Travel / Visiting Poland - A bit worried about social attitudes and racist inclinations.. [80]

You shouldn't worry. Most of the racist stuff is written by people from the US/Canada, Ireland, Australia, UK etc who've rarely or (more usually) never actually been to Poland. People here are generally friendly, even if they don't always look it!

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

And that's so much of the issue - colloquial words describing races or distinct groups of people are rarely positive. As far as judging nuances is concerned, the examples you gave are so obvious that there is no great subtlety involved.

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

Actually I haven't watched your link, since the staff at Starbuck's in pl. Trzy Krzyzy might not appreciate it competing with their background music, though you may sleep safely in your bed knowing I've seen enough live to know how weak it generally is.

However you are trying to sidetrack since your examples of usage of the word murzyn clearly show that it is far from being complementary - and for that reason it is best avoided.

I'm surprised you haven't used the expression 'PC Brigade'!

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

Or simply using language as positively as possible, to affirm not condemn.

And no 'Gumishu' the word murzyn is not neutral, especially with the connotations you describe.

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


More than some, thank you very much.


There would actually have to be some humour in the first place, beyond slapstick and hackneyed political satire.


Now what would you know about either my level of either Polish or any other language as well as my ability to feel a nuance in that language?

After all, if you think the word 'murzyn' is inherently positive you can't be a very good judge of language, can you?

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


No difference at all. The phrase is still used.


Nonsense and double nonsense!


Which proves my point perfectly. That it is a word with no positive connotations.

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


This is the point really. When I used to do factory work back in the eighties, the crappest job in the factory was always called the 'Irish job'. A similarity in many ways.

Genealogy / What are common Polish character traits? [425]


Very true! Everything right away, full (and usually joyful) enthusiasm to have it all right now and offended if someone is more reserved but no sense of next month.


More passive-aggressive.

Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]


But that was on the outside, and things are different then. Its on youtube, the singer is called Lynn Hamilton.


Agreed. And when you stop watching TV, you never really go back to it.

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

Nothing sudden about it. And easier to feel decent if language works towards that not against it. Al living languages are always changing so let them change for the better rather than allow whinging about 'perfectly good words' to cloak some of the less desirable attitudes of the past.

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

That sounds pretty derogatory to me.

What isn't derogatory about associating a group of people with basic grunt work. If you disagree, why not propose that factories should henceforth refer to workers doing the most basic, repetitive unskilled jobs as 'Poles'. Would you consider that derogatory or not?

Come to think of it.......

UK, Ireland / There's not a lot wrong with Poles in the UK. There's just too many of them. [72]

Some estimates say that it's up to a half.

Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

Very sensible. The quality of television has declined in a lot of places. In Poland it was never very good and is unlikely ever to improve.

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

The origin of a word odd irrelevant. The use of a word is all that matters.

By the way, who are the 'PC brigade'?
.

Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

I however do speak Polish and although I don't own anything as tacky as a television I do see it from time to time and the quality here is low. Far too many political discussions and far too little original drama and all too quick to jump on the bandwagon of inane talent competitions.

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

What do you think the rationale is for that?

Love / Polish women are the most beautiful in the world! [1718]

Adam Zamoyski

Love / Polish women are the most beautiful in the world! [1718]


It does make it an interesting part of our history here in Warsaw.

Did you know that in the 18th Century, rich young European men used to go through Warsaw on the Grand Tour on their way to Moscow but never actually get there because of how good Warsaw was and how pretty (and accommodating) the girls were?

Genealogy / Popular Polish First Names? [152]


Is she a friend of tania Tanya z Astrakhanie?

Love / Polish women are the most beautiful in the world! [1718]


I didn't quote him - somebody else did, and having read his diaries he just seems like some sort of sexual compulsive. But at least he lived in Warsaw, which is interesting slightly.

Love / Polish women are the most beautiful in the world! [1718]

Casanova. Who of course lived in Warsaw, more or less on the site of the building where Heaven Sauna and Folk Gospoda are now. Maybe @goldenliberty, you know the site? Another famous (and near contemporary) libertine (Cagliostro) who expressed a very different view of Polish women lived not far away.

Law / Can I rent a house as an office in Poland? [9]

I've sent you a PM.

Law / Can I rent a house as an office in Poland? [9]


No. This is untrue. You do not need a residence permit to be a company director and in fact there are often strong tax advantages in not having one.

Food / Comparison of supermarkets in Poland. Which one is the cheapest? [33]

When the UK recently banned a certain type of pig unit due to extreme cruelty, all the equipment was sold to Polish farmers.

Australia / Mail problem- Poland to Australia, delivery time frame [40]


I've always found it OK, though I've noticed that international mail (to and from the UK) is always far quicker from rather than to Poland.

Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]


I've noticed this too.

News / Police and priests save homeless in Poland [29]

Most homeless (in the sense of rough sleepers) are jobless and have all sorts of other problems. When someone gets to that situation in life, they need a bit more help than being given a pair of shears and pointed at a garden.

Food / Comparison of supermarkets in Poland. Which one is the cheapest? [33]

I know one farmer down by Garwolin who sells all his produce for export and buys the stuff he eats himself from the supermarket. Something to do with soil contamination.

I don't eat chicken at all, for 3 reasons. One is the hormones and antibiotics they are fed with, another is that when I was working in Africa last year I ate chicken that tasted like chicken used to (i.e. tasted of something) and it was totally different to the rubbish we get in the developed world, but the main reason is the appallingly cruel way the birds are treated during their short lives.

Life / My experience in Poland 15 years ago as an American trying to live and work there. [167]

@bibliophile

Almost every word you have written is well-meaning but untrue.

Food / Comparison of supermarkets in Poland. Which one is the cheapest? [33]

Try Leclerc off Jerozolimskie. A great selection and never crowded.