The BEST Guide to POLAND
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Posts by melsomelyb  

Joined: 23 Mar 2010 / Male ♂
Last Post: 14 Apr 2010
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Posts: Total: 10 / Live: 4 / Archived: 6
From: upon the moon
Speaks Polish?: moze tak moze nie

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melsomelyb   
14 Apr 2010
Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

The Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) is a test used by the United States Department of Defense to test an individual's potential for learning a foreign language.

Level 3 includes Polish, Russian (despite having a more difficult script), Turkic languages, Thai, Vietnamese, etc.

Level 4 (more difficult) includes Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Pashto and Korean.

So who says Polish is the most difficult language? Also, surely these things, to a lesser or greater extent, work both ways - it should be as difficult for a Pole to learn English, assuming the same level of resources are available. Therefore, if Polish is the hardest language, then so is English, ergo neither can be the most difficult. I win.
melsomelyb   
5 Apr 2010
Language / Is the term 'Polak' derogatory?? [254]

Just imagine walking up to a Pole and saying 'hey there, Polak'

Hey there, Scot.

Polonius3
Amongst black people, the word (when used by other black people) is often an insult. One black person may use this word in the way you have described, whereas for others, it means a black person of a lower social status.

If it's used in english then it kind of puts stress on its "foreignness" which some might find derogatory.

Interesting point. How should English people feel about the word Angol? How should English people feel about the word Angol if Polish were a world-dominant language in the way that English is?
melsomelyb   
25 Mar 2010
Language / Is the term 'Polak' derogatory?? [254]

No self respecting Czech would call themselves a "Bohemian" :

A Czech who leads a Bohemian lifestyle might, otherwise you're probably right.
melsomelyb   
25 Mar 2010
Language / Is the term 'Polak' derogatory?? [254]

Englishman... Frenchman... Irishman... Germanman... Polishman. It sounds too much like policeman.
Pole is the preferred and accepted word to use in English, but maybe it's just too short for some people.

If some think Pollack is offensive then it probably is. It is usually used in a way that is not exactly friendly. To call a woman a Pollack just sounds plain wrong and even plural Pollacks doesn't sound right. Refined English often likes to keep plurals the same as in the original language borrowed words came from.

On the other hand, Slovak is more correct than Slovakian (for a person) and don't forget how Czechs aren't Czechs but Moravians and Bohemians.