The BEST Guide to POLAND
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Posts by Frank  

Joined: 14 Aug 2006 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 21 Nov 2016
Threads: Total: 23 / Live: 2 / Archived: 21
Posts: Total: 1183 / Live: 120 / Archived: 1063 		From: Ireland
Interests: Travel, cars, gr8 food!

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Frank   
23 Oct 2006
Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]

Guys, I felt from the off, that using the first listed, wasn't quite as the Polish people would prefer to be referred to by English speakers. The fact that its another word in current usage, plus not flattering in its use means it could be construed as a less than positive way of referring to the Polish person/population.

Secondly, can anyone tell me when/where the Pole (as used as a description of the Polish people) word came from/started?

Does it matter which word is used to Polish people?

Finally, does any other language use another word, other than the direct translation for Polish, which is frowned on by Polish people?
Frank   
17 Sep 2006
Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]

Polish people have every right to be miserable....................look at their history, living standards, current struggles to make their way in the world, Europe and retain the confidence of its people.

It almost needs to be reborn/re-invent itself. It will be very difficult. NOTHING to smile about.

Plus they have the suspicion that all this won't last, if they smile too much, they will jinx their freedoms/progress and the be back in a living hell, they keep looking over their shoulders, recent history was so bad so huge, they remain cautious!

BUT if you go to Paris also , no-one smiles, it is a cultural thing, smiling is reserved for friends and family.

I do think Polish people will again learn to smile - but only on their terms, when things improve, when they become confident as a nation, not because they are told too!