Real Estate / Renting in Krakow, Poland - the safest district? fairly close to the city centre... [25]

Ced
Hi,

Yep, Prądnik Bialy is not so bad. But bear in mind that you'll have to commute longer from there than from some less remote districts. I'd recommend rather Kazimierz district or Krowodrza, both are walking distance from the Main Market Sq. and much more prestigeous too.

regards

Genealogy / Toczynski name? [18]

Yep, way over 300 Toczyńskis in Poland. So not so rare as you can see.

Language / Problems remembering Polish vocabulary [20]

Reading stuff in foreign language helps a lot, so try some Polish books, but choose simple ones or ones specially designed for such occasion, like there used to be Penguin books with easier vocab etc. Ask in a good language bookstore.

Also watch TV in Polish, not only with English subtitles! This is on Polonia TV but any other channel is good; news programmes especially. TV helps because you see and hear at the same time.

Law / Polish Cop Took My Car Registration :S [143]

Why in the name of all gods, did you have your windows tinted? You don't want to see too much outside while driving? The procedure is rediculous, no argument to that, but your car windows are too.

Language / Too many English words in the Polish language! [709]

Apart from Esperanto, there are other artificial languages: ido, interlingua and volapük. There exist/ed couple of dozens more, but less popular. Anyway they do not have native speakers, so they would have to be imposed somehow. I think English serves the role of international language now as it is fairly eaasy, not as rich as e.g. Russian and has much more simple grammar than e.g. Latin, or Finnish or.. Polish. Before that French was common. Also colonization helped in spreading "countles" places English, French, but also Spanish, Dutch (Aafrikans in RSA is based on it), Portugeese. I guess English is still official language in many places outside the UK (India?, Singapore).

As many of you said it is a natural process to influence one language by another. Almost any language borrowed some things from others. BUT it's not like we should all instantly accept it without thought some foreign words and expressions as Polish.

There are Polish words for almost everything.

Real Estate / Renting in Krakow, Poland - the safest district? fairly close to the city centre... [25]

Ok, true. I meant rather old districts incorporated into Krowodrza around 1950', such as Kleparz (or Nowy Kleparz, quite close too), £obzów is not so far either. I'm not much of a walker myself and yet I walk almost every day from work to Nowy Kleparz. It takes me 15 minutes.

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

It comes from old-Polish word "murzać" meaning dirty. Back in the days if you were not a coal miner and were black - they had to make a name for you. Most obvious was that they were "dirty".

Language / Problems remembering Polish vocabulary [20]

Hi! It is possible, but I'm guessing it depends what network you're connected to - if it's cable tv o sthg else. Definitely it's broadcast so that you can watch from sattelite tv.

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


And which dictionaries exactly you have checked? Are you a linguist?? Have you checked deep enough?
You can even google it, please! Don't write a definitive statement unless you really know the subject.

Look here:
andreadoria.republika.pl/bajki/sierotka15.html
afryka.org/?showNewsPlus=3004
These are just random results form a quick search...

Study / Studying Swedish in Krakow [11]

Hi,

first step would be to check university courses, there is some faculty with Swedish.

bpz.ae.krakow.pl/kurs_jezyka_szwedzkiego_2.html

Also private language schools or private lessons:

e-korepetycje.net/malopolskie/krakow/jezyk-szwedzki

here's a price list for a course in one of language schools:

lingualand.pl/szwedzki-cennik.html

Ol.

Language / Too many English words in the Polish language! [709]


Klingon is not artificial, is it? :) A lot of Klingons speak it:))

You were right about Esperanto and native speakers - there are some. I can only add that there is still a dispute over Esperanto being an artificial language or not.

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

Magda, no need to be mean, is there? Enkidu wrote a definitive statement which was not true and I commented on it.
Your "in-depth" search was based on not much more than wikipedia and first search results I think. That's not enough in many cases and it does not give full knowledge.

I didn't deny it is not a borrowing - read with more understanding please! My explanation was for the purpose of proving there actually was such a word (without going deep) as someone stated there wasn't, and not for the sake of making a lecture. And the word does not show up only in Konopnicka's. Try some dictionaries or opinions of linguists specialised in this field instead of only the web. It helps sometimes! Check Rada Języka Polskiego, or e.g. profs. Grzenia, £aziński, Siuciak. Read their explanations and you will hopefully conclude that generally neither of us were wrong.

I guess you like to prove your point, more than share knowledge.

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

No argument to that, Marqoz. Thanks for a positive input:))

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

And I suggest little less confidence. My advice on using more sources, i.e. dictionaries came first. Anyway I appreciate your input.

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

Marqoz: Yes, that's interesting. Thanks I'll be checking the leads you wrote. And it was not me who exaggerate I think :))

cheers

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

WOO!

Hold your horses!
SEVEN genders? Seven? I'd like the author of the article to name them;)

And being fluent in your mother tongue on average age of 12? Ridiculous.

Polish the hardest language? It's very hard indeed, but what about e.g. Finnish. Or languages with no alphabet for people who know only alphabet-based languages? Or click languages? This article is bollocks! But it started a very nice discussion though :)

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]


1. Not 16, but earlier in my opinion;). And it is not hard if you ACQURE language not only LEARN.

2. Are you joking? When I was at school I didn't hear about such things as "disortografia", "disgrafia", "dislexia" or "discalculia". Yep, those notions made popular later. Also we did not hear then about ADHD. There were just people who had to study harder or repeat a semester or they had bad marks from behaviour;). And definitely not 80% Poles have such "certificate" - that's rubbish just as much as stating that 80% of Polish society cannot wrte correctly in their mother tongue.

Travel / Looking for a good map of Poland on the Net [16]

If you are a trucker and basing on your nick that yo are:) then I'd recommend Michelin Via maps and NAVTEQ Map24 (it's like 'passive' navigation)

Work great, I use them myself.
Here are the links:

map24.interia.pl
viamichelin.co.uk/htm/hme/Homepage_lite.htm

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]


Yes, I know that well. But the author of that article didn't:) and that was my point, that if someone starts an article like that then the quality of their research (if any) is poor.

Life / BMW Poznan cutomer service is surprisingly good! [8]

I have quite an opposite experience. Organizations in Poland - and everywhere else I've been are not so unfriendly. Maybe it is the way you act and what and how you say something to other people. In my opinion most often it's how you act causes your interlocutor to re-act in a particular way. Simple as that.

As far as quality of service - that's what has to be improved a lot in some places. But there are also very positive exceptions, like Dnz gave. Only when service providers or clerks are rude then it's time to "unleash the hell" and retort properly. There's no other way than to bring such a person to the ground (and I don't mean ad personam).

Law / residence visa stamp (Asian girl with a Polish husband) [9]

Hi there,

I don't see a problem here. PESEL does not have much to do with residency here. If they require proof of your residency in Poland then you prove it, PESEL is something different (it's personal number). For proving your residency you should provide your residency card and/or 'zameldowanie' - registration of address of stay, which you do separately.

If you need any details you can write to me.

Life / Do you think a smoking ban would be a good thing in Polish restaurants and Bars? [217]


What about this whole lot of places that you cannot easily say if it's a bar/pub or a restaurant. Pubs serve meals too. Should this count?

It's simple - noone would deny right to smoke. You want to smoke - you go outside (or to smoker's room etc.) without affecting the whole place. The majority of society does not smoke. Now it is upside down - non-smokers have not much option and what's important I think - the staff has no option but to inhale the smoke either. It is not a problem now in some other countries which imposed this ban. People just go outside for a smoke. Is it so hard?

Law / Poland - Temporary Residence card - Karta pobytu - required documents [142]


Best way will be to renew the rental contract e.g. permanently (without due date). then your problem is solved. But for that you must talk to the landlord (e.g. just add an addendum to your rental contract that says that you rent this apartment without "end" date, with let's say 2-month notice). I fixed with my landlord like this and I don't have such problems anymore.

Law / Car Insurance for a foreigner living in Poland on a temporary permit [6]

Hi Ambrose,
Well, it seems that the previous car owner had discounts and you have less. So when the car was changing it's owners there was a difference created and they calculated it on the basis of: your age, any previous discounts, how long you posess driving licence, age of the car etc. (hence they were asking you many questions). That is not a huge difference though, depending on the make of the car and other details.

You can try to find a cheaper insurance company for the future insurance period. Write me a pm if you need details.

cheers

Life / Do you think a smoking ban would be a good thing in Polish restaurants and Bars? [217]


Dunno. There isn't many smoke-free places, but the number is growing I think.
It's a matter of awareness and culture I guess however, this particularly should be regulated by some law as there is no bad side of imposing such ban. Would it be very problematic to go out for a smoke? I haven't seen anyone whining about it outside Poland and I also did go outside if felt such a need. The only problem is that now really good bars that many would want to visit stink and don't have good ventilation and smoke-absorbing system. And after such a visit all clothes, everything smell bad. Real bad! :)

I think that this ban would make smokers smell less also :))

I found these two websites:

LokalBezPapierosa.pl
PolskaBezDymu.pl

Law / Car Insurance for a foreigner living in Poland on a temporary permit [6]


Yes, exactly. And here's a nice tip: also YOU can claim a re-count during your period of insurance as your car looses value.
You can experience this always when your (insured) car got some dent or other damage and you claim your insurance. At first they never pay you the percentage of amount for which you insured stating that the car has lost it's value since then and you are not entitled to get it. Since insurance companies make use of this argument then their clients can too, but not many people think of it.

Life / Do you think a smoking ban would be a good thing in Polish restaurants and Bars? [217]


Your friends are either smokers or they are not assertive. Have you thought about what they like?? Maybe blowing the smoke in their faces in not exactly the type of fun they'd like. Or maybe not.


Yeah, everyone can just pick a job they like and get it. Especially when you're a bartender or a waitress you have a whole bunch of non-smoking bars to work at and they all wait with open arms. You always have an option not to work, you're right! It's like saying to a welder that he can work safely when he buys his goggles and other safety equipment or work without it with no protection and go blind. Simple choice you say...

Life / Do you think a smoking ban would be a good thing in Polish restaurants and Bars? [217]


Hahaha, I love this comparison (kudos to you for that)!


It is impossible to ban the things you mention, and it is possible to regulate smoking in public places, which would then give the choice not to inhale someone's "exhaust fumes". It is about that choice. Don't say that people who don't want to smell like smokes can always stay home - that is not much of a choice, is it :). And I bet it wouldn not hurt you to go every now and then to go out to smoke, seriously.

Life / Do you really have to pay for your dogs to live in Poland [15]


You should've thought before you let your doggie be pregnant. Killing at birth? Why not get the vasectomy/sterilization (if that's a correct terminology)? It's cheaper than those fines and not to mention - more sane.

Life / Do you think a smoking ban would be a good thing in Polish restaurants and Bars? [217]


Touche!


Ok, but this is what, like a 0.1% of the traffic or even less? It's such a small number that it falls into "interesting but insufficient" category;)


Do you have any idea of how many people die and/or get terminally ill of smoking or involountary inhaling tobacco? Fat is not as great enemy and noone forces anyone to eat excessive amounts of fat (McDonald's is also your choice I myself am not tempted that much). I am quite thin, with average cholesterol, but I'm getting poisoned everytime I enter any bar because of the smoke.

Are you so lazy that you are not willing to go out for a smoke? I think this is actually a good law to impose (one of few I agree, but "letting the nature to decide" is not applicable here) but it'll serve EVERYONE, even you who don't agree with it. I didn't want to sound like that but I need to point out also that the costs of treatment of each person with lung cancers and other smoking-caused diseases is on the whole society. That is very expensive and not many of those people have ever paid for their treatment. How do you argue that? I don't want to be paying for your cancer treatment. Or mine because of you. Smoker:))))