What are common Polish character traits?

Not at all. For example German people are more orderly, not superstitious, less traditional, not as hospitable, not nearly as gossping, etc. Or even take British they're far more friendly to strangers than Poles, far more trusting whereas poles generally assume a stranger has an ulterior motive for being nice. Chinese are more shrewd. people from carribean are not as materialistic, they're lazier, relaxed and even move slow while Poles generally are hard working and always seem to be busy or in a rush especially urban poles

Not to mention, love for freedom. There are many things most Poles take for granted, which is a dream in other countries. It's focus on the common good and national rhetoric is appealing to many Poles as Poles are pretty individualistic in daily life.

I'd have to disagree with that. Poles are very family oriented when compared to many other countries - way more so than USA. But yes, this is something that sadly has declined a lot. It's part of globalism quite frankly. Under communism and even up until perhaps a decade ago the family was very close - grandparents, uncles, cousins, everyone would meet up regularly. No one would think of abandoning their parents once they get old. It was also common for several generations to live in the same household which is pretty rare now except for rural areas. Still though, I feel that Poles are more family oriented than many other nations, but less so than say like Italy, Mexico, etc. Now the youth in Poland just goes their own way eventually get married, have kids, and they lose touch with extended family.

That wasn`t their own choice, really, but a result of shortage of apartments - people had to live in multigeneration families as they couldn`t afford an independent accommodation. But the truth is that Poles as individuals love to be independent. That is why that tradition from communist times has changed today.

Dirk, add to those German attributes, more darkly cynical as well:-)

One of the most admired traits of the Polish was 'hard workers'.
This trait seems to have been lost in this generation.
Poland must not have had welfare programs in the old days. yes ?

True. The Poles, particularly under Communism, had a reputation as workers, not shirkers!
Many a time I can recall during a period not all that long ago, when many of the local cleaning women were typically older Poles, that they were known to be exceptionally clean and with their nose to the grindstone.

No, it hasn`t been lost. Poles work longer weekly than other nations in Europe. Partly due to backwardness and less advanced technologies, but the fact is a fact. .

My first Polish primer was called "PRACOWITA MATKA", from around the late sixties or so. Here, the units and readings stressed the tough, self-reliant, yet diligent Polish mother, always hard at work for her family, and of course, the State!

This?:

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Has there been any primer like "PRACOWITY OJCIEC"? Just wondering ...

Not yet, I am afraid. But you are right - the equality must become a real entity, not an empty slogan! (like so far). I demand full equality! E.g., I want to bear children, like my wife!

Well, here in the US, we know only from "deadbeat dads", never moms!
:-)

Know from or of, coz I am a bit lost?

"Know FROM" is acceptably correct US usage! What you Europeans learn
in British English, I wouldn't have a clue:-)

I associate 'know from' with the greater NYC area (pretty sure it's originally a calque from Yiddish) as an informal variant of 'know about'. I'm not sure if I use it or not... I can imagine maybe sarcastically using it "Yeah, like I know from X" (meaning I don't know anything about it)

How about we know this only from the cases involving deadbeat dads, never moms. as an unabbreviated version.
Nothing especially American or NY.

True, Maf!

Plenty of gentiles also used to say for instance, "So make like a nice guy and leave me alone..." or expressions of that sort.

That's just bad English. How about, "be a nice guy and leave me alone". Too simple?
Why is everybody looking for a deeper meaning or some fancy explanation to crap talk.

It's not fancy, it's merely Yiddish-influenced English, as Maf said!

I had a problem with this from coz I associated it with phrases like to know sth from sb

Because normal human beings aren't robots like you, only interested in communicating bare semantics, they enjoy expressive, creative and playful language usage.

This is true of all languages, you're the (statistical) freak with your abhorrence of expressive usage.

Clear first. Expressive is second - if not lower - and reserved for the linguistic snobs at the seminars with other linguistic snobs where they try to impress one another with the multisyllable words last used 147 years ago.

I forgot to mention cheese, wine, and a cozy fireplace...


It's hard to be objective when reviewing yourself, but I don't think my English is any worse than anybody's here. Do you think yours is better than mine? It is not. Just read your last post and you will instantly see why.

People who value time talk straight and to the point. Like me. Freaks and snobs delight in stealing another man's time by meandering, implying, suggesting and talking in riddles. Communicating is not figure skating.

please back to the topic of this thread

For Polish women it seems to be being argumentative, provoking, mean and ornery day in and day out.
Here on this forum anyways.
Do single Polish women ever smile without stimulants such as weed or alcohol ?

Nah, the problem is with old,fat, American men of German descent that like to pretend that they are Polish....

Now see I thought it was fat old British man of German decent that likes to pretend to be first generation Polish. lol

What is it with Polish people that when they become vindictive that their main weapon is to try and shame and embarrass the person on their sht list.

That is definitely a Polish character trait as you have seen used on this forum (especially by the women) over and over again by Polish members or members with Polish ancestry.

Melancholy! I don't know if that's the reason why most Polish towns are drab, grey and depressing compared to those in other ex commie places like Baltics, Hungary etc.

You mean like this?

That's Marszalkowska, Warsaw, 2017. Unbelievable.

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lol Im arguing with some Polish ***** Poland actually looks the same or worse thwn this PiS propaganda Russian dude trying to prop it up:
youtu.be/O7GKFHfxFS8

they have all these Russians or Ukrainians who i suspect are sponsored by PiS to say how Poland is better than that above. which it isnt.

^Yes, this. I mean Krakow's a doll. It looks better than Prague imo. But if one compares small towns in Bavaria, Czechia, Slovakia or Hungary with such in Poland Polish ones seem less colorful, sorta industrial (say, Amberg or Poprad vs Solina or Mielec). Did they suffer heavy war damage or the PRL was more brutal than in most other ex commie places? Hungary looks like its commie era was more pleasant. I thought just Warsaw and larger cities save for Krakow suffer in the wars but maybe most of Poland was wiped and PRL did little to repair the damages? A nice exception is Przemyśl, it's wonderful.