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Polish Etiquette


smurf  38 | 1940  
4 Oct 2012 /  #1
What do you agree with?
What would you add?

a-to-z-of-manners-and-etiquette.com/polish-etiquette.html

Always be on time, it is considered extreme bad manners and poor etiquette to keep people waiting.

I personally hate this one, I'll be late for my own funeral. Life is too short to be on time all the time........unless it's for a plane

If you are invited to a private home for dinner, be prepared to remove your shoes before entering (no holes in socks please!)

First time I didn't know about this...I was wearing odd coloured socks. I'd understand if you had lovely expensive timber floors but they had some crap threadbare carpet.

The Polish workday usually starts around 8 am and ends no later than 4 pm. The working week includes a Saturday morning. Sunday is a day of rest, a time to be with family and go to church - Poland is 90% Catholic.

Well, that's obviously bullshit

Hands in pockets is considered disrespectful and rude. It is also bad etiquette to sit with one ankle resting on the other knee.

Bullshit too.

Business is taken seriously and the Poles don't appreciate the Western-style sales pitch. Just say it as it is and keep it strictly business.

Yea, this is true, business people are not one bit friendly here and there's no foreplay before getting down to business. I've heard it's the same with Polish men and that's why foreigners are such prized possession for Polkas. :P

I also don't like the thing of shaking every man's hand and kissing every chick every time you meet them even though you met them yesterday and then 3 days before that and a week before that. I think it's a bit disgusting, you never know where the dude's hand has been and if he washed it after he took his bigos poop that morning.

What would you add to the list?
isthatu2  4 | 2692  
4 Oct 2012 /  #2
What would you add to the list?

If in doubt,blame Churchill.
Ironside  50 | 12387  
4 Oct 2012 /  #3
If you are invited to a private home for dinner, be prepared to remove your shoes before entering (no holes in socks please!)

That relativity new, courtesy of soviet Poland! In household linked with per-war middle class, not true.

Bullshit too.

But it is!

What would you add to the list?

If somebody straightforward do not take it as sign of ignorance or rudeness.
Also when you talk to somebody older that you (say 10, 15 years) be careful as to the way you address them!
Harry  
4 Oct 2012 /  #4
Well, that's obviously bullshit

Can I ask whichever mod moved my comment on that point to the bin why I'm not allowed to point out that in the past the Polish working day did indeed start at 8 and end no later than 4 and include Saturday morning but that nowadays it does not and that Sunday is now not so much of a day to go to church (most Poles don't go)?
p3undone  7 | 1098  
4 Oct 2012 /  #5
I removed the post about outdated information,what were you referring to?
delphiandomine  86 | 17823  
4 Oct 2012 /  #6
In household linked with per-war middle class, not true.

Ironside speaks the truth here - I've heard the same thing from many people of pre-war middle class origins.

For me, I do it because it's more comfortable - but expecting people to do it is absurd.

Well, that's obviously bullshit

Total bullshit, Sundays are days to go to the shopping centre and scream at your children because they don't behave like perfect angels.
Harry  
4 Oct 2012 /  #7
I removed the post about outdated information,what were you referring to?

I was commenting on the post from the OP. He said that the statement "The Polish workday usually starts around 8 am and ends no later than 4 pm. The working week includes a Saturday morning. Sunday is a day of rest, a time to be with family and go to church - Poland is 90% Catholic." was "obviously bullshit". I wanted to point out that the statement isn't so much BS as it is outdated information. The Polish working day did used to start at 8 am and end no later than 4 pm but nowadays it's more like nine to five (or later). Sunday used to be a day when most people would go to church, now most don't.

In general a number of the points made at the site he links to are simply out of date.
p3undone  7 | 1098  
4 Oct 2012 /  #8
Ok my bad.
delphiandomine  86 | 17823  
4 Oct 2012 /  #9
Fair play P3 - admitting your mistake is the sign of a good mod :)
Harry  
4 Oct 2012 /  #10
Ok my bad.

No worries.

admitting your mistake is the sign of a good mod :)

+1
And admitting one's mistakes is also good etiquette.
sobieski  106 | 2111  
4 Oct 2012 /  #11
Wearing sandals with socks (OK the weather will not permit it any more) is completely not-done.
Ironside has a point as well though.
What is completely cretin is to remain seated when you give someone a hand who is standing.

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