mafketis
15 Oct 2021
USA, Canada / Moving to Poland from Canada [40]
So she's starting to do some research, good for her!
So she's starting to do some research, good for her!
mafketis
15 Oct 2021
USA, Canada / Moving to Poland from Canada [40]
Brits are the single nationality that seems most... discombobulated by cultural differences in Poland (and the one most likely to see their own cultural quirks as normal human behavior rather than.... cultural quirks).
And unlike Russia or Ukraine (and in contradiction to PiS propaganda) most of the wealth hasn't been scooped up by thieving oligarchs... it's not been distributed equally (which would be impossible however much that fact bothers some) but the general lack of oligarchs in Poland vis a vis some neighbors is a very good thing.
In the 1990s when I spent more time there than I do now Warsaw was far more... stratified with a larger have not class than other major cities. Has that gap been narrowing any?
Which is not Canada... so.... irrelevant.
the brits taking the side that it is normal behaviour for humans
Brits are the single nationality that seems most... discombobulated by cultural differences in Poland (and the one most likely to see their own cultural quirks as normal human behavior rather than.... cultural quirks).
So much dynamism and development and wealth over the last 30 years
And unlike Russia or Ukraine (and in contradiction to PiS propaganda) most of the wealth hasn't been scooped up by thieving oligarchs... it's not been distributed equally (which would be impossible however much that fact bothers some) but the general lack of oligarchs in Poland vis a vis some neighbors is a very good thing.
In the 1990s when I spent more time there than I do now Warsaw was far more... stratified with a larger have not class than other major cities. Has that gap been narrowing any?
I live in the Chicago area
Which is not Canada... so.... irrelevant.
mafketis
15 Oct 2021
USA, Canada / Moving to Poland from Canada [40]
No longer.... it's sold its Pacific coast to Chinese real estate investors and has horribly insane covid policies. I fully understand wanting to leave Trudeaustan for freer climes....
a grade-A country like Canada
No longer.... it's sold its Pacific coast to Chinese real estate investors and has horribly insane covid policies. I fully understand wanting to leave Trudeaustan for freer climes....
mafketis
15 Oct 2021
News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [996]
All I can say is that the system is working for someone... who?
wondering why we have to pay so massive to everybody .... and will never get any support from them....
All I can say is that the system is working for someone... who?
mafketis
15 Oct 2021
News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [996]
It's irrational cognitive dissonance on a grand scale... PiS (esp the Ziobro faction) want to leave the EU and still have all the rights and privileges of EU membership including access to foreign labor markets and large shipments of money for infrastructure (that they can take credit for).
It can't work. I'm not a big fan of the EU in its current form after it turned to imposing austerity after 2009* but there's no rational reason for Poland to leave (yet). If there is a reason in the future it will be decided by Poles - the same way they decided to leave the Soviet bloc after WWII...
*again, austerity has nothing to do with real budget or debt concerns or any such nonsense, it's always a way of transferring public goods to well-connected private players
Polexit is a dream hard to be achieved
It's irrational cognitive dissonance on a grand scale... PiS (esp the Ziobro faction) want to leave the EU and still have all the rights and privileges of EU membership including access to foreign labor markets and large shipments of money for infrastructure (that they can take credit for).
It can't work. I'm not a big fan of the EU in its current form after it turned to imposing austerity after 2009* but there's no rational reason for Poland to leave (yet). If there is a reason in the future it will be decided by Poles - the same way they decided to leave the Soviet bloc after WWII...
*again, austerity has nothing to do with real budget or debt concerns or any such nonsense, it's always a way of transferring public goods to well-connected private players
mafketis
15 Oct 2021
Language / I'm native Polish and I hate my own language. [106]
The only time I use it is when it's a relative pronoun preceded by a preposition
The patron for whom the composer played the sonata was pleased.
The mayor about whom the book was written resigned in disgrace.
The soldier at whom they were shooting managed to escape.
Any other whom seems weird and intrusive.
when using "whom", less is usually more
The only time I use it is when it's a relative pronoun preceded by a preposition
The patron for whom the composer played the sonata was pleased.
The mayor about whom the book was written resigned in disgrace.
The soldier at whom they were shooting managed to escape.
Any other whom seems weird and intrusive.
mafketis
15 Oct 2021
USA, Canada / Moving to Poland from Canada [40]
Just don't have any expectations and be willing to relearn a _lot_ of your social interactions work. Poland can be a great place to live but it's not a user friendly country and you'll have to accept the way things work here and get over any nagging feelings that Poland is a defective Canada that can be made more like your homeland.
bits of advice:
Any Polish person who _insists_ on speaking English with you and discourages you from learning/improving your Polish.... is not your friend, they see you as a resource but will eventually get tired of you and dump you.
Don't nod to or greet random people on the street as they pass (it's a hard habit to break but you'll get the hang of politely ignoring people). Do always greet people you know.
Do continue to learn Polish (hint: pay more attention to nouns and adjectives in the beginning - that's the backbone of the language and getting those right is more important than verbs). Don't over-stimulate yourself. Find a local online newspaper and just read the headlines (with google translate and a dictionary) until that gets too easy. Don't start off trying to read things that are too difficult (like Rzeczpospolita)
Donald Duck comics are very helpful in learning the language.
Better produce and baked goods and meat are generally found at smaller neighborhood stores, it would be good if you could accompany someone who knows how to shop there to learn how to ask for things. Weight is usually ordered in deko (decagrams so that you ask for 30 deko rather than 300 milligrams).
Polish people are not rude for the most part but rules of politeness are drastically different from English speaking North America and you'll sometimes need to be rude by Canadian standards to be polite here and trying to be Canadian polite will make you seem intrusive (politeness is largely about maintaining social distance).
Don't over apologize, it's not part of the politeness culture and will be seen as a sign of personal weakness (and a sign you can't be relied upon).
Polish people... distinguish grades of friendship. It will be a long time before you're more than znajoma (acquaintance) and make it to koleżanka (friend/colleague) you'll only very rarely ever made to przyjaciółka (very close friend) and never be kumpelka (close friend by the implication is that you've known each other for years).
Learn to stand up for yourself (it will be needed).
Learn to say "No." to requests (it will be needed).
Don't stress out after making mistakes. You'll get over it and so will other people.
Any advice??
Just don't have any expectations and be willing to relearn a _lot_ of your social interactions work. Poland can be a great place to live but it's not a user friendly country and you'll have to accept the way things work here and get over any nagging feelings that Poland is a defective Canada that can be made more like your homeland.
bits of advice:
Any Polish person who _insists_ on speaking English with you and discourages you from learning/improving your Polish.... is not your friend, they see you as a resource but will eventually get tired of you and dump you.
Don't nod to or greet random people on the street as they pass (it's a hard habit to break but you'll get the hang of politely ignoring people). Do always greet people you know.
Do continue to learn Polish (hint: pay more attention to nouns and adjectives in the beginning - that's the backbone of the language and getting those right is more important than verbs). Don't over-stimulate yourself. Find a local online newspaper and just read the headlines (with google translate and a dictionary) until that gets too easy. Don't start off trying to read things that are too difficult (like Rzeczpospolita)
Donald Duck comics are very helpful in learning the language.
Better produce and baked goods and meat are generally found at smaller neighborhood stores, it would be good if you could accompany someone who knows how to shop there to learn how to ask for things. Weight is usually ordered in deko (decagrams so that you ask for 30 deko rather than 300 milligrams).
Polish people are not rude for the most part but rules of politeness are drastically different from English speaking North America and you'll sometimes need to be rude by Canadian standards to be polite here and trying to be Canadian polite will make you seem intrusive (politeness is largely about maintaining social distance).
Don't over apologize, it's not part of the politeness culture and will be seen as a sign of personal weakness (and a sign you can't be relied upon).
Polish people... distinguish grades of friendship. It will be a long time before you're more than znajoma (acquaintance) and make it to koleżanka (friend/colleague) you'll only very rarely ever made to przyjaciółka (very close friend) and never be kumpelka (close friend by the implication is that you've known each other for years).
Learn to stand up for yourself (it will be needed).
Learn to say "No." to requests (it will be needed).
Don't stress out after making mistakes. You'll get over it and so will other people.
mafketis
14 Oct 2021
Language / I'm native Polish and I hate my own language. [106]
Do you enjoy practicing your English on this forum?
Do you enjoy practicing your English on this forum?
mafketis
14 Oct 2021
Language / I'm native Polish and I hate my own language. [106]
Speaking a foreign language is a very different thing from speaking the language of the country... would you ask someone living in Germany (with an accent) if they enjoyed practicing their German?
he did ask if I enjoyed practicing Polish
Speaking a foreign language is a very different thing from speaking the language of the country... would you ask someone living in Germany (with an accent) if they enjoyed practicing their German?
mafketis
14 Oct 2021
Language / I'm native Polish and I hate my own language. [106]
No. On your part. Suggesting to someone in the US that they need/want 'practice' speaking English implies lots of things that polite people don't imply. For all you know he's a citizen (or a permanent resident with a green card).
The usual American expression is "waiting/standing in line" not 'on line'... is that a NYC area thing like 'lean off' (instead of 'dont' lean on')?
On his part you mean. I agree.
No. On your part. Suggesting to someone in the US that they need/want 'practice' speaking English implies lots of things that polite people don't imply. For all you know he's a citizen (or a permanent resident with a green card).
the husband asked me if I was standing on line
The usual American expression is "waiting/standing in line" not 'on line'... is that a NYC area thing like 'lean off' (instead of 'dont' lean on')?
mafketis
14 Oct 2021
Language / I'm native Polish and I hate my own language. [106]
To be honest that sounds kind of rude...
I hoped he enjoyed practicing his English with me
To be honest that sounds kind of rude...
mafketis
14 Oct 2021
Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]
It reminds me of the tężnie in Ciechocinek though I don't remember those as being anywhere close to that long....
It reminds me of the tężnie in Ciechocinek though I don't remember those as being anywhere close to that long....
mafketis
11 Oct 2021
Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]
Beyond the title I don't see it... Kiepski didn't really work and his wife was a bit smarter than him (neither true of MwC where both husband and wife were dumb as rocks, just in different ways).
it was "in the style of" MwC.
Beyond the title I don't see it... Kiepski didn't really work and his wife was a bit smarter than him (neither true of MwC where both husband and wife were dumb as rocks, just in different ways).
mafketis
11 Oct 2021
Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]
The Polish title was based on the Polish title of Married... with children but this is the first I've ever heard that it was based on a British show... what was that?
And I don't think it has anything to do with MwC, if anything (with its frequent forays into surrealism) I'd say it's a bit like the Simpsons (materially struggling often dysfunctional family trying and failing to get ahead in comical ways).
The Polish title was based on the Polish title of Married... with children but this is the first I've ever heard that it was based on a British show... what was that?
And I don't think it has anything to do with MwC, if anything (with its frequent forays into surrealism) I'd say it's a bit like the Simpsons (materially struggling often dysfunctional family trying and failing to get ahead in comical ways).
mafketis
11 Oct 2021
Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]
Which? All in the family which was based on Til death do us part? Or something else? Not sure I see it...
a Polish comedy based on a US comedy that in turn was based on a UK one
Which? All in the family which was based on Til death do us part? Or something else? Not sure I see it...
mafketis
11 Oct 2021
Language / POLISH 18 - 30 years old know MUCH BETTER ENGLISH language than their own native language! [102]
Long enough that I remember taking part of an old fashioned matura practice test (multiple choice) and getting 4 out of 20 'wrong'. For one the only 'correct' answer was a British form that is very marginal or non-existent in the US (need not) for two others a British native speaker agreed with my answer (and not the official right answer) and one just made no sense - neither of us could understand what was intended or why the 'correct'; answer was correct...
That was when I was tutoring a kid who wanted to do English matura (though English wasn't offered in his high school). He passed fine and said my advice on the Polish to English translation section was the most useful he'd gotten (look for the weirdness in the Polish question to get an idea of what they're looking for in English).
I knew on British person who didn't want their kids taking English in school because said kids were fluent enough that most teachers would feel threatened.... (they were not really native speakers though - one parent in Poland and grandparents they saw a couple of weeks out of the year in England weren't enough for that).
To be fair the general level of English in Poland has improved massively* if we're talking about basic daily face to face communication. And most people would never need anything more than that. But nonsense about young Poles speaking English better than Polish..... is just that, nonsense.
*though it's decreased in many ways over the last few years
To be fair, the Polish meanings are in line with other European languages and English is the odd language out in those cases...
BTW Maf, how long you are in the Poland?
Long enough that I remember taking part of an old fashioned matura practice test (multiple choice) and getting 4 out of 20 'wrong'. For one the only 'correct' answer was a British form that is very marginal or non-existent in the US (need not) for two others a British native speaker agreed with my answer (and not the official right answer) and one just made no sense - neither of us could understand what was intended or why the 'correct'; answer was correct...
That was when I was tutoring a kid who wanted to do English matura (though English wasn't offered in his high school). He passed fine and said my advice on the Polish to English translation section was the most useful he'd gotten (look for the weirdness in the Polish question to get an idea of what they're looking for in English).
I knew on British person who didn't want their kids taking English in school because said kids were fluent enough that most teachers would feel threatened.... (they were not really native speakers though - one parent in Poland and grandparents they saw a couple of weeks out of the year in England weren't enough for that).
To be fair the general level of English in Poland has improved massively* if we're talking about basic daily face to face communication. And most people would never need anything more than that. But nonsense about young Poles speaking English better than Polish..... is just that, nonsense.
*though it's decreased in many ways over the last few years
actually and eventually
To be fair, the Polish meanings are in line with other European languages and English is the odd language out in those cases...
mafketis
11 Oct 2021
Language / POLISH 18 - 30 years old know MUCH BETTER ENGLISH language than their own native language! [102]
Women in Poland are discriminated.
The new furnitures in his house are nice ones.
The party was very funny!
That fashion is on top now.
That problem is very current and controversial one.
With ingrained mistakes that sound awful, yet even their teachers ... think are right.
Women in Poland are discriminated.
The new furnitures in his house are nice ones.
The party was very funny!
That fashion is on top now.
That problem is very current and controversial one.
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Polonia / Possible Green Surge in Germany [118]
Another nail in the coffin....
But they're boring and don't have the undercurrent of menace that the old Soviet or DDR teams had (twin American favorite villains).
...and the whole topic about Doping!
Another nail in the coffin....
the only ones who still "feel the spirit" of the Cold War are the Chinese
But they're boring and don't have the undercurrent of menace that the old Soviet or DDR teams had (twin American favorite villains).
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Polonia / Possible Green Surge in Germany [118]
When the cold war was on the Olympics were terrific drama ( a kind of mostly non-violent proxy warfare ) and it had a kind of mystique about it. Also spectacle was far less common and so they were an event.
In the modern world spectacles are a dime a dozen and there's no meta narrative around the olympics (to replace the old East bloc vs the West) and so fewer and fewer people find anything interesting there.
When the cold war was on the Olympics were terrific drama ( a kind of mostly non-violent proxy warfare ) and it had a kind of mystique about it. Also spectacle was far less common and so they were an event.
In the modern world spectacles are a dime a dozen and there's no meta narrative around the olympics (to replace the old East bloc vs the West) and so fewer and fewer people find anything interesting there.
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]
Also the US meaning, mostly (almost always?) refers to WWII... the last 'official' war...
about how a war affects civilians at home
Also the US meaning, mostly (almost always?) refers to WWII... the last 'official' war...
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]
In the US those occur between different families (and is the US title of the game show format called Familiada in Poland (and Family Fortunes in the UK?!)
For me, home front might a war going on somewhere else
I also think "By fire and sword" sounds better than 'with' and 'by' is used in most English bible versions of Isaiah 66:16 which is presumably the source of the title (is it?)
"By fire and sword he will punish all the people of the world whom he finds guilty - and many will be put to death"
And Quack for Znachor is just terrible...."The Healer" would have been much better...
I've read that weird Polish translations of movies/tv series from other countries are often due to the fact that the first translations have to be done from the titles by people who are given almost no information on the movie in question...
Worst English title though goes to the idiots who came up with "Money Heist" (from the Spanish where 'House of Paper' or 'Paper house' would work just as well as the original Casa de Papel....)
"Family Feud"
In the US those occur between different families (and is the US title of the game show format called Familiada in Poland (and Family Fortunes in the UK?!)
For me, home front might a war going on somewhere else
I also think "By fire and sword" sounds better than 'with' and 'by' is used in most English bible versions of Isaiah 66:16 which is presumably the source of the title (is it?)
"By fire and sword he will punish all the people of the world whom he finds guilty - and many will be put to death"
And Quack for Znachor is just terrible...."The Healer" would have been much better...
There are some fairly bizarre translations of film names.
I've read that weird Polish translations of movies/tv series from other countries are often due to the fact that the first translations have to be done from the titles by people who are given almost no information on the movie in question...
Worst English title though goes to the idiots who came up with "Money Heist" (from the Spanish where 'House of Paper' or 'Paper house' would work just as well as the original Casa de Papel....)
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]
I've often wondered about how to best translate that name, in Polish it's kind of a play on words with 'civil war' which wouldn't be a good title in #nglish... maybe "The war at home" or "Domestic War(fare)"....
Household War from 1960s - a series for and about teens and generation gap
I've often wondered about how to best translate that name, in Polish it's kind of a play on words with 'civil war' which wouldn't be a good title in #nglish... maybe "The war at home" or "Domestic War(fare)"....
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Polonia / Possible Green Surge in Germany [118]
What effect will the recent vote about confiscating housing from corporate landlords have? I've heard how impossible the housing market is there, how do you think it will change now?
Wouldn't it make the rest of the country love it's dear Capital City even more?
t Berlin is totally broke
What effect will the recent vote about confiscating housing from corporate landlords have? I've heard how impossible the housing market is there, how do you think it will change now?
the whole of Germany would have to pay for it!
Wouldn't it make the rest of the country love it's dear Capital City even more?
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Work / Teaching English in Poland....CELTA or TESOL certificate? [66]
That's why feet on the ground mean a lot in Poland....
If the OP has family in the country it might be worth it to visit around hiring time and make the rounds in person....
A lot happens at the last minute.
That's why feet on the ground mean a lot in Poland....
If the OP has family in the country it might be worth it to visit around hiring time and make the rounds in person....
mafketis
6 Oct 2021
Polonia / Possible Green Surge in Germany [118]
Let them host them. They don't mean anything anymore (and haven't for a long time). It's just a big boondoggle now, a way for public funds to be transported to private bank accounts while exploiting impressionable and often idealistic young people to destroy their health for a shiny piece of metal.
If Germany wants to host the games
Let them host them. They don't mean anything anymore (and haven't for a long time). It's just a big boondoggle now, a way for public funds to be transported to private bank accounts while exploiting impressionable and often idealistic young people to destroy their health for a shiny piece of metal.
mafketis
4 Oct 2021
Polonia / Possible Green Surge in Germany [118]
It's best not to think of them as two parties. Each tends to be more like a very long lasting coalition of diverse unofficial semi-parties (and occasionally a chunk of one party breaks away to join the other for either an election or longer).
the two-party-system in the US compared to the x-party-system in Germany
It's best not to think of them as two parties. Each tends to be more like a very long lasting coalition of diverse unofficial semi-parties (and occasionally a chunk of one party breaks away to join the other for either an election or longer).
mafketis
4 Oct 2021
Work / Teaching English in Poland....CELTA or TESOL certificate? [66]
where are you from? advice for British and Americans (and others) will be different as they tend to face different challenges in Poland...
The college near me offers a TESOL certificate
where are you from? advice for British and Americans (and others) will be different as they tend to face different challenges in Poland...
mafketis
4 Oct 2021
Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]
Neither are they (AFAIK) invasive... there are lots of non-native species in the US that now have self-sustaining breeding populations in the wild, from pythons in Florida to snakeheads (type of fish) further north...
What about invasive animal species in Poland? I know of at least one.... anyone recognize it?
johnny will cdrtainly misidentify it....
hedgehogs aren't native to the US.
Neither are they (AFAIK) invasive... there are lots of non-native species in the US that now have self-sustaining breeding populations in the wild, from pythons in Florida to snakeheads (type of fish) further north...
What about invasive animal species in Poland? I know of at least one.... anyone recognize it?
johnny will cdrtainly misidentify it....
invader.jpg
mafketis
4 Oct 2021
Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]
and rightly so... and porcupine was very, very wrong.
There are, they're just kept as pets and not found in the wild (and I don't know how well they'd survive if set free....). And porcupines are not even very similar (and are at least five or six times the size of hedgehogs).
But it seems that people keep some African variety as pets (I had a student with a pet hedgehog a few years ago). One problem is that at present breeding is based on looks rather than temperament so they look nice but often don't like interacting with people....
I couldn't recognise "bobcat" and "buffalo"
and rightly so... and porcupine was very, very wrong.
I had no idea that there are no hedgehogs in the US
There are, they're just kept as pets and not found in the wild (and I don't know how well they'd survive if set free....). And porcupines are not even very similar (and are at least five or six times the size of hedgehogs).
hedgehog is under protection in Poland you can't keep it as a house pet...
But it seems that people keep some African variety as pets (I had a student with a pet hedgehog a few years ago). One problem is that at present breeding is based on looks rather than temperament so they look nice but often don't like interacting with people....
mafketis
4 Oct 2021
Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]
Actually a good point. Many Poles assume that English terminology is unified the same way it is in Polish (and centered around British usage) but English is a pluricentric language with more than one official version. Many would be surprised at how little people in the US know of (or care about) British norms...
In line with this, there are some terms for plants and animals that were taken around the world but attached to different things. Where I grew up 'daisies' and 'perriwinkles' were completely different plants from the originals.
With that in mind, the terms bison (or wisent) are acceptable to refer to the Polish animal while bison or buffalo refer to the North American beast...
For me, lynx and bobcat are similar but differ by habitat (I think of lynx in the mountains and bobcats in scrubland or forest though.....)
Polish terminology vs. American terminology
Actually a good point. Many Poles assume that English terminology is unified the same way it is in Polish (and centered around British usage) but English is a pluricentric language with more than one official version. Many would be surprised at how little people in the US know of (or care about) British norms...
In line with this, there are some terms for plants and animals that were taken around the world but attached to different things. Where I grew up 'daisies' and 'perriwinkles' were completely different plants from the originals.
With that in mind, the terms bison (or wisent) are acceptable to refer to the Polish animal while bison or buffalo refer to the North American beast...
For me, lynx and bobcat are similar but differ by habitat (I think of lynx in the mountains and bobcats in scrubland or forest though.....)