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Posts by Semsem  

Joined: 28 Dec 2009 / Male ♂
Last Post: 29 Apr 2012
Threads: Total: 16 / Live: 15 / Archived: 1
Posts: Total: 26 / Live: 23 / Archived: 3
From: United States

Displayed posts: 38 / page 1 of 2
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Semsem   
29 Apr 2012
Language / The complement of the verb "to be" [14]

Well, an example from the book that I understand:

Lepiej poczekać. - It's better to wait.

My problem was that there are examples under "5.1.1.3 As complement of the verb 'to be' (which is left unsaid)", but only some of them made sense to me where some form of "to be" would be possible to include to make the sentence still grammatically correct. I was thinking of "am, are, is" etc.

Makes sense though with the conditional tense. Kind of stupid of me. Read the whole chapter on verbs multiple times, and as such have read over the conditional tense many times. It would appear as though I still have a hard time fully understanding the translation...the fact that Polish has a conditional tense (although, I'd imagine English has one as well, to be technical), only English doesn't have a special word or series of words to make it distinguishable from the other tenses (like: I was, I am, I will be; ate, eat. will eat; etc.)

The lesson learned today for me: always remember Polish has additional tenses and distinguishing forms of words, and that at times a translation might require a bit of abstract thought...not like the extremely linear thought that is English.

I also feel the need to thank all of you who have made me realize this. As I think that that might just be the thing that allows me to truly master Polish in due time. To step out from the idea there must be a proper word-for-word translation, that each word needs to be translated somehow, and realize that Polish might need additives to words and whatnot that one would never find in English.

There are days when I wish my ancestors had taught Polish to their children, instead of letting them learn solely English; or that I had been born in a nation of Europe where I'd have stood a chance learning a more complicated grammatical language. But alas, such is life.
Semsem   
23 Apr 2012
Language / The complement of the verb "to be" [14]

Trying to make sense of "Polish an Essential Grammar" by Dana Bielec....going over the verbs part for the umpteenth time,and still having problems...

Namely with the complement of the verb "to be". I can't seem to make sense of it. Some of the examples make sense that she has, but others not...to me at least.

So, can anyone explain to me when you are to use the infinitive as the complement of the verb "to be"?

One example she uses: Dlaczego mu nie pomóc? - Why not help him? ... Why is "Pomóc" in the infinitive? Where would any form of "to be" possibly fit in there (being omitted of course)?
Semsem   
6 Sep 2011
Genealogy / BIALIK / Bialek, Kotecki, Witucki, Ezdebski Families - Jaslo and Poznan [17]

Well, I know no Bialik's were ennobled, but I know Biały's were (as per Wiki) and if I understand hereditary inheritance and whatnot, since my Biały's became Białyk, then Białik, and finally Bialik, over the centuries, then that would mean that although the name evolved, the c-o-a was still inherited, would it not have been?
Semsem   
24 Jul 2011
History / Why is the Battle of Grunwald celebrated more than the Battle of Lubiszewo? [29]

How do you figure both is "bollocks" (an English term which I don't really know exactly)?

The Battle of Grunwald killed off the grand master of the time, and many of the other heads of the order. They were unable to truly recover from then, and thus slowly declined as history shows us. The Knights, had they been victorious, would have most likely spread and continued to conquer other vast parts (if not all) of Western Europe.

And, with regards to Education, it is NOT taught in ANY schools in America or Canada. It might be taught in some nations of Europe, but I'd be willing to bet that it isn't taught in that many.

Or again, am I wrong?
Semsem   
18 Jul 2011
History / Why is the Battle of Grunwald celebrated more than the Battle of Lubiszewo? [29]

Wouldn't it also be since Grunwald halted the Tuetons, whom if had won would have probably continued and conquered Western Europe? At least...that's what I was taught, and I find it interesting how many times Poland saved the rest of Europe, but don't even get an honorable mention in history classes in most nations.
Semsem   
6 Mar 2011
History / Kingdom of Poland Map [14]

when exactly?

Not sure. Just found the map.

nope not even under the commonwealth was PL ever that big

Can I be pointed to a location that contains various maps of Poland from various time periods?

And, a side-question, is it correct (in any sense) to say that Poland owned Russia between 1610-12 with future Władysław IV as elected (but not crowned) Czar by the Seven Boyars? And then what of during the elected monarchy period? Would it be proper to say that when Poland was ruled by the King of a foreign land (Sweden, France, etc.), Poland was part of those nations (or vice-versa) at least monarchical wise (as opposed to governmental wise)?
Semsem   
6 Mar 2011
News / How Polish diaspora see future of Poland? as ethnic Polish state or just Polish in origin? [120]

Poland is Poland. The homeland of the Poles. The land that gave us kielbasa and pączki. The origin of our Catholicism. The father of the greatest Pope.

No self-respecting Pole (even a Plastic Pole) would ever think of Poland as being "Polish in origin", as that would give the idea that Poland is no longer an ethnically Polish country.

Although the birth rate of European nations is declining, Poland still (I believe) has a birthrate higher than that of the death rate, and so long as that continues and the Polish tongue is kept, it will always be viewed as an ethnically Polish state.
Semsem   
6 Mar 2011
History / Poland during the Renaissance [146]

I understand there were the poets (Kochanowski and the like) and Kopernik, but what else did Poland "do" to benefit the world during the Polish Renaissance?
Semsem   
6 Mar 2011
History / Kingdom of Poland Map [14]

I don't remember Poland ever extending to the White Sea in the north or Romania belonging to Poland in the south

That's why I was wondering about it. I'm also wondering with regards to the territory bordering what I believe is the Volga River, and including Crimea in the Black Sea.

All maps I've been able to find are of either before or after 1618 (when I've read Poland was at it's maximum extent).

And then on Wikipedia, found a map with caption "Rzeczpospolita in 1569; the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, having lost lands to the Russian state and to Lithuania's partner Poland, is much smaller than a hundred years earlier". So...how much larger was it a hundred years earlier and did that have a larger land-coverage than in 1618?
Semsem   
5 Mar 2011
History / Kingdom of Poland Map [14]

How accurate is it? Found it online, looks a bit too large...Poland Kingdom Map
Semsem   
16 Jan 2011
Language / The 1st conjugation and 9th conjugation both end in "ać" [4]

Okay, so while flipping through my dictionary, I find that in Polish the 1st conjugation and 9th conjugation both end in "ać", but there is no explanation as to when to use each of the conjugations.

Example: 1st, czytać; 9th, wiązać

So, how would I determine (at first glance) which is the proper conjugation?
Semsem   
24 Nov 2010
History / Kronika Wielkopolska, Kronika Słowian - Text [4]

Anyone know of where/if there are any texts (English, Polish, other languages) of them online and accessible?

I've been searching for a good number of hours, and have only found sites to purchase copies from (not sites to view the text). I'm assuming that since they're both over 500 years old, there should be something somewhere...
Semsem   
13 Nov 2010
Language / Variations of these Polish Foul Words [6]

For instance, found on another thread: kurwa, wkurwiać, przykurwić, zkurwić, zakurwić, zkurwiały, wkurwiony, wykurwisty, kurwować, kurewka, kurwiki, kurwnięty, kurwnąć/przykurwnąć, kurwiszcze, wykurwiaj, kurwica, zkurwiaj.

And the like with: możenia, możeniach, możeniami, możenie, możeniem, możeniom, możeniu, możeń, niemożenia, niemożeniach, niemożeniami, niemożenie, niemożeniem, niemożeniom, niemożeniu, niemożeń

My question is, how are words like these formed and what do they individually mean (to differentiate them from each other)?
Semsem   
10 Nov 2010
History / Are Poles happy with the current Polish borders? [134]

Look at the USA.

Look at the States for what? Ethnic diversity, yes. But, that doesn't mean people are intermarrying. Sure, enough are, but they're loosing their ethnic identity and cultural ties. Then we end up with these black people in power (be it as employer, mayor, president) and the sad part is that most of them insist on playing the race card and basically complaining for the hundreds of years of slavery (in their own ways, of course).

Ethnic diversity is still a rarity in many small rural areas in America too. And they usually have better (sometimes nepotistic) communities (things actually get done instead of complaining)
Semsem   
31 Oct 2010
Language / The Future of Polish Language [179]

Pretty sure I've seen this brought up before, and not sure if it should be in "General Language" or "Society and Culture", but whatever.

I've been seeing a lot on the news (TV, internet, newspapers, etc.) that talk on how the English language is becoming more and more simplified (I'm not even going to compare it to how it was before the Norman Invasion of 1066). And, how English is evolving differently in other nations (Asian nations usually always called out on it), and saying how the language soon may be viewed as "proper" in said nations.

So, my question is with regards to the Polish language. From another thread (of which I cannot seem to locate quickly) it mentioned that a certain part of the Polish grammar was lost in 1945. And, if we compare Polish to the way it was in the middle ages, it's different, obviously. And, the Polish spoken in America that has roots in late 1800's Polish is outdated. But, with the globalization of English (and the number of younger Poles that know English), how does the future of the Polish language as a whole look? Is the language becoming more Anglicized daily (seeing words such as "negatyw" and "super" for example) or is it a slow adaptation and are the Poles trying (in any fashion) to maintain some sort of a different language?

If anyone can understand what I'm saying...
Semsem   
26 Sep 2010
Language / "A" and "I" usage in Polish language [22]

Both in Polish mean "and", but when is one used in favor of the other? Or are they completely interchangeable?
Semsem   
19 Aug 2010
Genealogy / BIALIK / Bialek, Kotecki, Witucki, Ezdebski Families - Jaslo and Poznan [17]

I'm aware of the origin of the name, and my Bialik's weren't from those areas (at least, since the middle ages).

What I'm curious about is what the singular and plural are. And, depending on whether the crowd is mixed, or all male or all female, etc. Or, if there's something better online that explains this.

And, I know that names ending in "ski", for instance Komorowski, I've seen them used in sentences as Komorowskiego (imagining it is being used in the genitive), but what would the same be for Bialik (since it doesn't have the "ski")?

Merged: Bialik - surname. Coats of Arms and Requests.

I hope I've put this in the right forum...probably should be two separate threads, but I want to condense.

A little info: Bialik - surname. I was told that the family is/was noble, bearing a coat of arms that was red with three things on them forming a point with a goat on top. I think that resembles the Jelita coat of arms the best. The Bialik's have the name origin in Biały, which became Białyk, which became Białik, and finally Bialik. But, from stuff I've now found on wikipedia, there are two coats of arms (names I don't recall right now) that had Biały's...but Jelita doesn't. Jelita does have several whose names are similar to Bialik and from a Jewish Surname Origin book it says that they stemmed from Bialik. The Jews also adopted the name, forming the Jewish Bialik's and the Polish ones (Chaim Bialik, the famous poet, belongs to the Jewish one). So...a question, is it possible that the family does have Jelita, or not? And really anything else anyone could tell me about the name would be appreciated.

And, another request, again, hope this is in the right spot...the Bialik's came from the Jasło area, and there is an Air Conditioning factory(?) or business(?) or something there today. I've sent emails, to no avail. Sent a letter, but not sure if it got there or if there has been a reply (with Polish post being not the best I read), so, I was wondering if any person in Poland would be so kind as to call them on my behalf and try to get some line of communication going. I'd be more than happy to provide the number from their website, but I think it best to not post it right yet or maybe it's best to send it via a private message, I don't know.

Anyway, gladly awaiting any help. Thanks in advance.
Semsem   
15 Aug 2010
Genealogy / BIALIK / Bialek, Kotecki, Witucki, Ezdebski Families - Jaslo and Poznan [17]

Merged: Polish Name - Bialik

Okay, so, from Wikipedia,
Surname masculine "Plural masculine or both masculine and feminine" Surname feminine Plural feminine
Kowalski Kowalscy Kowalska Kowalskie
Wilk Wilkowie --- (Wilkówna, Wilkowa) --- (Wilkówne, Wilkowe)
Zięba Ziębowie --- (Ziębianka, Ziębina, new: Ziębówna, Ziębowa) --- (Ziębianki, Ziębiny, new: Ziębówny, Ziębowe)

So...going off of "Wilk" as ending in a "k" as Bialik does, would it go...
Bialik Bialikowie --- (Bialikówna, Bialikowa) --- (Bialikówne, Bialikowe)?

Or would it be something else? So, would it be right to say the "Bialikowie" family? And, why is it that I've heard that the proper plural is "Bialika"?

Thanks.
Semsem   
17 Jun 2010
Law / Family immigrated 1880's from Galacia: Polish Citizenship - A few Questions [13]

Okay...so, I was wondering how one gets Polish citizenship (I can't get it by ancestry, since my Poles immigrated in the 1880's/1890's). Or could I, anyone know? Family immigrated 1880's from Galacia, and in 1890's from Poznan area, if that helps?

I read somewhere it's 5 years of living there. A couple questions about it...if there is a death or something in family in America, would you be penalized for leaving Poland for a short time?

Marriage to a Pole...3 years of marriage and 2 years in Poland, right?

What of military service? Would one get a lowered time of required residency within Poland? At any rate...how would you go about joining the Polish armed forces and how long would you be enlisted in them?

Once you'd get Polish citizenship, can you leave the country and re-settle in another nation if you decided to after the X number of years?

Polish drivers licenses...would you be able to keep/use the enhanced American one (that is legal for one year, meaning, you'd have to go back to America and get it renewed...don't think you can do it any other way). Or, how would one go about getting a permanent Polish drivers license?
Semsem   
7 May 2010
Language / z, ze and verbs - Genitive [11]

I read that each one is used in different ways with regards to the genitive. Anyone care to help me with understanding how each one is used?

Also, I know a lot of verbs need the noun in genitive, but not all of them. Are there any rules on how to tell which verbs do and don't?
Semsem   
4 Apr 2010
Language / Having trouble pronouncing Polish words? [35]

chlipala123: how do you pronounce dzięki? JANE-key. (It means thanks).

It's not exactly "Jane"...more like "Jen"

ivona.com/?tk=W7S94tvr - (better way...hear it yourself)
Semsem   
12 Mar 2010
Language / Also, Too - także, też, również [18]

When do you use each of them? Or are they all interchangable...meaning the same thing depending on what sentence they are used in?
Semsem   
7 Mar 2010
Genealogy / Jasło and Osiek... Catholic churches [5]

Any idea on the ages of the churches in Jasło? My family immigrated from there in 1881, 1882, and 1902. And, from information obtained from outside sources, the surname had been in the area (apparently) from the 1400's until we left.

And I'll be sure to see what the archives has to offer.
Semsem   
3 Mar 2010
Genealogy / Jasło and Osiek... Catholic churches [5]

Can anyone help me locate the locations of any Catholic churches and cemeteries in the cities...that would have records/graves from the 1400's - 1600's or so onward?

Can't find much searching Google for whatever reason. Thinking of maybe going to Poland to look around soon...just not sure where I'd be going (and I'd like to know before I head off!)

Thanks.
Semsem   
9 Feb 2010
Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [199]

Best said you don't call someone Polish a pollack

First, the derogatory term is "Polack". Pollack I think is a surname.

"Polak" and "Jock" are seen as derogatory.

No. Polak is NOT derogatory at all. After all it is Polish, and means "Pole". It's the American mis-spelling of it "Polack" that's derogatory. However, for me, "Polack jokes", being called a "Polack" and the like doesn't bother me. However, when I say "Polak" and get glances, I explain it's without the "c" and most folk around here then are okay with it.

But, it's mainly a thing of WHERE you are, and what the social norms are. Like, there are areas where if you called an African-American a n***er, it'd be tolerated, but other places, you'd best NEVER say that. But, Poles get that a lot in America, so don't go around saying that at work and you should be fine! (You might get some glances, but so long as you don't mind...ya know?)
Semsem   
7 Feb 2010
Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

Not sure if this has been resolved...but with regards to the morze and może...they are exactly the same.

A great thing SzwedwPolsce posted in a thread of mine was a link to ivona.com, and said the voice "Ewa". Very clear pronunciation, and from what I've heard elsewhere by recordings in Polish it's very, very accurate in pronunciation (I've yet to find anything wrong with it)
Semsem   
6 Feb 2010
Language / The meaning of some Polish Diminutives [23]

Let's see if I have this...

From Wikipedia:
kaczka (duck) → kaczuszka, kaczątko
ptak (bird) → ptaszek, ptaszeczek, ptaś, ptasiątko
pióro (feather) → piórko, pióreczko

These would be the declinations of the diminutive right? And they would mean "little" or "small" duck, bird, and feather right?

So then...would mały (small) (masculine) → maleńki, malusi, malutki, maluśki, malusieńki (Wikipedia again), mean "very small" or something like it?

And then...prędko (fast) → prędziutko, prędziuteńko, prędziuśko, prędziusieńko...would be "very fast"? Then what would "prędzej (faster) → prędziusiej" mean?

And then..."płakać (to weep) → płakuniać, płakuńciać, płakusiać" would mean to weep lightly?

And in your example..."piesek, kamyk" to "pieseczek, kamyczek"...would that be small dog (doggy) and small stone, to very small dog and stone?

Or am I still missing something?