Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

As Americans typically vulgarize their mother tongue everyday, even if it's their adopted "mother" tongue, I've have been wondering for some time now whether or not the molestation of a language is as bad as that of a person; in both instances violation has occurred!

No end intriguing how Europeans who are most up in arms over foreigners destroying their beloved mother language, often pay little regard to how they mutilate English:-) Let's hope the latter doesn't end up sooner rather than later on a list of endangered languages LOL

Language / Harmless old-fashioned Polish swear words/phrases [159]

In all likelihood, pawian.

Language / Harmless old-fashioned Polish swear words/phrases [159]

The difference then between "psiakrew" vs. "psiakrew bydlo"?
Always been curious about that, but even native speakers seemed hard pressed:-)

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Answer to your question by way of a quote from the movie "The Fountainhead" :

Toohey: Mr. Rorke, I want you to tell me in no uncertain terms exactly what you think of me!

Rorke: But that's just it, Mr. Toohey, I don't think of you.

Life / The nature of Polish jokes? [128]

Don't know if the following applies as "Polish" humor, but I read it in Rzeczpospolita recently and found it amusing, so much so in fact, that I was heard chortling a few chuckles on the bus the other day alongside total strangers!

Boss: Ms. Teresa! As you know, we are a business, and as such begin the business day ON TIME! Are you aware, Ms. Teresa, that we begin work at 9:00 sharp?

Teresa: No, I wasn't. By the time I arrive at the office, there are already people working.

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Apropos having the last word, I was in Denmark as a young grad student and remember clearly walking into a local pub somewhere in Copenhagen, "Den lille kro", if memory serves me right. At the tap dispensing area I saw a sign which caused me some amusement as an English native speaker, PLEASE DON'T HAVE CHILDREN AT THE BAR! I went over to the bar keep and, in normal English, (and not a mock Danish accent!), commented that maybe a hospital would be a more sensible place for same.

The gentleman, a Danish man of about fifty, was clearly annoyed and was unable to see the humor in the situation.
What became of the land of Victor Borge?
:-)

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Oh, yes they do Milo! Grammar might well be an abstract construct, but rules there are aplenty.

Don't project your own indolence onto language, simply because perhaps you are too lazy to apply yourself:-)
Please realize that I LOVE the English language which is why I hate to hear or see it mutilated. at the same time rewarded, by no-nothings who never even graduated kindergarten.

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Success is all relative, pal! Depends on your definition.

Sort of like "getting ahead". Sell your conscience, barter your soul, then it's always easy once
one forgets about the rules. If so, then why bother living, if life itself means nothing?

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

As neither of us would forgive somebody murdering our loved one, why forgive a growing societal trend which murders our mother tongue on a daily basis, and with dramatic regularity?? In my book, that's too forgiving, sir!

There's no reason, except for universal laziness. As you might also recall, laziness is considered to be a sin in the Bible:-)

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Milo, do you want a workman to hang your paintings crooked, yet still hanging rather than straight, under the excuse of,
"But sir, we did put the paintings on your wall, didn't we?"

Come on, do the job right or don't bother doing it at all!! At least make an attempt to TRY to do it correctly.

The stench of chronic and careless incompetence can drive any thinking person to distraction.

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

However again, is either extreme really that much more acceptable?

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

I'd be the first to admit that a veritable host of eager, friendly Europeans DEFINITELY enjoy
speaking English with foreigners!!

The issue is, does their enthusiasm keep pace with or does it outpace their actual competence
in the language?

Wanting to do or be doesn't always necessarily mean that someone is any good at it.
Only, let's give 'em brownie points for trying.

Condescension cuts both ways:-)

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Apparently, Ironside, you're still asleep!

The bulk of Europeans, particularly younger Europeans, use English in a sloppy manner.
This is bad both for business, in the end, for life.

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Joker, haven't you heard? Complaining is practically a national pastime in some places; it's not an activity, but a way of life!
LOL

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

I posted that for those who do bother to learn the local language, on more than a few occasions, are met by locals who prefer for whatever

reason to steam roller through in English rather than permitting the foreigner the opportunity of addressing the native in the LATTER'S language,
in nearly every case, a more effective tack towards achieving the same goal:-)

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

@Rich, people CAN die easily from miscommunicated English, say, in some Third World doctor's office in which the staff confuse basic pronouns
such as "your test results" vs. "their test results" etc.. Are you kiddin' me, or what? Even in Northern Europe, I'd have my own person along to back up anything the physician said, were I not fluent in the language of the country:-)

@Ziemowit,

You already know that English has been referred to as Globish for many years now, Anglo-Creole, is also on the list.
The main complaint I have in terms of this entire conversation regarding the thread title itself, is that far too many Europeans especially confuse "communicating" in English, with "practicing" the language, much as any multi-lingual English native speaker abroad is practicing their foreign language skills.

Truth is, "bad" English has a sort of cool cache, I've always maintained, which "bad" German or "fractured" French simply don't.

It's rather like the Donald Trump, Curtis Sliwa effect of the Marlon Brandoesque wrong side of the tracks disregard for the aesthetics of established grammatical convention which tons of foreigners, particularly women, find absolutely the sexiest thing there is!

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Good for you, Ziemowit!

Anglicization is a cancer, furrowing her way into the marrow of national identity, creating an odd mishmash, neither Polish nor English.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

Maybe.

Genealogy / Birth in Lviv in 1926: Polish or Ukrainian nationality? [29]

Thanks for the explanation.

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Quite happily for over twenty-five years.
My family agree with much of what I say, incidentally.
It may surprise you that my ideas have a following, and I don't mean Bernie, Liz or Joe.

Life / Poles speaking English - examples [263]

America and Great Britain are two countries separated by the same language (but different spelling)!

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Again, is there a Jon Stevenson or a Walter Cronkite on the horizons today?
They made American English an undisguised pleasure drug every news day!

Life / Poles speaking English - examples [263]

Allright, think I will. Thanks

Genealogy / Birth in Lviv in 1926: Polish or Ukrainian nationality? [29]

Before it was L'viv, of course, it was Lwow, and before that, Lemberg under the Hapsburgs:-)

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

If any language becomes a free-for-all, it runs the ineluctable risk of turning into a toy, rather remaining the tool for
which it was originally intended! Does a blunt lead pipe really replace a scalpel for more subtle operations?:-)

We've gone from corrective re-casts on US TV interviews during the '60's, with the likes of Jon Stevenson
gently re-phrasing a sloppy sentence with charm and aplomb to today's "Awhhh, close enough!", all within a space
of forty years or so.

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Latin, later French, for a short time between the two World Wars, German, were treated with a certain aesthetic care and concern
for quality and correctness of expression most of all, qualities seemingly absent from Globish.

The language of Shakespeare has become a cesspool, the world's nurf ball, to be pummeled and played with any which way.
A similar fate never befell either Latin or French.

Off-Topic / The "Anglicization" of Europe [132]

Good for whom, Milo?

If what is meant is that it is somehow ideal for you, a Brit, to travel, say, to visit a friend in Lithuania, and encounter a truly bilingual society, able to communicate effortlessly as well as effectively, in your mother tongue, I shall keep holding my breath, 'cuz as I explained to Rich, it ain't gonna happen, at least any time soon:-) A pipe dream, if indeed a desirable one.

English is a stop gap measure, a meta-lang, there as almost a last ditch attempt at communication when the native's first language fails and both parties find themselves somehow at an impass!

The journalist's pet peeve with Europe, having worked for the Paris office now for nearly ten years, is that foreigners, even those who know excellent French or German among other languages, are now being actually dissuaded from applying their hard-won language skills in a venue in which they are most needed in favor of the partner's so to speak "fluent" English. She simply believes that such is marginalizing national identity.

Where once, she recalls, an American in Paris, Berlin or Rome who really knew the local lingo was a highly sought and to be sure well-paid, commodity, today's Europe will typically cut corners with second instead of first best, if only in order to save money.

Life / Poles speaking English - examples [263]

I think Tusk might well be the historic exception to the rule.
Until quite recently, Polish leaders exclusively spoke only their own language and
required an interpreter at all state functions:-)

The former interpreter for Cyranewicz and Gierek was the late brother of my second Polish teacher.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

I'll bear that in mind.