Off-Topic / Toilet seat manners of British and Polish males [42]


Rubbish.


Maybe the ones you hang with.

Genealogy / I have Jewish DNA, but only know of Polish ancestry . [120]

Do you know how surnames work in Europe? I suspect not. Most people with her surname aren't Jewish. Some are, however you'd need more than your own preoccupation to reliably suggest that the lady who posted is anything other than just Polish.

Genealogy / I have Jewish DNA, but only know of Polish ancestry . [120]

Or more likely that she isn't.

Life / Public Masturbation now allowed in Sweden, Would this work in Poland? [43]

In nudist beaches it would be very much frowned on, though the are plenty of such beaches to choose from in Poland.

Genealogy / I have Jewish DNA, but only know of Polish ancestry . [120]


Some people called that are descended from converts, but by no means all. There are quite a few villages in PL called Majewo and perhaps some of your grandmother's ancestors came from one of these.

History / Polish conscripts to German army [132]


Exactly.

In any case, so many records were destroyed during those terrible times.

Off-Topic / Eurovision - Today I will be ashamed to be Polish [583]

I thought that Donatan and Cleopatra were tasteless - a typical joke song and a strange choice. The one that won had a bit of class - rare for Eurovision.

UK, Ireland / Need some help to buy Polish cars(s) Zuk pickup &/or Nysa van [18]

Why would someone want a 1975 Zuk?

Work / Is it worth moving from Dubai to Poland? (cities like Krakow, Wroclaw) [11]

Poland is much nicer than Dubai. Prices are more or less the same for most things, perhaps a little more expensive. Except for accommodation which is cheaper. Poland does have income tax though and jobs are in general harder to find.

History / Polish Easter Tradition is also pagan! [47]

That's all falling away rather. I don't see any great movement towards the things you seem to want though. More a case of increasing educational levels leading to more rationalism and less religion. Also for the less well educated, more television leading to other things in their lives than yesterday's superstitions.

Language / Polish language would look better written in Cyrillic Script? [212]


Indeed. The current alphabet suits fairly well - certainly more than Cyrillic or any revived and obscure alphabets like the Southern Slavonic Glagolitic alphabet


There's way too much political and historical baggage due to Russian imperialism for that ever to happen. The Russians did try it without success - people in Poland prefer their modified version of the Latin alphabet.

UK, Ireland / Prices of Clothes in Poland and England [36]


You're surely joking?

News / Poland and Russia in military alliance - Is that even possible? At least temporary? [71]


They have gas rather than oil and yes, most is already sold under existing agreements. Any on the open market is subject to market price fluctuations.

Love / My Polish wife's family hate me. Maybe it is because I'm black. Advice needed. [87]


Stay true to your heart. You're living your life - your parents have theirs.


Evidently not so wrong, though neither of these posters are in Poland and one has never been here:

Life / What are the best cars to buy in Poland? [64]


Poles have said exactly that to me quite a few times and it's no coincidence that it's popular to go across the border to buy a used car. Also garages and dealers aren't much trusted here.

Law / Opening a Polish Bank Account by a foreigner in Poland. Recommendations. [299]

I did once - but that was 15 years ago. It was at PKO BP and I needed to show my contract of employment and passport only.

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [376]

I didn't know you'd been, P3. But he'd probably blend in ok in a big city.

Law / Working in EU countries and in UK with Poland's Residence Card (Karta Pobytu)? [51]

Where are you from?

Travel / Where do Polish people fly to for beach vacations in the winter? [34]


Enough to keep several chains of travel agents and several international airports in business. That and more and more cheap flights to holiday destinations.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

What makes you think the 'origins' of a word define its use?

Language / Extremely Hard - Polish the hardest language to learn [226]

I always thought it sounded very nice. Before I came to PL I'd heard plenty - I grew up hearing it spoken daily for various reasons and liked it. Those were mostly older people from the East of the country and sounded different. When I first arrived there, I was surprised how different it sounded, but it still doesn't sound bad.

With the possible exception of the Poznań accent.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

it happens anyway. Nobody, whether Polish or anything else can "impose standards" on a language. Many have tried over the years (the Academie Francaise is a good example) and all have failed.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]


I suspect you mean poetic licence - any other term in English sounds pretentious and as a learner of English, that might be worth remembering.

Your poetic licence doesn't change the fact that when using words (especially racial epithets) we should take great care not to offend. Unless of course that is our intention.

And it's just the same in Polish as in any other language.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

Very interesting Magdalena, but none of those quotes are actually mine. Every single one of them is your own words and your own, somewhat obsessive, take on the situation.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

I wonder if you can spot the obvious logical fallacy in your post.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

Hard to say whether you misunderstand accidentally or deliberately. As it happens you're coming across like someone who is totally OCD on the matter of language. Never good, since languages rarely behave the way you want them to.

Nobody - as you well know - can "force the language to change spontaneously". It happens without anyone "forcing". And as ever with language, it happens in a beautifully chaotic and disorganised way.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

Great that you're so passionate, almost obsessive or compulsive about it, however your views do fly in the face of current linguistic thought.

Anyway, I notice that the media - doubtless because of pressure from Polish citizens for them to be politically correct on the matter - have started to avoid talking about 'Polish Concentration Camps'.

So you see language does evolve through external as well as internal changes. Thanks for proving my point.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

Some cultures have more of a global influence than others, whether or not you like it. You can always advocate isolation.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]

That's one of the ways that languages evolve; by being exposed to external cultural influence. I doubt that many people would prefer isolation.

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]


Something tells me he wasn't either young and a resident of the capital. He probably meant well.

Language does change - no matter how much that riles you.