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Too many English words in the Polish language!


Koala 1 | 332
30 Aug 2011 #511
albo blutuf. "Mam blutufa", "ten laptop nie ma bultufa" itp.
FUZZYWICKETS 8 | 1,879
30 Aug 2011 #512
blutuf is funny, blutut would be even funnier.
mafketis 36 | 10,683
31 Aug 2011 #513
Why not ząbek? (not being a native speaker it sounds fine to me)

"Mam ząbka."

or

"Ten laptop nie ma ząbka."

I like it (native speakers will probably vehemently disagree).
Arrbol - | 19
31 Aug 2011 #514
Arrbol

I don't think that there are enough English words used in the Polish language. And as for wanting to corrupt the English language with Polish words, that would be a sin. The rich English language has already been vandalized enough.

I often wonder what Dr. Samuel Johnsen would have thought about all this.
Teffle 22 | 1,321
31 Aug 2011 #515
What do Poles say for "walkie talkie" ?

One of the silliest English language constructions it has to be said.
Koala 1 | 332
31 Aug 2011 #516
"łoki toki"

blutuf is funny, blutut would be even funnier.

Well, we approximate English (foreign) words with the sounds we have in our language, injecting foreign sounds into daily conversations makes them a bit awkward. English native speakers do the same all the time.
Arrbol - | 19
31 Aug 2011 #517
Arrbol

Teffle. Something else that has always baffled me is the use of " pretty "

Pretty awful , Pretty painful, Pretty good, etc., The most confusing for a foreigner is, Pretty ugly. It's a very rich language, but sometimes it borders on the silly
mafketis 36 | 10,683
31 Aug 2011 #518
Arrrbol wrote:

Something else that has always baffled me is the use of " pretty "

Is it any weirder than "strasznie dzięuję"? (or "potwornie dziękuję" which I've also heard a time or two) ?

What about 'Bo ja wiem' for "I have no idea" or "w życiu" for "never"

All languages have their points where the meaning can't be deduced from the ingredients.
Lyzko
4 Sep 2011 #519
"walkie-talkie"is really pidgin English-:))LOL
Sidliste_Chodov 1 | 441
19 Sep 2011 #520
czilałt (chill-out)

it's official. Poland is obsessed with the English language.

that is disgusting. uber disgusting.

That's one of the worst. omg :)

open'er

Lol, the first time I saw this one I thought they meant something you use on a tin of beans lmao.

All this reminds me of a conversation I once had with my aunt in Warsaw. She was complaining about all the people around town who use all these English or English-style words like drinki/sorry/sandwicz/peelingi/casting etc all the time, and mentioned that she once tried to start a conversation in English with a particularly notable "offender", and of course they replied "sorry I don't understand" in Polish, lol.
FUZZYWICKETS 8 | 1,879
19 Sep 2011 #521
anything that ends in "ing" is obviously English....yet so many Poles, especially the over 30 crowd, simply don't get it. i mean....how do you not see the pattern?! you didn't have the word in your language yesterday....today it's here.....and it, YET AGAIN, ends in "ing". i mean, come on.

I've had the "you know, anything that ends in "ing'' is an English word" conversation several times with Poles....and they always look surprised. it never ceases to amaze me.

airport ones are the best. i swear every other verb in Polish relating to an airport is an "ing" word.
boletus 30 | 1,361
19 Sep 2011 #522
mafketis:

Is it any weirder than "strasznie dzięuję"?

Another very popular misuse of a Polish phrase is "dzięki + some-negative-cause", such as:
"Dzięki pomyłce lekarskiej stan zdrowia pacjenta się pogorszył" - "Thanks to doctor's mistake the patient's condition deteriorated".

There is nothing to be thankful for and the above sentence should start with "Na skutek pomyłki lekarskiej...", not with "Dzięki pomyłce..."
rybnik 18 | 1,454
24 Jan 2012 #523
I heard this on the TV tonight :".Nie ma hapyendu (sp)"
FUZZYWICKETS 8 | 1,879
24 Jan 2012 #524
ahhh, that's an old one. the latest and most ridiculous for me still has to be the aforementioned "downshifting". holy crap.
rybnik 18 | 1,454
24 Jan 2012 #525
most ridiculous for me still has to be the aforementioned "downshifting".

Really?
It's out of control! lol
Qaay - | 5
24 Jan 2012 #526
Gwara Londyńska: "Luknij no najborka przez łindoł, nasze boje się na kornerze fajtają!"
JonnyM 11 | 2,615
24 Jan 2012 #527
Ale najborzy są ciapakis!
gumishu 13 | 6,133
24 Jan 2012 #528
"Luknij no najborka przez łindoł, nasze boje się na kornerze fajtają!"

it sounds funny - mostly because fajtać in 'continental' Polish means something completely different
rybnik 18 | 1,454
29 Jan 2012 #529
tonight the lady on tv says "niewiadoma czy to prawdziwy hapening"..........happening??
is the Polish definition the same as the English?
PlasticPole 7 | 2,648
29 Jan 2012 #530
People just love to insert English words into their language. Polish isn't the only example. English borrows plenty from other languages as well. This exchange is a rule of language so why get all anal about it?
rybnik 18 | 1,454
29 Jan 2012 #531
This exchange is a rule of language so why get all anal about it?

I'm aware of the exchange but my beef is with the speed of this exchange. So many English words being incorporated at a very rapid rate. What's the rush? Why are these words so attractive to the Poles? I guess I'm intrigued.
delphiandomine 88 | 18,163
29 Jan 2012 #532
Why are these words so attractive to the Poles?

Foreign languages are just fashionable right now, I suppose. The awkardest word is still "lunch" though in Polish.
PlasticPole 7 | 2,648
29 Jan 2012 #533
Poles just like to use English words now and then. It's not understandable why that is, or why people fancy words from a certain language other than their own. It becomes a trend and when that happens, lots of people say them, especially if they hear it on television or see it in print. That just encourages them. Might have something to do with it sounding exotic or there not being a word for it in Polish.
delphiandomine 88 | 18,163
29 Jan 2012 #534
or there not being a word for it in Polish.

Gumishu is the expert on this, but I wonder if it's anything to do with the authorities on Polish not being quick to coin new words for new English words?
gumishu 13 | 6,133
29 Jan 2012 #535
tonight the lady on tv says "niewiadoma czy to prawdziwy hapening"..........happening??
is the Polish definition the same as the English?

no it's not

it has a very narrow semantic field connected with art activities in the streets, also political performances (a political rally is not 'happening' in Polish)

btw happening has been discussed here before (if you care to dig through the thread)

Poles just like to use English words now and then. It's not understandable why that is, or why people fancy words from a certain language other than their own. It becomes a trend and when that happens, lots of people say them, especially if they hear it on television or see it in print. That just encourages them. Might have something to do with it sounding exotic or there not being a word for it in Polish.

I can tell you that in the late 80's and early 90's 'fck you' was very en vogue among the youth and so was the accompaning gesture - it is no longer the case since at least 10 years - simply your average teenager never talks like that anymore

there was time the word 'cool' was the word of choice for many young people - I don't think 'cool' is cool anymore here

but those words that don't have Polish counterparts stay

I would say that a lot of English words now used in diverse fields will fall from use if there are good Polish counterparts - but some will stay (there is no good Polish counterpart of 'catering' for example)

I can give you one example of an English word adopted and the reasons - 'jumper' (as a removable connector between to metal pegs in electronics (like computers)) - one can argue that Polish 'złączka' will be perfectly fine - the thing is złączka can have a very broad meaning - a lot of different things can be called złączka even in the field electricity/electronics - and 'jumper' is used in very specific meaning of this typical connector/jumper you find in computers

Gumishu is the expert on this, but I wonder if it's anything to do with the authorities on Polish not being quick to coin new words for new English words?

Polish authorities once coined a beautiful term 'zwis męski' for 'krawat' (' a tie') - I wouldn't rely on authorities ;)
FUZZYWICKETS 8 | 1,879
29 Jan 2012 #536
there not being a word for it in Polish.

ding ding ding!
mafketis 36 | 10,683
29 Jan 2012 #537
Stupidest translation I've heard recently:

I've been watching the awesome Danish detective drama Forbrydelsen (with lektor) and when the Danish title comes on the screen mr lektor translates it as 'di killink' (trying to say 'the killing', the English translation of the title used in the UK).

uhhh what's wrong with 'zbrodnia' (an accurate translation) or zabijanie or something like that?
gumishu 13 | 6,133
29 Jan 2012 #538
uhhh what's wrong with 'zbrodnia' (an accurate translation) or zabijanie or something like that?

the thing is 'zabijanie' is not the same as killing in English - killing can have a couple of different translations - I would guess in this case 'zabójstwo' is the best one (but I don't know enough Danish to be sure about it) - there is also 'zabicie' - if you don't know what aspect (or meaning) of 'The killing' is meant in an English title you seek to go around it - and the result you have seen is an example of going around a difficult (non-ambiguous) translation by not translating the title ;) - (it might be that the translator actually translated from English and not Danish and was not aware of the Danish meaning of the title (I already stated that neither do I))
mafketis 36 | 10,683
29 Jan 2012 #539
(it might be that the translator actually translated from English and not Danish and was not aware of the Danish meaning of the title (I already stated that neither do I))

So you're saying the translator might think that an accurate translation of "The killing" into Polish is "di killink'?

The translations I've found for the title are: przestępstwo, zbrodnia, wykroczenie... I still zbrodnia would be a better title but it might already have been taken.
gumishu 13 | 6,133
29 Jan 2012 #540
So you're saying the translator might think that an accurate translation of "The killing" into Polish is "di killink'?

heheh :) not really - just not all English titles get translated - American Pie, Terminator and many many others (the Polish meaning of 'terminator' word is completely different from the English meaning) - btw don't expect a Polish lektor to say 'The killing' in beautiful English (it would even sound unnatural for Polish audiences I can tell you)*-

*(Polish people are unaccustomed to situations where some letters are not pronounced - from my personal experience: I don't feel comfortable with pronouncing English words in the British non-rhotic accent when trying to explain things (including pronounciations) for Polish learners of English - that's why I pronounce them rhotic (more or less Irish-style 'cause I am not comfortable with teaching them American pronounciations - a bit of personal schizophrenia ;) )

it is a good point that you made that 'Zbrodnia' could have been already taken by some other title before ('Zbrodnia' is a good sounding title and it can also be the most accurate one)


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