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"No tak"; The Oddest Phrase In Polish For This American


Lyzko
15 Apr 2013 #31
I mean that President Reagan essentially turned "school education" into high-octane selling at the expense of educating students. Business for business sake replaced learning for learning sake. While neither extreme is good, the former has turned particularly toxic. Compare life from around the end of WWII until after the Kennedy Assassination (a watershead if there ever was one!), until round about '79-'85 or thereabouts and it's as though an automobile, puttering along nicely and comfortably, were suddenly and ruthelessly pushed into super high gear withour warning. Those who survived, would survive, those who couldn't, didn't. Those who didn't were usually the worthwhile ones who contributed to the betterment of us all.
Rysavy 10 | 307
15 Apr 2013 #32
How on earth did this become a politics bashing thread... and what america you grow up in Lyzko. The school system was FAIL long before Reagan.

Late 70s and early 80's? A majority of HS students that were illiterate... what was it.. 78%? 87%? fok more than 50%.

Schools started taking a dive around time I was in 4th grade (my dad taught me extra curricular at home so school became my LOL zone every grade after that). I survived "New Math" , stayed in private school until I was 8th grade.Then I LAWLZD thru school graduating at 16 since most monkeys could low pass the classes with simple attendance.

.... isn't there a thread on this already?

that the mod can move somehwat off topic direction and those of us that respond?
Lyzko
15 Apr 2013 #33
Put another way, vernacular once meant a semi-ungrammatical shorthand for a slightly longer, more felicitous way of saying something. Nowadays, in every language it seems, people aren't speaking as closely to the way they write, but the way they hear, and so many Americans write more often the way they speak than the way they read (if they even bother to).

This is a sea change which has been underway for at least the past thirty years and counting. All one has to to is compare the dialogue in earlier black-white movies and those produced today. It's like day and night.
Rysavy 10 | 307
15 Apr 2013 #34
Embrace the dark future... |337 and txt type will be official muti-national language.. no more pesky pronounciation marks.. roll dice on what language iffy word is rooted in.

UMad Bro will soon be considered theatrical ^_^
Lyzko
16 Apr 2013 #35
....and welcome, Pod People of the Future, in lockstep, in unison, towards an uncertain infinity, UNITE!!!!

Rysavy, first you get rid of accent marks, then Polish words to be replaced by dumb-dumb English, then perhaps Polish all together...and what are you left with??

What's more "political" than language, eh, forums mods???

France has long since been besieged by franglais, Germany by Engleutsch, Poland by Poglish/Pogielski etc... Where then does it stop?
Kamisha
19 Apr 2013 #36
"No" in Polish means nothing. You can use it wherever you want, meaning of this it's depending on accent you put to say it. It's like "well" or "umm..." or just a spacer. Means everything and nothing.
Ironside 53 | 12,560
19 Apr 2013 #37
really? would you kindly educate yourself then, even by reading few posts in this thread.
Kamisha
19 Apr 2013 #38
I don't have to, I'm Polish.
Lyzko
19 Apr 2013 #39
I've always used "No" as a harmless interjection, much the same way I'd use "Na" in German:

No, a mówisz po polsku?
Na, also sprichst du Polnisch?
So, e-hh, d'you speak Polish?

Something like that:-)
Ironside 53 | 12,560
19 Apr 2013 #40
I don't have to, I'm Polish.

so what? Would that grant you immunity from ignorance?
Apart from the fact that you are using a redundant word which mean nothing you are also posting sentences with the same content.

I've always used "No" as a harmless interjection, much the same way I'd use "Na" in German:

No, a mówisz po polsku?

If you were Polish that would/could be read as sign that you are inarticulate redneck.
Kamisha
19 Apr 2013 #41
so what? Would that grant you immunity from ignorance?
Apart from the fact that you are using a redundant word which mean nothing you are also posting sentences with the same content.

That's funny! I use "no" for almost 25 years of my life; believe me, I know how it works :)

Examples:
"No i co?"
"No co ty!"
"No nie?"
"No a jak?"
"No wiem"
"No nie wiem"
"No ten tego..."
"No bo nie wiedziałem"
"No ej!"

Sure, most od "nos" are rude, but you cannot deny that this is 'meaning' of this word.
Lyzko
19 Apr 2013 #42
Whoever insults in error, projects their own lacks, no more, no less:-)

Your English isn't that bad either, Kamisha. Ever studied in California?

"No", as someone who speaks Polish, can be used in any number of ways. Are you aware of the varied differences in English between "yes" vs. "yeah", for instance? Many don't, you know!
Kamisha
20 Apr 2013 #43
Your English isn't that bad either, Kamisha. Ever studied in California?

Are you serious? Well, I've never been to the USA or even UK, I just learn by myself :) I just like English language.

"No", as someone who speaks Polish, can be used in any number of ways. Are you aware of the varied differences in English between "yes" vs. "yeah", for instance? Many don't, you know!

Only thing I know is that "yeah" is more coloquial.
Lyzko
20 Apr 2013 #44
More curious, than serious! Your English really is surprisingly good for someone who's never even been to an English-speaking country, let alone on holiday:-) If my Polish were only that fluent on the surface, I'd be reasonably satisfied (and so would everybody elseLOL):-)

Indeed, "yeah" is slangy. The ability to switch register fluidly midstream very often, is the true sign of a bilingual, not merely someone who "knows English fluently"^^ Do you do much reading in English, I mean other than trashy harlequin romances or vulgar journals? You should check out some of our better authors, such as Dickens, Thackery, and Conrad (also a Pole by birth, incidentally!)
Wulkan - | 3,203
20 Apr 2013 #45
"No" in Polish means nothing. You can use it wherever you want, meaning of this it's depending on accent you put to say it. It's like "well" or "umm..." or just a spacer. Means everything and nothing.

That's the most ignorant explanation of "no" I have ever heard.

oh, I'm Polish too if you want to start to argue ;-)
Lyzko
20 Apr 2013 #46
Oh, Wulkan. Methinks thou art being quite the contrarian:-)
Kamisha
20 Apr 2013 #47
I dream of visiting an English-speaking country to polish my English :D

Do you do much reading in English, I mean other than trashy harlequin romances or vulgar journals?

Unfortunately I don't read in English. But if I start, I'll definetely catch a good book!

oh, I'm Polish too if you want to start to argue ;-)

I'ts the explanation that is complementary to everyone else's here :)
citizen67 6 | 189
20 Apr 2013 #48
Reminds me of an anecdote my dad told me. He's French. My mum is Polish. The first time he had lunch at my mum's family, in Poland, he could not understand why when people were asked if they wanted more kluski, and answered 'no', they would get more kluski... They had just said 'no'!! ;)

I had a similar problem the other way around in Turkey, where I would go into a shop and say "HiYa" and the staff would walk off, just as I was about to ask them for something, I thought this is bloody weird, than I found out that "HiYa" in Turkish means "No", and saying it meant you didn't want any help.

Rysavy, first you get rid of accent marks, then Polish words to be replaced by dumb-dumb English,

dumb dumb English?
Lyzko
20 Apr 2013 #49
Ooops, sorry there (UK) citizen67, "dumb-dumb AMERICAN":-)
Thanks for the heads upLOL

Kamisha, remember that one is never truly fluent in another language until they've read and understood, indeed felt, the heartbeat of her classic literature. Had I never cracked open a book of Polish poetry or even a great story such as Pan Tadeusz, I'd never dare to say that I "speak" Polish. I'd modestly defer to someone else who has. You should do the same for English. Until you've attempted at least to read, internalize and appreciate the three authors I mentioned, your English will remain in the crib.

I mean no disrespect. Far too many though disrespect my native tongue by claiming a right to it which is not yet theirs! However, it takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day. = Kraków nie w jednym dniu zbudowlano ^^
Ziemowit 14 | 4,278
20 Apr 2013 #50
According to the dictionary (Słownik języka polskiego; Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN):
no - partykuła o charakterze ekspresywnym
a) używana jako wzmocnienie trybu rozkazującego, niekiedy z odcieniem nalegania, perswazji : Siadajże no.
b) używana do nadawania ekspresji zdaniom lub ich częściom niezawierającym form trybu rozkazującego : No, to do widzenia!
c) potocznie równoważnik pytania, połączony zwykle z niecierpliwym oczekiwaniem na odpowiedź : Coś ci mam powiedzieć. - No? - spytał.
Lyzko
20 Apr 2013 #51
Thanks as always, Ziemowit!
Yep, that's the clincher. Couldn't have summarized it better myselfLOL
Wulkan - | 3,203
21 Apr 2013 #52
I'ts the explanation that is complementary to everyone else's here :)

You have bunch of comments saying that your explanation is useless :-)

Lubisz lody? (do you like icecream)? - no (yes)

oh wow it means 'yes' aswel! :-)
Kamisha
21 Apr 2013 #53
oh wow it means 'yes' aswel! :-)

Didn't I just say that "no" can mean anything? It can be "yes", a warning, a spacer and a question too. My explanation may be lazy, but true :)

According to the dictionary (Słownik języka polskiego; Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN).

I said just the same! But in a bit lazy way :)
Ironside 53 | 12,560
21 Apr 2013 #54
I said just the same! But in a bit lazy way :)

No, your explanation did not explain a thing - everything or nothing? Either you use your brain or you don't - now apologize for blunder and run along or stay and make a fool out of yourself by denying the obvious.
Wulkan - | 3,203
21 Apr 2013 #55
I second that
crochetbitch88 2 | 83
21 Apr 2013 #56
I'm not sure if this can help people who are learning Polish. I don't know too many native Polish speakers who would understand what's written above
Zibi - | 336
21 Apr 2013 #57
[********************* don't know too many native Polish speakers who would understand what's written above
[/quote]

It's an easy text. Perhaps you should hang our with those Poles who finished at least 9 years of schooling? :-)
Lyzko
21 Apr 2013 #58
The thrust of the Polish explanation (and without "translating") is that "No" can be used as either an upgrader, i.e. to eThe masize, or in an imperative mode, that is, to give a command etc. The thrust of the Polish explanation (and without "translating") is that "no" can be used either as an upgrader, i.e. to emphasize/stress, register impatience etc. or, in an imperative mode:-)
crochetbitch88 2 | 83
21 Apr 2013 #59
It's an easy text. Perhaps you should hang our with those Poles who finished at least 9 years of schooling? :-)

haha. I just like to think that i'm a bit exceptional when it comes to intelligence ;) But the people on here seem quite brainy, even if they are lacking in other virtues, so perhaps the explanation is ok
Kamisha
22 Apr 2013 #60
No, your explanation did not explain a thing - everything or nothing?

Can you just tell me what is wrong in my explanation instead of being rude and insulting me? Is everything you can do? That's sad.


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