Posts by samotnik

samotnik

22 Jan 2024

Classifieds / Polish language tutor needed in southern Opole voivodeship or Albany New York [5]

Hello I'm looking for a Polish language tutor for private lessons in the Prudnik, Glucholazy and Nysa areas.

I speak both English and Polish but would like to improve my Polish language skills in specific areas besides everyday communication.
I have researched and contacted many schools and tutors in the area but most do not teach Polish and I can't stay in PL for a longer than 2-3 months time.

I am with family in PL now but could also do lessons in Albany NY when back home.

samotnik

22 Jan 2024

Feedback / Suggestions for forum features [6]

1 I don't see how to "Save" or "Follow" threads that we like besides bookmarking them in our browser, is there a hidden option for this?

2 Also it would be interesting and helpful to have subforums for the 16 voivoidships if we want to post multiple threads about a specific area and discuss only that area without cramming it all into a few threads.

Subforums for regions such as Silesia, Pomerania, etc could be another step but maybe not necessary.

The City Data forum has separate forums for USA/Canada states/provinces with subforums for regions.
Example: state - New York State, region - New York City
city-data.com/forum/
city-data.com/forum/new-york/
city-data.com/forum/new-york-city/

There are many region classification systems for Poland:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voivodeships_of_Poland
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Poland

google.com/search?q=poland+regions
Click Images to see many maps

stat.gov.pl/en/regional-statistics/classification-of-territorial-units/classification-of-territorial-units-for-statistics-nuts/the-nuts-classification-in-poland/
NUTS 1 - macroregions (grouping voivodships) - 7 units
NUTS 2 - regions (voivodships or parts of a voivodship) - 17 units
NUTS 3 - subregions (grouping powiats) - 73 units

samotnik

22 Jan 2024

Feedback / Suggestions for forum features [6]

@Paulina

Thank you. I was also thinking about threads we haven't yet or won't comment in and we just want to save.

A workaround is to just bookmark it in a separate folder for later viewing.

Another suggestion:

3 Culture forum

Where can we post threads about music, films, books, etc ?
It looks like people are posting in various forums for this:

polishforums.com/index.php?phrase=music&action=search&searchGo=1
polishforums.com/index.php?phrase=films&action=search&searchGo=1
polishforums.com/index.php?phrase=books&action=search&searchGo=1

samotnik

22 Jan 2024

Classifieds / Polish language tutor needed in southern Opole voivodeship or Albany New York [5]

@Paulina

Thank you. Opole may be too far but I will check.
I've learned most private schools and teachers in this area teach English, German, Spanish and other West Euro languages and mostly for children.
Polish tutoring is difficult to find.
You can also sign up for a Polish language university course but it will cost a lot, have a big class and may take multiple semesters so you will need a place to live for many months.

Another option may be meeting in a public library if they have private study rooms for public use.

In recent years there were/are university programs and digital platforms created for Ukrainians to learn Polish, here are a few examples:

google.com/search?q=polish+language+classes+ukrainians+poland
international.uni.wroc.pl/en/news/2022-04-01/free-charge-language-course-ukrainian-students
lingvapl.org
languagesupp.org

samotnik

22 Jan 2024

Feedback / Suggestions for forum features [6]

Ok I will experiment with the options here

samotnik

26 Jan 2024

Language / Bilingual Polish-English books with audio for listening and reading learning method [75]

I am looking for bilingual books in Polish and English that also have an audio track available either as a purchase or "free" public read-along on youtube for example.

The paper book or ebook would have Polish on one page and English on the other page. Some words may be in colored or bold print if they have the exact same meaning.

The audio track is listened to while reading. Anything that is not understood can be read in English and an additional Pol-Eng dictionary can be consulted.

A bilingual ebook may be best for quick copy and paste of words into an online or offline dictionary and other tools.

I found this Italian-English youtube video as an example: youtube.com/watch?v=KBR4NYbERYI

This method can be used at any level of language skill and in my case I need to expand my vocabulary and reading skills.
Even if you are limited with your communication with people for whatever reason you still need to be able to read and engage with signs, paperwork and digital platforms to complete many basic life tasks, so the self-learning read and listen method can be helpful if you don't have a teacher or want to bother people in public with questions that they may not even know the answer to or even want to answer anyway.

I will update this thread if I find any titles or sections in a book store.
So far I have found many Polish paper and ebooks with their audiobook versions, but not a bilingual edition with English translation.
A workaround is to purchase two separate paper or ebooks in each language if a translation is available.

You can also find many "free" ebooks and audiobooks, here are a few examples:

youtube.com/results?search_query=polski+audiobook
wolnelektury.pl/katalog/
wolnelektury.pl/katalog/audiobooki
wordproject.org/bibles/audio/33_polish/index.htm

samotnik

27 Jan 2024

Life / Opole Voivodeship - opinions and experiences [3]

I am curious to read your uncensored opinions and experiences in the Opole voivodeship (vvs), whether you love or hate some place or anything in between.

I am most familiar with Opole, Nysa, Glucholazy and Prudnik.

You can read more about the vvs and it's capital here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opole_Voivodeship
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojew%C3%B3dztwo_opolskie

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opole
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opole

Here are just a few brief blurbs and links about some places to get an introductory idea of the area.
I will provide both English and Polish links when possible:

- Opole vvs is the smallest of the 16 vvs and part of the Śląsk / Silesia region.
There are Poles, Germans, Silesians, Czechs, Roma and recently Ukrainians as the "main visible groups" of people living here.

I couldn't find a detailed demographic map for each vvs in English, maybe this data exists somewhere in Polish.
cudzoziemcy.opole.uw.gov.pl/en/on-foreigners-and-repatriates-who-no-longer-want-to-settle-in-small-communes-in-the-region

- There are many historical churches, castles, forts, villages - some are functional or reconstructed and others are abandoned

opole.pl/en/dla-turysty/atrakcja/opole-rural-museum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moszna_Castle
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamek_w_%C5%81%C4%85ce_Prudnickiej

- Prudnik (formerly Neustadt) was the site of some dark events in WW2

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudnik#Interbellum_and_World_War_II
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudnik#II_wojna_%C5%9Bwiatowa

- As a result of the border changes in WW2 the resulting population "transfer" had a major affect on the area

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Silesia#Poland,_Czech_Republic_and_Germany
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_%C5%9Al%C4%85ska#%C5%9Al%C4%85sk_od_1945_roku

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovered_Territories#Polonization_of_the_Recovered_Territories
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziemie_Odzyskane#Sytuacja_po_wojnie

- The region has post-industrial areas with many unused brick buildings such as warehouses, factories and barns. The made in Poland Nysa van was produced in Nysa up until 1994. Textiles were produced by Frotex in Prudnik.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZSD_Nysa
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZSD_Nysa

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zak%C5%82ady_Przemys%C5%82u_Bawe%C5%82nianego_%22Frotex%22
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zak%C5%82ady_Przemys%C5%82u_Bawe%C5%82nianego_%E2%80%9EFrotex%E2%80%9D

- The area is prone to recurring flooding and was the site of the Great Flood of 1997, about which a tv series was recently made

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Central_European_flood
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pow%C3%B3d%C5%BA_tysi%C4%85clecia

imdb.com/title/tt15096728/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Water_(TV_series)
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wielka_woda_(serial_telewizyjny)

- Prudnik has experienced a decline in population from approximately 24k in 1995 to 19k today, a lot of people have left the area for whatever reasons. Many small businesses have also closed in the recent "Covid years" and because of larger corps building stores and mini mall plazas around the city which has affected the city square.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudnik
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudnik
polskawliczbach.pl/Prudnik

- There are many hotels, spas, hiking trails and agri-tourism along the border with Czechia and the closest large Czech cities are Opava, Olomouc and Ostrava. This Poland-Czechia border area is also known as the Krnovski Mikroregion.

mikroregionkrnovsko.cz/mikroregion-krnovsko/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Silesia
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Al%C4%85sk_Czeski

- A search on PolishForums and Polish subreddits for Opole and Silesia turns up the following discussions:

polishforums.com/index.php?phrase=opole&searchType=3&where=0&forum=&posterName=&action=search&searchGo=1

reddit.com/r/poland/search/?q=opole&type=link&cId=452ba7af-c5e3-4f7c-ba00-8feb22c57c16&iId=44c0a43f-3b75-4624-9a1a-a3ca5ea5d5e7

reddit.com/r/poland/search/?q=silesia&type=link&cId=af30d8aa-a460-4d62-9e5f-d03cd34e3f71&iId=3688a4f9-2ad3-4801-acfa-15dcc74246f4

reddit.com/r/Polska/search/?q=opole&type=link&cId=5601c244-7c3c-4c38-bff3-d63f73bd69df&iId=ee3ef066-643f-4c55-ae90-df6f520e7943

reddit.com/r/Polska/search/?q=%C5%9Al%C4%85sk&type=link&cId=924a1700-ac8b-45fb-8853-a02b60cd699a&iId=54754f19-54cc-4eec-82dd-dc80f1f7e0ba

As for my own opinion and experience after several visits over two decades from late 1990s to present, overall some of the public infrastructure has improved and is better than some areas in the Northeast USA where I have lived and traveled. I have mixed opinions about both regions as I see a similar post-industrial landscape and the usual "job struggle survival mode of life" and government dysfunction in some places. Like anywhere I think some parts could be better but I still need to explore and research more.

samotnik

3 Feb 2024

Language / Polish in 4 Weeks CD-ROM [46]

I'm also looking for these mp3s as I recently bought the book but it didn't have the cd.

rea-sj.home.pl/EP4W1 doesn't work, and others are looking here:
reddit.com/r/poland/comments/146r1t3/polish_in_4_weeks_learning_book_mp3_files/

You can contact the publisher here:
facebook.com/wydawnictworeasj
facebook.com/wydawnictworeasj/about

I was able to download the Part 2 of the audio here:
web.archive.org/web/20230203093820/rea-sj.pl/materialy-do-pobrania/
I didn't try every archival page but on several I'm unable to download Part 1, this error comes up: "The server could not find the file"

I've sent an email and if I hear back I'll post here. If more people contact them via email and FB we may get an answer.

At this point the publisher could upload the audio to archive.org/details/audio_bookspoetry or some other public site as an "audiobook" if they are legally able to.

If you prefer audiovisual learning methods keep searching online for others, here are a few online webpage-based examples:

usborne.com/row/quicklinks/quicklink/first-thousand-words-in-polish
popolskupopolsce.edu.pl/lekcja/1/MAZOWIECKIE

samotnik

3 Mar 2024

Language / Polish in 4 Weeks CD-ROM [46]

@Fernando Hernandez

Sorry for the late reply. You can use any file sharing website:

google.com/search?q=file+sharing+website
google.com/search?q=file+sharing+website+with+password

Some of them allow you to even add a password which you can pm to people here if you wish.
If you can upload Part 1 somewhere, or combine both parts since there is no guarantee that archive will work forever, that would be great.

I guess you could also try to upload both to Archive.org (or those free upload sites) which will save you the hassle of pm-ing people regularly:

archive.org/details/audio_bookspoetry

I haven't heard from the publisher and don't expect to so at this point we are left to our own means to share the material with others.

As you can see from the example above it can take a long time and a lot of research to find something.

For me the audio with text and/or visual is the best learning method. I recommend the links I already posted above:

usborne.com/row/quicklinks/quicklink/first-thousand-words-in-polish
popolskupopolsce.edu.pl/lekcja/1/MAZOWIECKIE

...and finding books in Polish that have both a print or ebook and audiobook for self learning. Bilingual books with audio are harder to find but some exist, including free online/pdf versions here:

wolnelektury.pl/katalog/
wolnelektury.pl/katalog/audiobooki
bilinguis.com
bilinguis.com/book/alice/pl/en/c1/

There appears to be more bilingual books in Polish & English to teach English to Polish speakers than the other way around, and of those books, most are without audio:

ifrank.pl
zeslownikiem.pl

It's a complex subject that each person will have to invest the time into researching and testing what will work for them.

samotnik

3 Mar 2024

Classifieds / Polish language tutor needed in southern Opole voivodeship or Albany New York [5]

In Poland I looked into a variety of options and the situation is:

- Not many tutors and schools teach Polish in some areas, you may have more options in bigger cities
- Of those that do, it is mainly tutoring for native Poles for completion of their exams
- You have to sign up for a summer course, multi-month or year long course which may not be possible for people who can only visit for a few weeks or months

The good news is you can at least take exams at universities multiple times a year to determine what level you are on:

certyfikatpolski.pl/o-egzaminie/struktura-egzaminu/
certyfikatpolski.pl/category/terminy/
certyfikatpolski.pl/rejestracja-na-egzamin/

Check the third link (click Lista ośrodków) for a list of cities to find the closest one near you where you can take the exams.

The paid exams are at various levels (A1-C2), ages (children to adult) and methods (writing, listening, etc).

In North America you can try contacting your closest Polonia community, Polish Club and universities for any tutor connections and programs:

google.com/maps/search/Polish+Citizens+Club/
paccpnw.org/resources/polish-studies/
gov.pl/web/usa-en/bilateral-relations
gov.pl/web/canada-en/polish-organizations-and-cultural-centers-in-canada

samotnik

5 Mar 2024

Language / Polish in 4 Weeks CD-ROM [46]

@FHernandez (and any others that are lurking and reading this now and in the future)

Thank you for the upload. The files play well on Archive.org and I successfully downloaded all and played some of them, they seem to be working fine.

The multiple voices having more natural-sounding conversations is helpful.

Track 1 - Track 28 is Part 2 with some English intros
Track01 - Track28 is Part 1 with some Spanish intros

There were just a few words in Spanish as part of some intros but it's not a big deal.
Until others post the other English and Spanish Part 1 and 2s, people can use the voice option for translation on the Google Translate app or website.

I also know a little Spanish and it's an easy language to listen to at least for me.

translate.google.com
google.com/search?q=google+translate+app

Here is the original learning book, there are more than a few editions:
google.com/search?q=polish+in+4+weeks

You may still be able to find it (and more resources) in your local library:
search.worldcat.org/search?q=polish+in+4+weeks&offset=1
google.com/maps/search/local+library/

If you do find a copy with a cd maybe someone can extract and upload the other parts.
I am unable to do this at the moment but I will look into it.

...

There are many resources containing audio, if I may share a few more here:
A Polish government production:

gov.pl/web/udsc/materialy-dydaktyczne-do-nauki-jezyka-polskiego---dla-dzieci
gov.pl/web/udsc/materialy-dydaktyczne-do-nauki-jezyka-polskiego---dla-doroslych

You may have to rename some of the files to organize them. There are also paperback book versions of the pdfs available:
"Z językiem polskim każdego dnia"
allegrolokalnie.pl/oferty/q/%22Z%20j%C4%99zykiem%20polskim%20ka%C5%BCdego%20dnia%22

A youtube channel in Polish audio with Polish and English subtitles:
youtube.com/@EasyPolish/videos

An audio Bible in Polish whether you are religious or not:
wordproject.org/bibles/audio/33_polish/index.htm
wordproject.org/bibles/parallel/c/polish.htm

I didn't see what translation version the audio is based on as there are many.

Music sung in Polish is another way to learn. Poetry, spoken word, historical speeches, stage & screen, hip-hop and rap are probably the most word-dense and understood more clearly than lyrics that are sung less clear and hidden in layers of sound. The disco polo, cabaret and folk genres (solo folk singers with a rambling spoken-sung style, zespoły śpiewaków ludowych / folk singer ensembles) also have word-dense songs with clearer vocals which are delivered in a style of shorter vocal than a longer drawn out style such as in opera, choral, rock, metal, etc which can be harder to understand.

discogs.com/search/?country_exact=Poland&style_exact=Poetry
discogs.com/search/?style_exact=Spoken+Word&country_exact=Poland
discogs.com/search/?style_exact=Comedy&genre_exact=Stage+%26+Screen&country_exact=Poland
discogs.com/search/?genre_exact=Hip+Hop&country_exact=Poland
discogs.com/search/?style_exact=Disco+Polo&type=master&country_exact=Poland
discogs.com/search/?country_exact=Poland&style_exact=Disco+Polo
discogs.com/search/?country_exact=Poland&style_exact=Cabaret
discogs.com/search/?style_exact=Folk&type=release&country_exact=Poland
google.com/search?q=zespol+Śpiewaków+Ludowych

A few examples I recently discovered:

Maciej Pietrzyk - Sierpień 80 (1989)
youtube.com/watch?v=vQtjLfOp29g&list=OLAK5uy_lGPoDBJRo54v6O5c1yAf1aIeAKUJCGQ2w

Polskie Piosenki Zakazane Ocenzurowano (2008 Reader's Digest 5xCD Compilation)
google.com/search?q="polskie+piosenki+zakazane"+cd

If you happen to find a copy this may look like a "bargain bin" production but it turned out to be an excellent historical document which deserves a reissue and wider digital release.

Films, tv shows and video games also have audio dubbing, multiple separate language tracks and/or subtitles (of varying accuracy) so while they can be another resource the translation may be of less quality and waiting for people to speak will take longer than listening to simpler direct Polish speaking and singing. Audiobooks (polskie audiobooki) accompanying a book or ebook are the most clear and direct to listen to and read-along.