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Posts by Teffle  

Joined: 26 Aug 2010 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 8 Dec 2011
Threads: 22
Posts: 1,319 		From: IRL
Speaks Polish?: Nie - odrobineczke

Displayed posts: 1341 / page 7 of 45
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Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]

So how do you ask that question? (I know it should be much instead of many and sugar not sugars but is it the way you ask ile ci posłodzić?)
How many lumps of sugar?

And how do you answer? Two spoons, please?

Yes you can say this.

How much would generally refer to sugar intake generally - e.g. how much sugar do you take on a weekly basis?

Or does one say: Danes prefer Carlsberg to Budweiser?

You can say Danes or The Danes. The would often be used by non-Danes though and Danes by Danish people themselves. The Danes sounds a little more removed.

According to your logic: why not you have watched or seen if the movie is ending and not going to last anymore?

Because you are still watching - just about - the credits are still rolling and usually there is still action in the background.

How about he had had too much drink before he finally has died? Is that correct? I mean can I use present perf with past perf?

In a word, no.
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
UK, Ireland / Avalon method course vs Conversation with a native speaker to learn English? [37]

I find the Cork accent quite hard to understand. Monaghan has a unique accent too. Depends how much slang they use.

Cork, yes, it's difficult - surprised at Monaghan though. If you find Monaghan unintelligible maybe you should start with Donegal - like Monaghan on valium ; )

With reference to Pikeys, not all pikeys are from Ireland. Which is my point.

Yes, fair enough.

Although the ones that are in Ireland, in my experience anyway, all sound the same whether they are from Kilkenny, Cork or Sligo. There are generic Irish elements to their accent but nobody else speaks like this. I would know a pikey accent within about 2 or 3 words. They even have their own language, Shelta, but it's very primitive.

Actually the term pikey isn't used in Ireland really - knacker is the main derogatory term. Of course they prefer travellers (but call themselves Pavee)
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
UK, Ireland / More "exotic" verb+noun collocations for advanced student of English? [8]

I'm finding it difficult to get hold of extensive examples or lists.

I'm talking about things like to cast aspersions, to undergo treatment, to undertake a task.

Anyone any pointers?

Also, if anyone has any ideas on other lesson agendas for an advanced student I would appreciate it. Her vocab is good, she has a solid understanding of tenses and her general grammar is good (syntax etc).

Phrasal verbs are always worth revising and I guess she can't have too much vocabulary...

What about English words that there are no direct Polish equivalents for?

There must be a few - e.g. shrug is one as far as I know.

Any more?
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
Life / Bugs in Polish houses and apartments [78]

That looks like a silverfish to me - harmless and usually live in damp dark areas: under baths, in unlit fireplaces etc.
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
Life / Bugs in Polish houses and apartments [78]

In winter time there are some small very small black beetles ..??

O also have them but have no idea who the hell they are. They live inder my carpet but don't see them often

Sounds like they are just young regular black beetles to me. They like damp.
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
USA, Canada / Why are Polish Americans mocked in the American media? [226]

OK, can't answer from experience, but based on any US documentaries I've seen on any subject, movie credits etc, Polish surnames feature regularly - as least as much as Italian or Irish for example anyway.
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
Love / Unmarried couples in Poland = pathology [310]

It is, when you are getting married in the Catholic Church.

What??

Once upon a time, yes, but please don't tell me this is still the case - is it?
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
Life / The Polish national 'brand' [21]

"Empires couldn't pull us apart. What makes you think you can?"

LOL - I'd love to see this on a T-shirt!
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
UK, Ireland / What English food would you serve a Pole? [83]

The big problem here is that Britain, like Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands for example do not really have a national cuisine as such.

I think it's a misconception many Poles have. They are more likely to equate bad convenience food as being representative of British or Irish food but really they are just representative of bad diets - which exist everywhere.

In Britain & Ireland, you can go to a "themed" restaurant and have Italian, Indian, Greek - whatever. You can't really go to a British or Irish restaurant.

Britain and Ireland produce good quality food and world class restaurants but none of them are "British" or "Irish"

Yes, the food you mention is certainly associated with/invented in Britain but it's really just a nostalgic comfort thing - it's not that people up and down the country regularly eat stuff like this really. Plus - S&K pie, bangers & mash, fish and chips - they are far from unique.

More in terms of items/condiments, the Poles I know love salad cream and Branston pickle for example.
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
UK, Ireland / What English food would you serve a Pole? [83]

Ha ha - didn't know they liked it that much!

Or are you referring maybe to the slobbier side of British/Irish closed curtain wasterism?

EDIT:

Sorry about the mini half rant above OP, in response to the question I would cook a good steak (ribeye or sirloin - superior to the overrated and overpriced fillet as any afficionado knows) and proper roast potatoes. Not sure about veg though - carrots & parsnips mashed with butter, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg maybe? Sticky toffee pudding for desert.
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
Life / The Polish national 'brand' [21]

...Polish mistakes with being associated with conservatism

There you go, fixed that for you ; )
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
UK, Ireland / Corned beef & Cabbage are typically Irish? [98]

BTW do pubs in Ireland dye their lager green on St Paddy's?

Most definitely not - very much an American thing. And yes, it's St Patricks or St Paddys but NEVER St Pattys as some Americans say. It gives me shivers down my spine it's so awful.

corned beef & cabbage

I've never had it and I've never seen anyone eating it.

Cabbage in general is popular alright but again, can't remember the last time I had it personally though.

And, hand on my heart, except in jest, I have never heard the word "begorrah" or the phrase "top o' the mornin' to ya" uttered in my life. Honestly.
Teffle   
30 Sep 2010
UK, Ireland / More "exotic" verb+noun collocations for advanced student of English? [8]

to shrug -- wzruszyć ramionami

Oh ok, thanks. Is it a direct equivalent though? I was told there wasn't one. Does the above not just mean "lift shoulders" or something? maybe not.

Anyway, on the other stuff, you misunderstand - I'm looking for the English collocations in order to teach to a Pole. e.g. you don't throw aspersions but castthem etc
Teffle   
1 Oct 2010
UK, Ireland / Corned beef & Cabbage are typically Irish? [98]

Its a bit similar to bacon and cabbage, which last time I was in Ireland was still being served there.

Sure, it exists but I wouldn't call it common or popular. Amongst farmers maybe - older farmers that is. Otherwise maybe as a pub lunch or something, almost for tourists.

If someone said "OK, so we're having bacon and cabbage for dinner", most people would be surprised, bemused - probably like haggis tatties & neeps in Scotland.
Teffle   
1 Oct 2010
Classifieds / English cuisine week in Lidl shops in Poland [203]

I think the Lidl near me is falling apart at the seams.

Rather than have a Spanish/Greek/Polish week - which they have done in the past - they seem to just have random jars and packages of stuff from a variety of countries/cuisines dotted all around the store, remnants of the last promotion. Every week is Indian/Polish/Japanese/Thai/Spanish week it appears !
Teffle   
1 Oct 2010
Life / Poles - what other nationality would you say you are most like? [125]

For the Irish I would say undoubtedly, we are closest to the Scottish in many, many ways. Although of course there are differences too.

I've often heard it said that the Poles and Irish are similar and I agree to an extent - I think the Irish are certainly more similar to the Polish than most other Europeans anyway.

Poles and Czechs maybe? (their "funny" language aside!)
Teffle   
1 Oct 2010
UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]

It's a funny one. Both are used widely. Strictly, "Do you have...." is probably the more correct form but "Have you got..." certainly doesn't sound bad or anything.

To me, there is slightly different emphasis too - "Have you got..." implies a bit of seriousness or urgency or even purpose - depending on the situation. Like "Have you got your ID/passport with you?"

With "Have you got time?" there is a subtle implication that the speaker thinks that you may not.

"Do you have time?" is a little more laid back.

Those are my thoughts on it anyway.

In different contexts though there are other differences.

In front of an (or is it: the) entrance door

It's an. Because it's any door, you are just giving an example of one. The would be a specific one, either already referred to, or the only one.
Teffle   
1 Oct 2010
Life / Poles - what other nationality would you say you are most like? [125]

that's good idea...

I can't do it though : /

No certainly not. Czech are consider by Poles as Germans in disguise ;D

Ha ha - fair enough - didn't know that!

My type is Hungarians. What do you think about it?

No idea. I know very little about Hungarians and have only ever met one of them.

Never heard the comparison before though.
Teffle   
1 Oct 2010
Life / Poles - what other nationality would you say you are most like? [125]

During the war Winston Churchill said, "The Poles are like the Irish, only more so."

Ha - first time I've heard that! Not sure what to make of it. Sounds more like an insult than anything but was possibly intended as a morale booster.

Finns - that's another group that are supposedly similar to the Irish. No idea myself.

Right, so far a bit of a vote for Poles & Slovaks maybe? Nobody seems to object much to this one...but possibly only because they don't know any Slovaks!