What are common Polish character traits?

Common Polish character traits? They could be used to advertise Internet boards...


... ;)

Coffee all over my monitor. Thank you, Torq ;)

Whatever happened to yours? , did everyone lose interest?

No probs. :)


Bloody EU regulations - I got an information about RODO (data protection act) from my ISP about all the necessary paperwork, and decided I couldn't be bothered.

My pleasure Rich.
Notice how I omitted the irrelevant traits intentionally and focused on the main ones.
As you can see that steamed some people to the point they had to troll my post to make themselves happy.

There is a big difference between the mind-set of a truly Polish person and say a English one. Poles who have come to work in England after 2004 say that they can 'relax' and live 'normally' in England. I spend 6 months in Poland and could go through examples of things which to me seem very strange behaviour, but there are good and bad people everywhere. It does not mean that one is right and the other wrong, just different.

I have never met a Polish person who understood what 'irony' was. Once, while watching a football match, I said that the 'player was obviously too tired, as he had been on the pitch for 30 minutes' and I got a mouthful of someone who said 'he gets paid for it' - but I meant it in a completely different way. They simply don't get it.

Fuckinhell, dude - the guy gets paid for playing 90 or 120 minutes if need be! And you said he is right to be tired after 30 minutes??? This is ridiculous! Those players are professionals for crying out loud!!!

Your case in point confirmed Terri. lol

Another trait is the vindictiveness Polish people are known for.
They can get very nasty at times over the silliest things while seeking revenge.

Nasty??? Did you really say "nasty", you sorry son of a b*tch? I'm going to get you for this, arsehole - you will regret it and beg for mercy. I shall be your worst nightmare from now on.

Looks like Poles are not the only people who don't get 'irony'. :D :D :D

this forum is so much fun sometimes

@Torq, you just proved Terri's point about Poles not understanding irony - or were you being ironic??

But yes, Terri is right. In general they don't get that kind of humour. Polish humour tends to be 'telegraphed', real mainland Europe stuff, rubber sledge hammer, bucket of tinsel and 'sminky pinky'.

youtube.com/watch?v=piKeDrrOrsE

There are attempts at satirical humour but it's a bit forced. "The Chairman's Ear" is not bad but it doesn't compare to the Brits' "Yes Minister". Still, it's a step in the right direction :)

:D

I don't know myself, I'm too confused now. *yeah, right*


No, Terri is not right. Unless Terri is fluent in Polish and made the aforementioned remark in Polish. Otherwise, it is quite obvious that it's much more difficult to detect something as subtle as irony in a foreign language (especially if the foreign language is as different from your native one as English is from Polish), because people concentrate more on understanding the vocabulary and literal meaning. Getting irony comes on a rather high level of fluency in a foreign language.

Unfortunately most British and American people are so hopelessly monolingual that they fail to notice and understand that.


Try some old Kabaret Tey stuff on YT - it might make you change your mind. But in general you're right - modern day cabaret is too straightforward and rather primitive.

Terri IS Polish :)) However, my husband is also Polish and he too finds that any attempt at irony British Isles style, tends to fall flat with his Polish colleagues and do bear in mind that they're conversing in in Polish. Some of them watch British comedies and enjoy them but they don't 'get' the jokes in conversation if you know what I mean.

I do actually enjoy some older Polish comedies like Alternatywy 4, Poszukiwany, Poszukiwana etc.

Is he? Interesting :)

I never noticed this failure in understanding irony myself, but I'm a teacher and spend most of my time with other teachers, and we are generally a sad bunch, drowning our sorrows in cheap irony.


And I really enjoy some older British TV shows like Yes, Minister (Prime Minister), Blackadder series or A bit of Fry and Laurie.

Come to think of it - they are from more or less the same time as Kabaret Tey and the Polish Comedies that you mentioned. So, maybe it's something wrong with modern comedies/TV shows in general?

He's also a woman :D You see, if you want to have an intelligent conversation in this place, you have to rely on 'the ladies' :))

Haha, Torq... lol I'm afraid you're not being obvious enough for our johnny here... It's probably because of his Polish genes... Poor fella...

Atch, maybe you have some Polish roots too that you don't know about? :))


Lol We do, terri. You have quite a bit of display of irony and sarcasm by pawian and Torq on PF lately. Haven't you noticed? Or maybe you don't get it? ;)

As for that football player it is possible that you didn't indicate with your tone of voice that you're being sarcastic or that someone who was at that moment emotionally invested in the game didn't catch on it. Did you speak in English?

There may be some cultural differences too - Poles are more direct and upfront than the English, they don't veil everything so much.
To be honest, terri, your comment looks pretty prejudiced/ignorant to me. I don't know of any nation that wouldn't get irony. In my discussions with Russians, for example, I've noticed that they often employ irony and sarcasm in their responses to Russophobia.

Btw, you know what's really ironic, guys? If it was Harry, delph, Dougpol or jon who would write such comments like johnny_reb or Rich Mazur about Poles in this thread they would be labelled as Pole-haters and told to gtfo from Poland if they don't like it and Poles so much, etc. etc. It would be the same if such comments were written by a "libtard" Pole - the difference would be probably that he or she would be also called a traitor.

So where are the ultra-patriots now? All I can hear is crickets and all I can see is tumbleweeds rolling across the street... :)

Isn't this true for every place? ;)

My sides are splitting.

Atch, I'm afraid I don't know whether you're being honest or ironic British/Irish style... I'm Polish, you'll have to forgive me... :))

You should consult a doctor then. It sounds very dangerous and can't be healthy.

@Paulina: this thread has become way too confusing now :D

Spot on, Torq, we Poles are simple people, it's just all too complicated and confusing for us, I'm afraid... lol

Luckily, we have our more sophisticated foreign friends here to help us.

Or am I being ironic?

*retires to bed with enormous headache caused by all the confusion*

Oh, yes, what would we have done without them??

Btw, thanks, Torq, I had fun lol You and pawian are becoming my favourites on PF :) This place really needed some humour... (and the return of "the old guard", apparently :))

Mine are too.


Now Ms. Vindictive, did I say I didn't like anything ?
No I did not.
Those are your words so please don't put them in my mouth to paint your picture.
You are the classical touchy over sensitive Pollack that doesn't want to admit the obvious.
We know the truth stings sometimes however most of the Polish traits pointed out in this thread are dead nut on as bad as you are embarrassed by them.

You shouldn't be ashamed of these negative traits as they are just a cultural thing because of being behind times a tad.


You shouldn't think so little of yourselves.
On the brighter side of the Polish traits is that they certainly know how to make good sausage and potato's.
(Oh the irony as he slaps his knee in laughter)

I hope they stick around, and you as well Paulina. Even though you and I are not BFFs by any means, at least you're actually Polish and you live in Poland. That's what the forum needs - and you're borderline normal which is a bonus!

@Paulina: thanks, I had fun too. Don't mind Johnny - he simply doesn't get our Polish, more subtle, kind of irony. ;)

@Johnny: I appreciate your words of praise about our premium class sausage and potatoes, but I am still coming to get you. Not being vindictive here, or anything, but your earlier impudent words require bloody revenge. Sorry.

@Atch: Poles living in Poland is INDEED what this forum has always needed (and I'm not being ironic at all now :)).

Johnny, now calm down, read my comment again, slowly, and then get back to me and tell me where did I write that you don't like or like something.

All I did was pointing out the hipocrysy of ultra-patriots (including yours, btw - because you often attacked Harry and others for being "anti-Polish" so spare me this self-righteous indignation now, please :)).


That was what I and other Poles were called by the British here in the past. Minus the "Pollack". By the same Brits you deplore so much and call "anti-Polish".

FYI.

@Thanks, Atch, but I'm probably too "borderline normal" to spend extended periods of time on this forum :) I have low tolerance for stupidity and all kinds of other things that are going on here. Maybe I'll visit from time to time though.

I won't write what this forum has always needed because I'd probably get a ban for that :))

Of course you are however there is one problem.
You will have to stand in line behind all the Brit Bullies that have made similar threats.


If I didn't get it my vindictive Polish genes would have kicked in and came back with my passive aggressiveness like you did. lol


And how many times in the past have I mentioned this. 'Lots' is the correct answer.
You girls live in Poland so why don't you drum up some new Polish up beat female semi normal recruits so you will have someone to fight with. lol

Wait a minute... johnny reb is Polish? Right... NOW I am confused :D

Anyway, if anyone is genuinely interested in Polish national character traits, I'd reccommend Ryszard Legutko's Esej o duszy polskiej - rather accurate as a whole.


I'm not a girl, Johnny, but I do try to keep in touch with my feminine side most of the time.

Yeah, as Polish as whole USA is

@Torq, johnny_reb is a Polish-American... But a special kind... A sociopathic kind :) Don't try to keep track of his claims and opinions, views, etc. or it will then get very confusing... and frustrating :))