UK, Ireland / Ive been in the UK for 6 days to relocate and im going back to Poland. [281]


Do you get stares though?

A pole told me that it was a saying in Poland that if you see a red haired person you should pinch yourself - i.e. that you are probably dreaming!

Life / Polish "prog" music? I'd be interested to know about bands etc. [30]

Nice stuff MareGaea!

Life / POLES FIND CZECH FUNNY! [42]

Thread attached on merging:
Do Poles find the Czech language funny in some way?

I've heard this before a few times. I've heard it (czech) described as like Polish but as a baby would speak it or like Polish but with strange old fashioned and sometimes "arseways" (for want of a better word) expressions and turns of phrase.

Can anyone confirm?

I believe that among Slavic languages Polish and Czech are the two that are the least dissimilar anyway.

Life / Passing your Polish language and culture to your kids [74]

+1

Especially if they learn both from a young age - they won't even notice that they are learning.

The Poles I know in Ireland all have kids that were born there - and they are all bilingual. In fact one is about to add French and Gaeilge to their skills - God help them.

Life / POLES FIND CZECH FUNNY! [42]

Sorry mods/admin - should have checked for an existing thread.

What prompted me by the way was when I attempted to translate some of Zetigrek's post in her Mr Poland thread - so apparently żenua is "zen" in Polish but the translator initially autodetected the language as Czech, and provided "woman" as a translation!

Well they do have certain zen-like qualities I guess ; )

Real Estate / Polish system for flats/apartments. Owner have to pay a rent? [11]

Ah well this explains something anyway. I was pleasantly surprised to see that some residential areas that looked "a bit rough" to me were all very clean, neat and tidy. Maybe as much to do with the fact that the cleanliness is paid for as mere civic pride then!

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]

Like it or not English is the international language of tourism as well as business - whether a visitor to Poland is from LA, Helsinki or Bucharest their language of communication is going to be English.

If a country wants to develop as a tourist destination - and Poland probably has a potentially greater source of income here IMO - people who do (or could) derive any of their income from tourists need to speak at least some English.

Of course if people don't want repeat visits from tourists, that's fine. Poles should not feel under any pressure to speak English - it's Poland and Polish is the language - but the simple fact is that a lack of spoken English will stunt tourism revenue.

Life / In need of good Polish jokes about Polish culture, people, etc [226]

I like this "joke"

An Englishman, Indian, Irishman, and Frenchman are having meal in a multicultural restaurant.

The Irishman orders some stew so the Englishman laughs at the “savage paddy”.
The Frenchman orders some French food. Paddy Englishman laughs at the “frog bastard.”
The Indian man has a curry and the Englishman calls it “Paki muck.”
The Englishman drinks warm flat beer and eats his charred roast beef ( real fuggin’ food innit) and then tells Paddy jokes, Frog jokes and Paki jokes, before molesting the waitress (for a laugh), attempting to glass "the fackin' Paki" and ending his night by puking into the table and sleeping in his own vomit.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


Not to each other but generally yes, to people in their host country.


Not my experience at all. The French are a bit different though.


Well I'm not criticising anyway.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


Sorry, don't know what you mean - can you explain?

I'm not talking about within the industry by the way, just that if someone from X country goes to Y country it is likely that the common language used to converse between tourist and host will be English. That's all I'm saying.

Do you think I'm wrong?

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]

I don't think that even Americans expect that "almost everyone" will speak English in Poland.

Their expectations however are infinitely more realistic than the reverse situation of course.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


Well I think so, yes - do you not agree?

Take Ireland: crap weather, expensive, no outstanding attractions to speak of yet people come here in their millions - and it's not jsut the native English speakers. If we can reinvent the country this way I'm sure Poland can.


Other than to encourage tourism, no reason.


I know : )

Well I mentioned France was different earlier on. A few reasons:

France doesn't need to try very hard - it will always get tourists. Beautiful country with great food/wine culture and mostly good weather. Having one of the world's top city destinations helps too.

Many tourists in France are middle class English who generally can speak some French.

Actually many French people can and do communicate in English - they just won't if you don't make any attempt in French whatsover. The French are much more pleasant and accomodating than they are often depicted.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


I agree and I do.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


In theory, yes. Not in practice generally.

I've met loads of Americans and have spent time there. Very few can speak anything but the most basic Spanish. My Spanish is possibly "mid-intermediate" let's say, but it's far better than the average American level as far as I can see.

This applies to non-hispanic Americans by the way and those not living near the Mexican border.

UK, Ireland / Polish question: what's with the Germans, Brits? Foreign groups in Great Britain. [46]


Sorry, but what the hell is German fashion anyway ?!

Regarding the substance of your post, taking a wild guess here, three words:

Two world wars.

UK, Ireland / Polish question: what's with the Germans, Brits? Foreign groups in Great Britain. [46]

But that's fashion created by Germans as opposed to german fashion ; )

Seriously! I'm not being pedantic, I took it to mean street fashion.

Paul Costelloe and Phillip Treacy are well known Irish designers but you would have to look very carefully to see the average Irish man or woman wearing their stuff!

UK, Ireland / Polish question: what's with the Germans, Brits? Foreign groups in Great Britain. [46]


Yeah, that's what I was getting at.


But that's what I was really thinking : )

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


Way above basic. Mid-intermediate at least, probably upper.

Law / Wish to start an Indian Store in Poland [34]


Are you sure Poles would go for it?

I've almost killed Polish people here with curries that I've made - and they weren't hot.

They don't seem to be that accustomed to spicy food from what I can see.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


Depends on the country though. Often they are doing themselves and their country a favour in terms of tourism revenue.

E.g.The economies of Spain, Portugal for a start would have collapsed a long time ago if English wasn't as widely spoken as it is.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]


Well you heard wrong! ; )

Obviously not everyone can speak English, but many do and usually pretty well.

Not sure about Italy though - I would imagine there is a bit of the French syndrome there.

Travel / My visit to Poland - Likes & Dislikes. [137]

There are plenty of countries with attractive weather.

My point is that the two are very closely linked. If English wasn't spoken widely not nearly as many tourists would go there.

News / Polish leader urges EU to keep generous aid funds [32]


Well nobody told me!

UK, Ireland / Polish question: what's with the Germans, Brits? Foreign groups in Great Britain. [46]


Not really true though. They equate British with a predominantly English meaning I think and would rather be referred to as Scottish than British, like the Welsh as far as I know. English people don't mind being referred to as British generally.

However technically, the Scottish appear to be quite happy being British - or at least the majority do.

UK, Ireland / The number of Anti-English Poles... [228]


Are you sure they're not just unusual Polish shirts?

Same colours! ; )

UK, Ireland / The number of Anti-English Poles... [228]

Well he might try and declare for Poland because he's not much use to England!

Genealogy / Polish nationality? Which of the following (if any) determine being Polish. [231]

This "looks like" is BS and means nothing.

I arguably look German, my wife has been mistaken for French, my friend looks Spanish.

We are all completely Irish - how far do you need to go back?

Maybe a few hundred years ago we had non-Irish blood but our parents, their parents, their parents and their parents were certainly all Irish.

Genealogy / Polish nationality? Which of the following (if any) determine being Polish. [231]


Yes, that's what I'm sort of saying too.


What?!

So you're saying that I feel Irish simply because my bloodline is strongly Irish, but not due to cultural/political reasons, reasons of birth etc?

Genealogy / Polish nationality? Which of the following (if any) determine being Polish. [231]


No of course not, but the point being that if you "slip out" in Ireland you are entitled to be regarded as an Irish citizen - regardless of your parents. So technically, you are already Irish.

Spend all your life there and your parents don't keep any cultural links with their country, completely assimilate into Ireland and Irishness, and you're pretty much there.

UK, Ireland / Work in any office in England without any degree? [11]


Yes, of course it's possible.

Maybe not any office - but it depends on exactly what the job is and who you are working for.

But in general, for practically all office jobs, no, you will not need a degree.

(Did you really mean "degree" though?)