS, diapers for senior citizens.

If you want to totally kiss good bye any chance of your band making it, then just be sure to put CENTRUM in the title. You might as well use Viagra -- the big pill for erectile dysfunction.

Better would be a name that is a play on words, or a name that has linguistic interference in two languages --same word, same pronounciation, two totally different meanings. they get it only if they know something of both languages -- I like "Twardy Kamien" pronounced TVAR-dy KAHM-yen, and is the literal word for word translation for "Hard Rock",

Another very cool concept is taking a phrase in English like a name of a drink -- Long Island Tea, or High Ball, Bloody Mary, and then use a straight literal translation Wysokakula. Pronounced vee-soka-KOO-la In Polish the accent is always on the next to last syllable, so this way, you combined high and ball and created one word, which sounds exotic, and mysterious.

My total favorite is "Hardball" very edgy sounding concept in English--- as in we don't play soft, we play to win, with two straight literal Polish words combined, into one Twardakula. Tvar-da-KOO-la or Zwevilk. -- Totally Polish sounding and combines two literal words into one -- Badwolf. It sounds cool to people who don't know Polish, and as one word together, every one who knows polish will get it -- but the point is that it is not translated into English --- The band is Zwehvilk. Zweh-VILK. It's creative, edgy and brutally slavic. Great luck,

Life / Recommended ISPs (moving to Gdańsk) [12]


Hello Ziutek,

I would say which ever firm you choose, try to get one that doesn't require a contract -- the customer service is much better, as they are motivated to actually give you service and fix any problems when they come up. I highly recommend Elpro/ Nitka, but i think it may be just in this region. Great service, they use a radio signal and everything was hooked up in two days. No contract.

The worst of all -- is Neostrada -- the only thing worse than the cruddy connection which goes off and on, for hours or even days at a time, is the non-customer service. It is what nightmares of post-communist Polish red tape are made of. I have honestly seen better service in Russia.

Also, be sure to check if they have synchronous upload and download speed. _ A lot of companies that boast about fast speed only talk about the one speed -- upload, but downloading is much slower.

I was stuck with them for two years and couldn't get out-- like being stuck in a bad relationship with a psychotic stalker.

Best of luck -- Take care.