Polish people have a weird attitude torwards tourists

@Atch
Its not about me not enjoying my trip its about the hostile aproach torwards tourists

@Theworldisyours
English speaking tourists have a very bad reputation.

Because they speak the best language or because they expect the locals to be fluent in it?

No, it's about the hostile approach towards you ...... there are plenty of glowing reports from people who've really enjoyed their Polish holidays, so what conclusion can we draw from that?


Low-life chav stag parties have a bad reputation and rightly so. There's no marked hostility towards English speaking tourists in the general sense.

@Atch
True, I generalized too much. You are far more on point. Thank you.

As but a mere visitor to any country, Poles visiting the States or certainly vice-versa, learning to speak or communicate properly in the target or native tongue of the country is nothing other than sheer common courtesy and respect, as I've expatiated here on a number of occasions. I'd go as far as to say such is a requirement.

just cut out that nonsense you only make a bigger fool of yourself ..

Poles speak English well enough to eliminate the need to learn Polish for a two-week stay.


You are undermining your own point talking like this. Nobody says, "expatiated" and hopes to be understood by a minimum-wage girl serving lunch.

Quoting:

Expatiate in a Sentence:
A long-winded talker...
The congressman will expatiate for hours on the importance of educational spending.

If you want to converse with the locals and not make them roll their eyes, don't ever say, "expatiated".

How about: ...as I've often said here...

instead of :

...as I've expatiated here on a number of occasions.


You know a better one? Spit it out...

Quit projecting, Ironside! You're only making a bigger fool out of yourself than per usual LOL

Exactly. Language is, first and foremost, a communication tool, as I have -- on this very board -- on multitudinous occasions expatiated. :D

OP, how were those other countries you list in terms of local people?

Communication though can be either aesthetically pleasing or ugly and purposely offensive-:) In emergency situations, knowing even a bare minimum of the target language can save a life. You people are simply parroting that '6O's nonsense.

I was just kidding. :) English has great potential to turn from an ugly and vulgar tongue into something very aesthetically pleasing and elegant when the writer/speaker is skillful with his style and choice of words. I am definitely not a keen admirer of this common language, but even I have to admit that when it is used by writers like P.G. Wodehouse, Kingsley Amis, John Mortimer or Hector Hugh Munro it can give one a certain measure of linguistic satisfaction.

Few things are more disgusting and offensive than deliberately talking over or under the other guy's level.
For aesthetically pleasing see William Buckley. Oops...he is dead. Then, try the Queen...Everywhere else, normal, everyday English will do fine. Or stay with yours.

It should work "on multitudinous occasions".

"Normal, everyday" English need not be excessively or gratuitously vulgar either.

Playing binary games is an old debating trick.

But an effective one, as you can readily see.

It's not when it's crude and obvious.

Oh, horrors Rich! Did you sprain your pride? You know I'm right, so why fight?-: )All countries automatically appreciate it when foreign tourists make a concerted effort to speak their language..even the Poles. I had zero problems whatsoever.

An attempt to speak the local language is fraudulent if you are not fluent. The poor guy thinks you are good at it only to find out later that you missed half of what he said and that you were just winging it.

Now, name three people - first names, titles or occupations, locations, and the subjects - you had a chance to chat with while using your "aesthetically pleasing" manner of carrying on a conversation in a foreign country that does not speak your primary language.

Faulty logic! It's therefore as "fraudulent" of the native to practice their lacking English on you according to your thinking.

And if they're speaking to you in a language other than their own, they are practicing, just as I am practicing my Polish in Poland

@Jake Ryan
Just fine people told me hey, welcome to ..... Have u been here have u tried this food? Just normal welcoming behaviour as with the poled they were sometimes even hostile/aggressive and no one told me welcome to Poland

Poles both those whom I've met on holiday as well as in Poland have a well-deserved reputation for being a forthright bunch, not likely to mince words, as the expression goes, yet famous for their hospitality:-) While I never had any specific difficulties, many Polish people are indeed given to firing lots of personal questions at American-born, Polish-speaking visitors who are thought to be Jewish, e.g. "No, dlaczego pan mowi po polsku?" etc.

However, I'm only speaking from my experience, in Poland as well as at home!

Polish people are extremely friendly and hospitable for people they've invited or guests they have some connection to. They regard open and obvious friendliness in other circumstances rather suspiciously and feel no real need to be outgoing and friendly to strangers....

@mafketis
In my experience, being genuinely friendly gives a surprise and regular contact brings rather smiles and pleasant communication.

American accent and/or fake politeness, won't get you much

Yep, gotta side with Oathbreaker on that one I'm afraid. @Mafketis, although frequently middle-aged Poles do for sure harbor an often suspicious nature, I did find the Polish language to be a definite ice breaker, especially among women. Again, only in my own experience.

And what year was that when you were last in Poland ?
Times have changed in the last twenty five years.

Nearly twenty years back or so. Still the same country, Johnny. National character never changes completely, only on the surface perhaps.

That is absolutely correct.

Politics, internal and external, can change but national character remains basically the same throughout centuries.

Agreed.