Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

There is much to be said about what Atch stated, in my experience at any rate.
The Irish certainly see themselves as having the proverbial gift for gab, at certain almost devil-may-care way about them, not given to the Poles, who had years of

oppressive Communism, something Ireland was thankfully spared.

Generally, the Poles I've met here in the States, particularly those entrenched in middle age, never struck me a particularly happy lot, nothing that smoking and

a good shot of wodka couldn't cure.

Again however, these are cultural stereotypes, yet are such given the fact that a large number seem to fit that description.

The millennials though are a different matter, I will agree.

Life / How to really meet Polish people in Poland and actually socialize with people in their Late 20s/Early 30s? [34]

In large part agree, Lenka.
Language learning is always a work in progress, no matter how good on is (...or thinks they are)!
If I choose to continue speaking Polish while my Polish interlocutor insists, even claims to adamantly prefer, to speak in English, there is probably a good reason for it:-)

I've been to Europe, lived there, and spent time there over the course of nearly a decade in years past, and have been on occasion more than happy to allow my partner to practice their English, if I could in all truthfulness say to myself, that this person understands where I'm "coming from" with basically native-speaker fluency in order that I can express myself as comfortably as I could with a fellow Yank from back home. In my long experience, that happened only once, maybe twice, in Austria, when I was visiting grad school friends from Krems.

Point 2 is right on the money!

Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

@Atch, while I realize I'm being awfully rude by preempting your question on Irish1234's behalf, one of the major differences I've observed between Irish and Poles, is that the former are typically one to joke wonderfully and openly about being a Catholic! They have, so it seems, not only the gift of gab, but more important, a talent for self-deprecating wit.

The Poles, at least those I've known and with whom I'm still in contact, really don't joke about their faith! They tend to take it much more seriously and ritualistically, particularly when speaking with strangers aka foreigners.

Sorry about that:-)

Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

Aside from the fact that you're both Catholic, I'd imagine the more subtle cultural differences take a while to get used to....even if you end up speaking English between you.

Life / How to really meet Polish people in Poland and actually socialize with people in their Late 20s/Early 30s? [34]

True enough, and yet I found those with whom I'd spoken pretended perhaps not to notice.
If honesty were the eternal touchstone of any, even superficial, relationship, I figure we'd all kill one another in fit of uncontrolled pique:-)

If someone's goal is to visit another country, particularly if they're a native Anglophone, and immerse themselves in both the language and the culture, not merely to meet someone of the opposite sex, it's especially important to use whatever ruses necessary to ensure that agenda! What harm would be done, if say, you and I met at random, anonymously on the streets of your home town, and you, hearing I was foreigner, decided to switch to English, whereupon I maintained the desire to continue speaking in Polish?

Merely a blow to your sensitive ego, no more, no less.

Life / How to really meet Polish people in Poland and actually socialize with people in their Late 20s/Early 30s? [34]

Best way in any non-native country to "socialize" with the locals in their language, and not, as you post, with other ex-pats, is to do what I did when I was a student traveler, and simply avoid the company and/or contact with those from your own country. I'd go to local bars, outdoor events which don't seem dodgy, attend movies, and in essence, hang out with as many Poles as you possibly can.

If your further goal is to improve your Polish skills, that might be hard in large city, being as today far more people want to practice their English than I was last there in the late '90's, and at least basic Polish was an absolute must!

What I would recommend is to politely feign non-comprehension if your partner insists on speaking English, maintaining the "fiction" that it would be easier for both parties if you guys stuck to Polish:-)

I was last in Europe in 2008, and the ploy somehow worked.

Law / Poland's Muzzle Law [22]

Doing what, Johnny?

Law / Poland's Muzzle Law [22]

Same difference though, Maf, just different wording:-)

Law / Poland's Muzzle Law [22]

I refer you to my favorite Adlai Stevenson retort:

Woman: Senator, I believe every thinking man and woman should vote for you as president of the United States!

Stevenson: That's not enough, madam. I need a majority!

Hitchcock the director is credited with saying, "Actors are like cattle!"
So too, perhaps, the electorate:-)

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

Admittedly, W.A.S.P. tradition frowns on what are perceived as excessive displays of public affection.
For that reason, I could see why Polish diminutives would seem uncomfortable for you.

Law / Poland's Muzzle Law [22]

Damn straight, fella!

And that plain stinks.

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

I guess you're referring to those fetching diminutives, right? What's wrong with gradations of intimacy?

Law / Poland's Muzzle Law [22]

The question then remains as to why the electorate in either country want their rights slowly but surely taken away from them.

Law / Poland's Muzzle Law [22]

Concerning the current topic thread, I feel that there should be freedom of the press in any democratic society, this includes Poland, in which apparently one single "independent" judge has been harassed for wanting nothing more than to have the judicial system free from the constraints of the Sejm.

Imagine Trump dictating how he wants the bench to interpret the law.

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

Foreigners, Poles included, constantly decry the vagueries and inconsistencies of English orthography, Rich, you just can't get around it by saying that Polish inflections are somehow "worse"!

You're comparing apples and oranges, matey:-)

Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

Best of luck!

Must be a bit of a culture shock from Ireland to Poland.

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

Is English spelling any saner?
Careful there, Richie, your ol' ethnocentrism is showing again:-)

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

When on the phone, I can sometimes hear others address him the same way.
It may simply be a question of correctness vs. colloquial usage, that is to say
"incorrect", if slangy, conversation.

European workmen on the whole, have a better education/schooling than their
US counterparts in my experience. I don't know this guy except as a super, but
perhaps in Poland he was an engineer and was forced to work in the States
as building handyman.

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

I call my super "Panie Rysku!" and he appreciates the opportunity to speak Polish:-)

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

And the vocative "Ryszku".

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

Yes, exactly.

Genealogy / Does "Ryszard" work as a surname in Poland? [37]

I've mostly heard it as a given name. Sometimes as a middle, but never a surname.

Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

Where in Poland do you hail from?

Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

If the "piwiarnie" right here in Greenpoint are any indicator, are you sure Poland doesn't really have a pub culture? Recently, we were at such a watering hole and I at least found the atmosphere most convivial:-) Then again, unlike in London, never noticed any children in the Polish version.

Language / Origin of / reason for spelling /tɕi/ as <ci> in the Polish language [11]

Swietna idea. Dobranoc:-)

Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

Damn straight you can't.

Work / Moving to Poland from Ireland - starting a professional life [32]

Couldn't have said it better myself, Milo.
A Pole once told me I spoke Polish so well, no
Pole would think I wasn't Russian!
:-)

Language / Origin of / reason for spelling /tɕi/ as <ci> in the Polish language [11]

Hungarian "cz-sound" as in "RakoCZy Utca" most closely resembles Polish "c" without acute diacritical accent mark. The "cs-sound" though is closest to "ci-sound" in Polish.

Language / Origin of / reason for spelling /tɕi/ as <ci> in the Polish language [11]

I can't either.

Study / 90% of Poles have university degree? [57]

Ha-ha, very funny, Jokster:-) I graduated the same year as you probablyLOL