Work / American High School Teacher looking to teach English in Poland [27]

Best of luck, janbe!

I've already shared my experiences teaching English in Europe, although never in Poland.

Even if many schools, especially reputable language schools, insist on the instructor not necessarily knowing the target language, take it from me, that it's ALWAYS many times better to know at least the conversational basics of the local lingo.

That's my opinion.

Genealogy / Typical Polish Eye Color [77]

Many Poles also have brown, actually dark brown, eyes this is true.
A majority though do have light eyes.

Once asked a Swede, another time, a Norwegian similarly, whether most of their countrymen had blond hair and blue eyes and they answered that those with darker eyes or complexions tended to be of Lapp or Saami origin:-)

Language / Polish flashcards? [2]

Actually, I once used such a sort of home-made flash card set made up by my Polish teacher.
Thing is, they were all in Polish, not with the English name on the back of the flash card!
Such I found immensely helpful as a beginner.

Language / Whats the difference between naprawdę?, doprawdy?, and ach tak? [2]

Yes there is, LovelyRandal!
Precisely what that difference is in native speaker context, you'd certainly be much better advised to consult any number of educated native Polish speakers here.

All I might contribute to answering your query is that "naprawde" relates to authenticating the veracity of a given statement, "doprawdy" similarly, whereas "Ach, tak!" is more of "Ah, yes I see!", in that the speaker concedes to the statement by the interlocutor:-)

Hope this helps a little.

Life / Thank You from the U.S. for being so kind to refugees. [14]

Without some of those values of humanity you sneer at, might as well trade in our homes for a cage in the local zoo!
What then are humans even worth without humanity to accompany it?

If you have a disagreement, even physical altercation with someone, if when the person leaves, they suddenly scream they're going into cardiac arrest, would you put mutual feelings of enmity aside and render at least bare minimum aid, or would you instead give in to your basest instincts and let the person die?!

Life / Thank You from the U.S. for being so kind to refugees. [14]

High time indeed for the US to continue performing her humanitarian duty and quite pawning off responsibility to the already strapped EU!!
Surely Germany and Poland cannot realistically be expected to bear the brunt all by themselves.
Biden realizes that Ukraine is now on his agenda, as much as the US-economy or even Covid.

News / How does Poland feel about influx of US troops? [60]

So true, Rich, so true!
Now Poland has her tsuris, with Putin's "non-invasion" of Ukraine:-)

News / How does Poland feel about influx of US troops? [60]

Germany has just severed ties with Russia on account of the Nordstream gas supply lines!
I think Scholz cares quite much what Putin's next move will be.
Sanctions can indeed go a long way. Wanna hurt 'em? Hit 'em where it really hurts!
Hit 'em, smack in the ol' wallet LOL

News / How does Poland feel about influx of US troops? [60]

Scholz might disagree

News / How does Poland feel about influx of US troops? [60]

Poland continues to be seen by many in the West as the eternal "buffer zone" between Russia and Germany, both former enemies, current (on again, off again) allies.

UK, Ireland / Language students in Reading, UK, any groups/classes I can join? Set a group up? [8]

Indeed there are, BuckeyeInPoland, indeed there are!
Reading knowledge of any language is to my mind the third phase in the traditional four-skill process: listening, speaking, READING, and writing:-)

As I suggested to the person who originated the current thread, joining a beginner's book club, either virtual or face-to-face, can also be a valuable tool in acquiring reading knowledge in the target language.

UK, Ireland / Language students in Reading, UK, any groups/classes I can join? Set a group up? [8]

Actually, a friend of ours who plans on visiting Warsaw
over the next several months or so, swears by Duo lingua!

Language / About usage of the special Polish letters: ą ć ę ł ń ó ś ż ź [28]

Excellent observation.

Language / About usage of the special Polish letters: ą ć ę ł ń ó ś ż ź [28]

@gumishu, however much earlier Polish did, right?

Language / About usage of the special Polish letters: ą ć ę ł ń ó ś ż ź [28]

Yet as I seem to recall, Modern Polish has no long or closed vowels compared with Hungarian.

Language / About usage of the special Polish letters: ą ć ę ł ń ó ś ż ź [28]

undefinedto throw in the towel = to give up on a futile pursuit Oh, don't tell me. Ya knew that one too LOL Bottom line here is that maybe (mis-)speaking English with locals was no prob for you, but just maybe it was for the locals, although they didn't care to admit it. Others might indeed have been greatful for the practice. Lord knows they sure need it, admit it or not:-)

polishforums.com/img/p.gif

Language / About usage of the special Polish letters: ą ć ę ł ń ó ś ż ź [28]

Anyone can now google a word/phrase, but that is scarcely "knowing" another language, not even close. Brain cloning or the like is waaayy, way far into the future and so keep dreamin'. Furthermore, it's never enough merely to know a language through study, but to know it well to perfectly by dint of monastic focus combined with raw talent.Otherwise, plain forget about it and throw in the towel!

Language / About usage of the special Polish letters: ą ć ę ł ń ó ś ż ź [28]

@Rich,
English will obviously NEVER "replace" the mother tongue of any EU nation, at least in private discourse, any more than Spanish could ever hope to replace English here in the US! International conferences will continue to use interpreters, as well they should, both for clarity's sake, not to mention sheer aesthetics.

The very notion is as idiotic as it is impractical:-)

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

Remarks taken out of context...as usual-:)

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

I never once misrepresented myself, either to you or anyone else on PF.
Who's the toll now?!

I merely stated that Kielce was an ghastly example of post-War antisemitism, perhaps the most egregious until the advent of Ceaucescu.

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

Kindly re-read my previous post, turn on your brain and turn off your motor index finger LOL

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

I wasn't accusing you of anything, Oathbreaker. No need to be defensive.
I merely seemed to me that you were taking the other side.
Perhaps a language interference issue on your part, no matter.

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

I'm an American Jew by birth of German heritage.

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

@gumishu,
scarcely a justification, is it?

@Oathbreaker,
Jews were always in the crossfire, political footballs, easily expendable, right?
Come on, man! We expect more of our fellow beings.
Being human means "even when it hurts"!!

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

Ét tu, Brute? You're siding with the enemy as well, I see.

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

@gumishu,
The current administration has forthrightly decided NOT to review any further compensation (restytucja) claims from the present forward!
The government feels, rightly or wrongly, that Israel aka the Jews, survivors and their families are trying to bleed Poland dry and are making specious claims used solely for their own greed.

In my opinion, this is unconscionable, blaming all legitimate Holocaust survivors for the criminal excesses of a few who indeed falsified their past for financial gain.

This is the same thinking as rogue author Normal Finkelstein's assertion of a "Holocaust industry". Such is a punch in the face to all survivors who were forced to endure the unimaginable.

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

The Duda administration's trying to successfully disqualify such future claims as unjustified.
@gumishu, can't quite see the point of your post. To be sure, many Communists were indeed antisemites as well, but we already knew that.

History / Kielce Pogrom - new findings by IPN [42]

What concerns many historians is that Kielce occurred even AFTER WWII, by the time Hitler was already confirmed dead and the Nazis had been defeated!

Where then was the impetus to continue killing Jews?

History / Why did Hitler call Poles Half Jews? [98]

"I never miss ANYthing." Watch your grammar! Bottom líne, Whoopi got it wrong. She's no sinner, merely ignorant and needs to be enlightened. This is a teachable moment.