Language / When do I use certain characters? [33]

Reallty, Korvinus?
When last in Greenpoint, the storekeeper asked me
"Czy potrzebuje pan torebke?"

History / 1920 Germany Lands in exchange for the Eastern Lands? [31]

We all need the practice:-)

All I was trying to say is that this question of what actually belongs to whom in the end is pointless gum flapping, since the matter has long been settled to the satisfaction, both of the Hague as well as the United Nations.

Language / When do I use certain characters? [33]

@Atch,
Not to nitpick, but "bag" in the sense of a "shopping bag", is actually "torebka".
Your example though is obviously correct:-)

Sorry I jumped the gun too soon and couldn't delete this messageLOL

History / 1920 Germany Lands in exchange for the Eastern Lands? [31]

I quite agree, Ironside!
Until today, many Poles claim the right to sue the government of the BRD for lands stolen and the appropriated by the post-War German government.

As late as the mid-'80's, certain German fringe groups such as the Gottscheer actually petitioned their Parliament for formerly "German" territories, lost after the War to the Allies, among them parts of the erstwhile Sudetenland, and demanded back with full restitution, including the former Prussia, if you can believe it.

Add the that the still smoldering question of Jewish compensation for properties purloined by the Nazis, and you've got some witches' brew on your hands.

Life / Poetry and Poets of Poland [58]

@Alien,
"Purple cow" has no more significance in English than "Blaue Blume" does in German
(an allusion to the mysterious in Novalis).

While perhaps not chosen entirely at random, the element of the absurd with Nash
is what's of significance here, not the color itself:-)

Mickiewicz, Tuwim, and Herbert though are certainly great poets, yet entirely different
from Iwaszkiewicz.

History / 1920 Germany Lands in exchange for the Eastern Lands? [31]

Questions of repatriation have been asked and answered on this forum.
Why keep flogging a dead horse?

Life / Poetry and Poets of Poland [58]

Ah yes, Ogden Nash!

"I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you this right now,
I'd rather see than be one."

:-))) Delightful stuff, isn't it.

Life / Specific Military to join? [13]

True, Bobko! Except in present day Russia, I'm told by Russians fighting in the Ukraine War.

Life / Poetry and Poets of Poland [58]

Can't recall of course the entire verse, but one of them begins "Przez caly, bialy dzionek czekam, az stanie wieczor wiencu gwiazd..."
Have an old CD of Andzej Lapicki reading it in his wonderful rumbling baritone:-)

Life / Poetry and Poets of Poland [58]

@Rich, you're typically confusing the output of oevre with the man who
created it!
Many of history's most creative beings were indeed either homo- and or bisexual,
but who cares in the long run?

Quite a number of the modern world's most significant contributors, to the arts at least,
were Nazi-leaning, to be sure openly bigoted, such Richard Wagner, D.W. Griffith, Leni Riefenstahl and the
French poet Ferdinand Celine among others, yet few go into paroxisms of rage as they would if they discovered
that someone's gay or lesbian.

Now THAT'S a double standard.

Life / Poetry and Poets of Poland [58]

My favorite poet remains Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz!

Off-Topic / A Public Apology [18]

Thank you as well, Paulina-:)

Off-Topic / A Public Apology [18]

What I posted was crystal clear to all who can read, Rich!
Apparently, it was confirmed by an unbiased, reliable, native-speaking Polish source from someone whom I respect, that women on average in fact did NOT engage in promiscuous sex during Communism in Poland in order to exact favors from the officials.

Then again, there were some exceptions. It seems my former remarks were misconstrued ( as usual!) to be a blanket statement.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [412]

My question precisely, Alien.

Language / Dupa - what a beautiful Polish word [103]

Do please add "kurwa" while you're at it LOL

Off-Topic / Polish Music. [265]

Far, yes. And yet in the world of opera, messrs. Jan Beczala and, "The Polish Thrush", "The Caruso of the Vistula", tenor Jan Kiepura, were none too shabby:-) Marcella Sembrich was also a Pole, I believe. There were many others as well.

They too sang in multiple languages, by the way.

Off-Topic / What's your connection with Poland? Penpals. [554]

"....or something...."??

Or what precisely, Alien? For heaven's sake, man, be specific!

homeland = ziemia macierzynska, ojczyzna
country/place of residence = (za-)mieszkanie

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [412]

What the US should have, is a vote of no confidence much as exists in countries such as Germany and the UK.

Off-Topic / What's your connection with Poland? Penpals. [554]

@Alien, if you are living (or studying) and working in Germany, you are residing, at least as we use the term in English:-)

"Wohnhaft" vs. "ansaessig" sein.= [za]mieszkac vs.zyc

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [412]

Law and justice though, are scarcely the same animal, B.B.! As in 1933, Hitler was viewed by a majority of your fellow countrymen as the absolute necessary expedient for "the survival of the German nation", correct? But "survival" as what?? A society is not a rock, but a collection of thinking beings. What is expedient, even seemingly logical, is not necessarily right. Leave us then never lose our moral compass or we're on our way straight back to the Middle Ages, when the authorities burned a man who dared to be different in a fit of unbridled bigotry. We oughtn't make the same mistakes.

Again, the thinking back in '33 was that anyone anti-Hitler had jolly well better get with the program.....or else. Today, hopefully we have learned from the painful lessons of the past and will adapt in a just (not only legal) manner to the demographic changes of our planet and not revert to the horrors of the last ninety years.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [412]

No, that doesn't mean that at all!
All it means, is, that as with those rabid Trump supporters in the US, the anti-democratic AfD along with Neo-Nazi supporters in Germany as well as various other countries in Europe like Hungary, ordinary citizens have long lost faith with the the ideals upon which post-War Europe was based, simply because politicians have abandoned the principles of common sense in favor of an American-style melting pot culture which is plainly out of step with local needs throughout the Continent.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [412]

Exactly, Alien! Hoecke and his colleagues are dangerous ideologues who are attempting to slowly dismantle the very foundations of postwar democracy in Germany.

Always more expedient in the short run to take the easy way out of difficult problems. In the long run. history teaches that such is never the right move!

Off-Topic / Polish Music. [265]

Since rock songs especially are usually sung at louder decibels than normal, it really makes little difference in which language someone sings them, they're difficult to understand as it is.

Was at a Nina Hagen concert in New York in the late '80's and she decided to sing s favorite of hers in English called "Dirty Deutschland". She might as well have been singing in Kiswahili for all I could make out LOL

Off-Topic / What's your connection with Poland? Penpals. [554]

..and currently residing in Germany.

Study / "MAGISTER" OR "MASTERS DEGREE" - ARE THEY THE SAME? [75]

"Magister" is simply the European equivalent of a US-Master's Degree.
In certain countries, the word is used as the corresponding term of art when referring to a like diploma.

Be apprised that an American Master's is NOT parallel with a European Magister any more than a European PhD is the same as one from an Ivy League university, not by a long shot!

News / Referendum to decide about exotic immigrants in Poland [549]

Desperate is as desperate does, Cargo pants!

Love / I am going to poland to meet my boyfriend's family and friends and need some advice [8]

AntV's right about that.

Unlike certain Europeans, Poles do indeed realize that their language can often be a challenge, therefore, any valiant efforts to take a stab, even mere welcome phrases or the like, will be met with open arms!

News / Referendum to decide about exotic immigrants in Poland [549]

How exotic is "exotic", pawian?
Why would a Thai, Phillipino or North African want to work in Poland anyway?

Language / Will Germans be able to understand Polish enough? [77]

I know of several Germans who studied Polish at university and apparently were able to use it professionally. Both currently work at Polish companies:-)