Short Polish<->English translations

Great! My, what an excellent source of useful info!!
I take it you are an educated Polish native speaker, yes?
Trust my constant queries don't irk you:-)

Weird question that occasionally comes to mind.

During the PRL the Soviet Union was officially Związek Radziecki (occasionally Kraj Rad) a Polish translation of the original meaning of Russian sovet (rada).

But now Sowiecki seems to be far more common.... anyone know when/why/how this happened?

"Soviet/sowjecki/Sowjeci" has a negative meaning in Polish language. Therefore it was not used during the PRL. Now is different.

It was used before 1939 (sowiecki) only after 1945 in PRL they started using radziecki for same reason.

It was but by Polish exile emigration in the West, the opposition in Poland and other people rejecting the regime. We sang Rota with changed words in 1980s - Soviet instead of German - aż się rozleci w proch i pył, sowiecka zawierucha. I also read general Ander`s book about Katyń - he used Soviet, not radziecki.


Because it is more patriotic to say so. :):)

Hello all. I am wanting to translate a verse from Walt Whitman's "O Me, O Life" poem to honor my great grandmother. I feel this poem describes her outlook on life and I would be very grateful if someone can help me. I really want the translation to speak and read as it would be spoken in Polish, and not just what Google Translate thinks it should be.

The quote from the poem I need help with is:

That you are here - that life exists and identy,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

Walt Whitman in Polish. Just about as tantalizing as Mickiewicz in English. Oh, it's been done, but it's almost like reading a different author, no?

"Że tu jesteś - że istnieje życie i tożsamość
Że sztuka trwa i także Ty dopisać możesz wers."

lubimyczytac.pl/cytat/286022

Interesting here that "sztuka" can mean both art as well as drama or play, depending solely on the respective context.

And and of course "a play" (for something) doubtless also in Whitman's mind.

Most assuredly.

Trwa for goes on isn't perfect either since it doesn't capture progress and vitality.

It does though capture the sense of duration.

Dzien Dobry, when would you use 'nadziej umiera ostatnia'? Obviously it translates `hope dies last', but what does that mean? Is it positive (like dont give up) or negative (it's all in vain)? Dziękuję bardzo.

It depends on the intonation you apply. If you say it enthusiastically, then it is positive. If in a morose tone coz you know all is lost, it is negative.


We are in a hopeless situation but still fight on and wait for a miracle.

@pawian
super, dziekuję bardzo

Czesc, how do you say 'he wipes the floor with them'? as in, he beats them with ease. Dziękuję.

@kie

"Wycierać podłogę nim/nią/nimi" (Imperfective) or "Wytrzeć..." (Perfective, no present tense)

"Nim" = Masculine/neuter singular object, "Nią" = Feminine singular object, and "Nimi" = Plural objects

"(On/Ona/Ono) Wyciera..." = Imperfective present tense, 3rd-person singular Masculine/Feminine/Neuter subject

"(On/Ona/Ono) Wytrze..." = Perfective future tense, also 3rd-person singular Masculine/Feminine/Neuter subject

Oops my bad, the slang form might instead be in the format of "Wycierać or Wytrzeć nim/nią/nimi podłogę"

@ForumUser
thank you very much

Not at all. It was my pleasure to help you. Poles are like that - helpful and supportive.

In English too, there's "Hope springs eternal."

Merged:

"Hej sokoły" translation

Hi, I'm an Englishman trying to translate 'Hej sokoły' for fun. (I'm sure there are many other beautiful Polish songs but It has such an addictive melody, and refrain)

I'm finding it difficult to translate the chorus. I think Sokoly tranlates to Falcon, however 'Falcon' sound wrong, it needs to be a three syllable word. I'm thinking of changing it to another bird of prey, but I don't want to mess with any meaning or cultural symbolism that I don't know about. I'm a folk singer so preserving the symbolism is important to me.

So...
1. Does the falcon have any particular significance in Polish culture/symbolism.
2. Are there any other birds of prey in Poland that have a strong cultural resonance.

If anyone can help me out, I promise I'll try and learn the song in Polish!

Yes, Polish hunters used falcons quite extensively in the past. Royal falcon keepers earned a fortune.
Falcons are still used at airports today.
ptaki.akcjalokalna.org/spotkania/sokoly-na-lotnisku/

Falcon is the name of a Polish helicopter.

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Thank you very much.
Having delved a little deeper, falconry seems to have quite rich history within Poland, as does the connection between bird hunting and the Steppe (which features heavily in the song.)

To be honest It's a little too much to faithfully reflect in translation, especially for an amateur like me who doesn't speak the language. So I'm tempted to do what folkies do, steal the tune and use different lyrics! There should be something in the Childe Ballads (the archive of traditional English folk music) that fits the tune (sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/index.htm)

1. Would it be appropriate for me run completely different lyrics to the tune? I don't want step on anyone's toes.
2. Is there an archive of traditional music in Poland, like the Childe Ballads?
3. Does anyone know an accessible pronunciation guide that helps with phonics? so that I can learn the song in Polish?

Yes, as long as you don`t change the topic completely. e.g, describing how you failed as a lover at your last date. etc.


Google translate and press the sound icon.


Yes!
As a child, one of the books in our home library I extremely liked due to its colourful illustrations was the book on hunting in the past Poland. This picture was on the cover:

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Probably an eagle. It is quite popular in Poland. Even used as the national emblem. :):)

Here, carried by hussaria winged riders:

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@pawian
Have anyone commented your decision making skills before by any chance?

I don`t remember now coz I am too busy. But I suppose my students comment on those skills each time I assign a big or small test to them. And those comments aren`t too favourable, I suppose.

Is it what you meant????

Don't worry, I wouldn't want to memorialise that kind of experience in song.

The Eagle is a good but still two syllables. I was able to reverse image search the picture and look more the artist work, which I found helpful. Thank you

Oops, I somehow skipped that one.
My proposition:
krogulec - sparrow hawk. It isn`t as popular as a hawk, falcon or eagle but is still recognizable. It is small but crazy, as the saying goes.