Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]

My German is superior to the English of any native German speaker whom I've encountered thus far, not to mention Pole, Italian, Austrian or other:-)

Hate to disappoint you (yet once again), but yes my friend, I WON this fight, and no, I'm not especially "happy" to theoretically be at the eternal mercy of non-native Anglophones who seem to enjoy holding their alleged bilingualism over my head!

That's not being defensive or what have you, it's being realistic.

By the way, I DID misspell "NITpicking"...unless I'm knitting while I'm pickingLOL

Returning to the thread topic after a brief detour off the highway of good sense, I recently read in the US Journal of Higher Ed (ESL section) that more and more European universities will usually require an updated TESOL degree from any number of state-accredited British or American institutions before the applicant can even think about being interviewed.

Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]

Most EU-nations will number countless recent university grads who claim bi- indeed tri lingualism and are highly "competitive" with international job seekers!
The issue becomes whether the quality of their English sufficiently matches that of their native language, along with their other skills, e.g. IT, event planning, accounting etc.

In my experience, at least in the rest of Europe (Italy, Germany, Austria), is that the average information technologist may well have above-average skills within their discipline, to be sure, might have graduated at the top of their class, competitive with the best from elsewere, yet their spoken and written English is typically lacking in comparison with that of an American, Brit, Australian or Canadian.

Convincing many young Italians, Germans, and Austrians of this, can often be a full -time job (...equipt with battle gear for the tough fight one'll get)!

Bottom line in today's economy remains just that; to maintain a healthy bottom line, international companies are eschewing hiring interpreters because it's considered way too expensive. As a result, those on staff who are, say, IT enginieers and NOT language specialists, are empowered with the feeling that their English is good enough for any situation, even if it's not always the case, furthermore, that any criticism of their English skills must be merely knitpicking:-)

Prior to run-away globalization, companies would intelligently use only qualified native-speaking interpreters and translators for sensitive, international negotiation, refusing to trust every Pietro, Elena, Udo, Hartmut out there who claimed that their Matura/Abitur-level English iminently qualified them to go one-on-on with any educated native-born and trained English speaker.

Those were the days.

History / Roman Dmowski-Patriot, Nationalist, Anti-Semite? [252]

@Bieganski, looks to me though as if you're using the old "Yeah, but Hitler built the Autobahn and he did promote vegetarianism...etc." to justify unspeakably terrible things, here, saying that only Zionists would criticize Dmowski for being a known anti-Semite.

Anti-any sort of bigotry's always the easy way out for blamers to put the guilt on others as the cause of larger social problems.

Had the Jews of Poland been allowed to integrate not long after they arrived, convert only at their desire, there would scarcely have been all that trouble for centuries. Jews are no more recalcitrant about adopting to their surroundings than anybody else!

Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]

@kaprys,

Sadly, I'm certain you must be right in various industries. However, working in any country without at least knowing the basics of the national language would have to be agonizingly self defeating, sitting alongside one's colleagues at an office or factory and not really catching what they mean!

But hey, whatever floats yer boat:-)

History / Roman Dmowski-Patriot, Nationalist, Anti-Semite? [252]

Likewise, Ironside! Is that how you answer a debate topic by responding "Take a hike!"? Pretty sophomoric, I must say.

You clearly missed my point that the article by a well-known Polish historian, I take it, presented a very clear overview of the man and his career, yet offered no opinion concerning some of Dmowski's clear anti-Jewish bias, that's all.

Why such umbrage?

History / Roman Dmowski-Patriot, Nationalist, Anti-Semite? [252]

@Bieganski,

I'm not "guilty" of much of anything, other than expressing my concern, at least my observation, that the article which I read was strangely uncritical of Dmowski.

Don't know where on G_d's Green Earth you get that I'm somehow linking Dmowski with "Polish Concentration Camps" or post-War anti-Jewish hostility et al. but I think you ought to be examined, personally:-)

History / Roman Dmowski-Patriot, Nationalist, Anti-Semite? [252]

Merged:

Roman Dmowski being re-examined

In the light of the emergence of a new-found nationalism throughout Europe, on the heels of slow burning disillusionment with misguided liberal policies, the early 20th century Polish politician and nationalist theorist, Roman Dmowski, is now being looked at in a new, if alarmingly, positive light.

A recent article in our local Polish journal "Nowy Dziennik", seemed to omit mention of his once infamous "Kwestia Zydowska" (The Jewish Question) and treated his clear anti-Semitism along with pro-Polophilism and the need for a strong Catholic Poland, with a somewhat objective, dispassionate resignation.

Any comments from the group?

Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]

Always better to learn the language of the country if you want any sort of respectable (paid) employment.

News / Israel opposing potential new Polish law to criminalise term 'Polish death camps' [1539]

In fact, they were GERMAN death camps which happened to be located on present-day Polish soil, at that time occupied by the German Reich.

History / Poles and (Polish) Jews... Victims of war... and beyond [380]

Trust Mr. Trump won't forget to mention Jewish victims as well, rather than being so conveniently general:-)

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

@ktos, you're correct! The topic is about politics, not beverages:-)
lol

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

@kaprys,

You make a good point! Indeed, the young woman in question doubtless had never met any Jews prior, Polish born or otherwise, therefore, was more than slightly flustered by my question, NOT by my English, as hers was frankly just about perfect, if I do say so myself!

@Bieganski,

I take it you're just be sarky as usualisLOL

@ktos,

Jews were seen as a threat, this is true! Having been excluded from gentile society on the whole, it was both human as well as completely natural, that they too would seek their "place" with that society, having to fight the majority culture pushing them back every step of the way.....unless of course, it was felt that certain "Jewish skills" were needed.

Guess though, as an American, if people are born in a country (despite the national origin of their immediate ancestors), go to primary school up through university there, are raised SOLELY in the national language, even if they might know the language of their parents, adopt the mores and are even allowed to serve in the military, are basically indistinguishable from the rest of the majority, duhhh now, I guess that makes them European nationals. Seems a no brainer, don;t you think?

Suppose other nationalities see things differently.

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

Until rather recently, I believe that Jews during the days of the Soviet Union had no Russian nationality so to speak, but instead, were treated to a nice big "Z" atop their travel documents such as their passport, in order to identify them as "Jewish" (Zyd), and not "Russian".

Such is not uncommon in any number of European countries!. Approx. ten years ago when I was teaching English to a group of Polish university students in New York at a language school near the UN, the subject of integrating foreigners came up as a discussion topic. One woman from the Catholic University of Lublin where she was studying business management replied to my question concerning the minority status of Jews identified as such in Poland as follows.

When I asked whether she knew of any Polish-Jewish students attending the university, she paused and responded thoughtfully enough that they probably would only be in the section for foreigners, rather than Poles.

Plus ca change, n'est pas?

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

@jon, politics makes strange bedfellows. Yesterday's sworn "enemy" is today's best "friend"LOL

@ktos, The Chinese have an even older civilization than the Egyptians, much less the ancient Slavs:-)

Genealogy / Mongolian the Golden Horde - do Poles have Mongolian ancestry? [256]

I've always maintained the Poles, more than the Czechs or certainly the Southern Slavs, have a distinctly Asiatic cast to their faces. Just look at a majority in profile and it's as plain as day. The high cheekbones and tightly-drawn skin, plus the often course hair, all bear clear Asian similarity. They're to be sure a mixture of the Germanic (as stated many times before), the Slavic, the Baltic and, of course, that of their more Eastern cousins:-)

Polonia / How do Poles feel about Romanians and Bulgarians? [27]

Bulgaria, much as Albania (I believe), did in fact allow Jews safe haven during WWII, whereas the majority of countries, including those occupied, didn't. Sweden remained "neutral", as did Switzerland (HA!!!). Finland and Norway (despite the "Heroes of Telemark") sided with the German enemy, even if not for the same reasons:-)

Addendum. Technically, Bulgaria WAS on the Axis side, however, unlike supposedly neutral neighbors, Bulgaria didn't automatically hand over her Jews. In that sense, she didn't follow Berlin's orders.

Polonia / How do Poles feel about Romanians and Bulgarians? [27]

Bulgarians and Romanians belong to two totally separate ethnicities, therefore the only thing they share is a common history of Communism, but little else.
During the Second World War, Bulgaria was on the Allies' side, whereas Romania (like Hungary along with several others) was on the Axis side.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

@Tacitus, please confirm you received my reply. I'm not able to access your mailbox.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

I repeat, who pray are the Hamburgericans? Do you mean perhaps butt-kissing Germans who tow the party line of the West, chiefly the States??!
If yes, then say so plainly:-)

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

Used to be during the Sputnik Era, Russian (more then German, even more than English) was the glue which held communication between most Slavs together. Much later during the '90's after the fall of the Wall, English of course took over (German though overtaking in certain sectors among the Poles).

Today, I personally know any number of youngish Poles terribly curious about Czech Republic as well as the Czech language. Vice-versa though, I really couldn't say.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

Poles and Czechs are nonetheless Slavs, much as the Portuguese and the French are technically Latins and therefore will share certain common tendencies (linguistically, for instance), even though they might indeed have little to do with one another on a practical daily basis:-)

As far as the rest of what I've posted, I consider my remarks both appropriate as well as historically accurate.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

@kaprys,

You choose only the most extreme examples to prove your premise. Why not simply come out and admit that many Poles during the War agreed with Hitler that the Jews were less than worthy of saving, if only for different reasons.

Study the history of anti-Semitism some time and learn how the Church taught the heresy for centuries that the Jews killed Christ.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

Like way too many Polish gentiles, Jews such as your Rumkowsky examples, and the kapos you mention were also forced into committing heinous acts to save their own skin. The difference of course between the latter and the actual Nazis or their collaborators is that no Jew purposely or voluntarily sought to exterminate their own people.

Come on there, kaprys, let's quit rationalizing, shall we.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

And Poland was just a bunch of little angels, huh? There WAS a Czech resistance as well, you know!! Not all of Czechoslovakia was composed of Dr. Hachas and their ilk.

How about Masaryk and Benes.
:-)

News / North Koreans working in Poland and in Denmark [36]

With Trump in power, they will undoubtedly only become more numerous!

News / North Koreans working in Poland and in Denmark [36]

Makes sense, jon. Spot on, sir!

Language / Spelling "aunt" in Polish [142]

Informative as always, DominicB! Many thanks:-)

Language / Spelling "aunt" in Polish [142]

Wondering whether the "Huzulen" are identical to the Ruthenians.

News / North Koreans working in Poland and in Denmark [36]

@jon, I hate to contradict you, but I read recently in "The Journal of International Affairs" published by Princeton, I believe, that of all the nations in the developed world, North Korea has practically the lowest functional ability in English.

Can you imagine a conversation between a simple North Korean day laborer and their Polish supervisor??
Although somehow it seems to work, this is nonetheless the stuff of high comedy!