Life / Why Do You Love Poland? [907]

We love you too LoneStranger. :) I think that a very similar topic already exists on this board. :)

I like your points, though. Especially this one:


:)

Genealogy / Do Polish people have big noses? [450]

I have a big nose, but I don't think that it's a common polish characteristics. Don't you have like actually real problems you could be concern about?

Language / Polish Swear Words [1242]


Oh. :)


:) I don't mind it actually. :)


I've noticed that I started to have some problems with grammar because of the text messages. that goes both, for my english and polish. That’s why I am trying to write properly using the punctuation marks, capital letter when required, etc... I still make many mistakes but I think that I'm slowly improving. :)

Language / Polish Swear Words [1242]


:) I don't any Randy, I swear. :)


Yah, television plays a big part in this process of "debrainisation" :) of teenagers around the world. Stupid movies like “American Pie” where the only interest of young people is to shag, music for halfwits that says only about shagging, text messages that basically limit the amount of words a teenager uses, etc… Those bloody youngsters! When I was their age… :)

Language / Polish Swear Words [1242]

It's a world wide phenomenon. Sometimes when i hear what some teenagers are talking about I start to lost my faith in the mankind. :) And I'm not thinking now about English teenagers. I guess being dumb is starting to be randy these days. :(

Language / Polish Swear Words [1242]

There are many things other than swear words, that polish people could be proud of. It's a pity that people waste their time writing about the vulgarisms rather than focusing on the positive aspects of polish culture.

Language / Polish Swear Words [1242]

Not really, but it's true that just by modifying the word "pierdolić" you can say many things. Actually what's the purpose of this thread? I don't get it. :(

Life / Do you think that Polish people are rude? [951]


Well, the idea was good though.

Polonia / Polish workers in Denmark [41]


Generally people that work in those "work camps" don't treat it as a serious, long term job, but rather like something seasonal that will help them stand on their own feet. Let us don't forget that skilled workers and specialists like for example doctors don't have these type of problems. Low skilled workers don't have the luxury of being picky when it comes down to finding a job. No work equals no food, and where's no food pride and dignity shifts back on the second place. Simple as that. After some time they either go back to their own country with the savings they made for this "slave job" or they are off to find another, this time a better job, leaving their places for other desperate new arrivals.

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]

Well, it has a very significant meaning when it comes to cheap wine for example. The thumping the base of a new bottle on the forearm before opening helps distribute equally the amounts of so called "siara" (sulfur) in the bottle, so that the taste would be a little bit less awful. Some people may try to convince you that similar thing is happening wit the pure spirit in a bottle of vodka, but I think that it's just a tradition. :)


Is it better now Miranda? :)

PS: You don’t have to use forearm. I knew a guy that used to do this with his forehead. :) He wasn’t the sharpest pencil in the box though. :)


Also possible. :)

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]

It's just a tradition. :)

Love / Polish women are the most beautiful in the world! [1718]

:) If I would saw something green coming out of his butt I would scream like a little girl. :( :)

Love / Polish women are the most beautiful in the world! [1718]

Saw few in Poland. Not that I usually watch male butts... :) :)

History / Polish resistance group under II World war in Denmark [18]

This residence was build by Rafał Leszczyński in the 16th century. If I'm correct Stanisław was his descendant.

History / Polish resistance group under II World war in Denmark [18]

It's one of the posibilities of your surnames origin. The ohter one would be: "leszcz" = "bream". And if your ancerstors were nobles, it very highly possible that your surname was taken from one of your ancestors possesions. For example, the owner of my home town Opalenica was named Opalinski.

Oh, and this is a code of arms of family Leszczyński from Wielkopolska.

History / Polish resistance group under II World war in Denmark [18]

OK. But there's not much I can tell you.

I've checked the name Leszczyński, and according to this site

herby.com.pl/herby/indexslo.html, there were 23 463 people carrying that name at the beginning of the 90's (XX century), 1 535 Rymarczyk's and 6 842 Balcerzak's.

I don't know what else I could do for you.

History / Polish resistance group under II World war in Denmark [18]

Wow, thanks for the respond. I'm definitely going to be looking for them, but I'm not only interested in the polish contribution, but also in the whole aspect of Danish resistance. Sadly, they don't teach as about it in schools here. :(

Genealogy / Are all Poles blue eyed and blonde? [450]

Dark eyes and brown hair. If I would tell you that I'm Romanian or Turkish, you would probably believe it with no hesitation. My brother's children have blue eyes and are blond though. :)

History / Polish resistance group under II World war in Denmark [18]

Thanks Jola, that was very interesting. It showed me how little I know about the Danish resistance as a whole. Think I will have to look for some interesting books about it.

Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]


Give them an enemy, and you will see, that they will react just like their forefathers. It has to have something to do with the genes. :)


Well, if you would give all you got and sacrifice your youth, health and all the precious things in your life in some cause for nothing, how would you feel? Theoretically Poland was on the “team” that won WWII, but practically we ended up even worse that west Germany, the country that started the whole madness in the first place. So yeah, I can understand why my grandfather became very skeptical after the war.


Have you been here around in the 80's? I certainly was, and I perfectly remember that the most frequent answer to the question "How are you doing" was "Lepiej nie pytaj" ("Don't even ask"), while now it's "Powoli" ("Slowly")...Do you see the improvement? I do. :)

Pozdrawiam.

Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]


I think that English people are also strong and take pride in their country and culture when faced by adversary and oppression. If I were you, I would cherish both, your Polish and English roots. :)

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]

"Wódka" is very similar to the word "woda", which means "water".
But there's also another name for vodka in Poland; namely "gorzałka" which means something like "burning water" or "burning liquid".

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]

Besides the word "vodka" comes from polish "wódka".

In Polish language we pronounce "W" like english "V", and in english you don't have Polish "Ó", thus in the end, the international name for "Wódka" remained "VODKA".

If you want to pronounce it like Poles do, just say "VOODKA".

Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]

patrycja So what actually happened there?

Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]


I know what you mean Dumbass. I also can't understand how people can take as a personal insult naming them “dumb” or “not human”. It truly remains a mystery for me. :)

Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]

Ohhh...Besides "Polock" nothing else springs to my mind.


O yeah! :)

Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]


I always wanted to be referred as the Sexy Polish Prince of Promiscuous Rodeo, but sadly somehow people tend to ignore my request and call me just by my first name or my nick name. :( :)

And seriously, lets don't get ahead of the facts please. The word Pole is just a short version of the word Polish guy, and since it's more economical to produce it I will continue to describe myself with that term. You never know what the future will bring, but I never heard English people use this word as a insult. I heard that in the USA the word “Pollock” is considered to be a derogatory word, but not Pole. I appreciate your concern, but lets not get paranoid and neurotic. :)


What does the word "frowned" mean? :)

Language / Polish sayings [237]

"Najlepsze mienie - czyste sumienie." --- Your best/priceless property - pure conscience.
"U skąpego zawsze po obiedzie." --- At miser's place it's always past dinner. (I hope that there is a word “miser” in English:) )

"Dobry zwyczaj; nie pożyczaj." --- A good habit; Do not borrow.
"Nie szata zdobi człowieka." --- Clothes do not adorn a person. It basically means that it's not important how you look, but what you have in your head, and what kind of person you are.

There's one great saying used very often by elder Polish construction workers: "Po szklanie i na rusztowanie." --- One more glass (of vodka) and on the scaffold we go! :)

And finally my favorite one often said by my close friend: "Lepiej być zdrowym i bogatym, niż chorym i biednym." --- It's better to be healthy and rich, than ill and poor. :)

Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]


truebrit hit the jackpot here. Some Poles make serious faces, but serious doesn’t mean miserable. Do we all feel the significant difference between these two words? I know I do.

As for Obnoxious T. Dumbass and Lara, they seem to see what they want to see. It’s pretty easy, if you put the idea in your head that Poles are a sad nation you will only see sad people on the streets of Poland, totally ignoring the rest. It’s called self-fulfilling prophecy.

In the place where I live people that don’t smile back are considered rude. I don’t think it’s any different in the rest of the country.

PS: My friend recently told me about a situation that happened to her few months ago, on the streets of London. She smiled back at some black guy, and instantly regretted that move, because she spent next 15 minutes trying to convince him that it was just a pure sign of politeness, and not an invitation to flirt.

So as you see kidos, it doesn't always pay to smile back at people. :)

Life / Barking Dogs in Poland [65]

I would advise you to go and have a very sincere chat with your neighbor. If he is a decent person, he will understand and try to make things better.