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Post by livia on Jan 23, 2008 6:37:02 GMT -7
To all, Why would some one post on a Polish Fourm, in German? Am I in error on this? Michael Dabrowski Mike, Without checking the web, I would guess that German is the second language in Poland, even more necessary and useful than English, which I guess to be in third place. Like it or not, Germany is the economic powerhouse of Europe, making German a great business language. English is no slouch, but I suspect the need is not so immediate due to distance to England & America and the close ties to Germany. I propose we accept it as a necessity. There are enough of us here to translate when necessary. Kai PS If calling you Mike troubles you, let me know. My brother is a Mike, not a Michael, so it would take some adaptation on my part - but I will do it if need be. If I may join in here too ;D ;D ;D English language is the second in Poland. German is very far from being wide known. But still many Poles understand a little of German even if they never formally learned it. I don't know why and how it is so. So is the case with me, and as Chris said with the net its so easy to understand whatever one wishes to. So I would say in Poland it would go like that 1. English, 2. French-Russian 3. German-Spanish Chech language (and SLovak too) we don't need to learn it to understand the Czech and Slovak people.
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Post by valpomike on Jan 23, 2008 8:25:17 GMT -7
Livia,
I like you think English not German is the second language spoken in Poland. But I could be wrong, but do not know of a chart.
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by kaima on Jan 23, 2008 9:52:25 GMT -7
This is a good demonstration of the value of an open forum! Thanks to Leslie and Livia it is pretty clear that English IS the second language of choice in Poland. If I had really been on top of it, I would have asked for local (Polish/European) opinions rather than jumping in with my guess.
Well, main thing is that the point is well clarified. Leslie, I think German comes before Spanish and even French because it is a direct neighbor and it is such an economic powerhouse. That it also comes far after English is fine by me!
Kai
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Post by hollister on Jan 23, 2008 10:08:33 GMT -7
However, I have a question. When we are down south (Krakow etc...) when people approach us after discerning we are not Polish (alas), we are always addressed in English first.... however when we were in Gdansk - people assumed we were German and spoke to us in German, then Swedish (I think), then Spanish and finally Spanish! Is that just because *some* in Gdansk still think of themselves are German? It was also in Gdansk that I was forced to use my poor Polish as a couple of times I was told bluntly no English - nie rozumie po anglesku (when it was quite obvious that they did in fact understand English!). Maybe I just stumbled into grumpy people?
Also, when in Zamosc - it was quite evident that German was not the language to use!
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Post by valpomike on Jan 23, 2008 10:18:19 GMT -7
hollister,
When I was in Gdansk this past May, all spoke English very well. We had no problem in any part of the city. I even found everyone very helpfull. Could it have been you, not them? You only get out of something, what you put into it. My friends who live in Warsaw, and were with us, in Gdansk, said, they have never been talked to in German.
Michael Dabrowski
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by hollister on Jan 23, 2008 11:16:59 GMT -7
When I was in Gdansk this past May, all spoke English very well. We had no problem in any part of the city. I even found everyone very helpfull. Could it have been you, not them? You only get out of something, what you put into it. hmmm... somewhat puzzled by this. We got along very well! What made you think we did not? Just the fact that we were moving around the country would seem to indicate that we were willing to put effort into our time there. I guess I should have mentioned that when this language thing happened it was when we where way off the main drags - we where in locations that do not cater to the tourist trade and so I think the language expectations/assumptions are different. I have to admit I bristle a little at your assumption that I do not put effort into my travels and interactions with the people I meet. My friends who live in Warsaw, and were with us, in Gdansk, said, they have never been talked to in German. Michael Dabrowski Are you friends in Warsaw Polish? Why would they be spoken to in German?
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Post by leslie on Jan 23, 2008 11:34:42 GMT -7
Kai Sorry, Germany may have been for the last few years the economic powerhouse of Europe, but it is suffering now the same problems economically as is everybody else. The financial consultant speaking on TV this evening put three countries in order of best economic state in Europe - Britain, then France, then Germany. But money is in a fluid state at the present - perhaps the USA may even recover to be some sort of power in the future! Leslie
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Post by rdywenur on Jan 23, 2008 13:27:02 GMT -7
Holly....I just think you bumped into some grumpy old folks that just had their noses up a bit to high. It happens all over. When I was in Germany, my friend warned me of the Austrians when we went to Austria. She said don't be surprised if they act like they don't understand you. (they speak 3 languages in Innsbruck) (I never had any problems though) Are there more Germans up North then down South and they just assumed. We also have to keep in mind that some still do not like Americans (so I have been told) The older folks don't speak English. Maybe you looked German to them? and they guessed wrong?
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Post by valpomike on Jan 23, 2008 18:33:59 GMT -7
hollister,
How can you tell by looking at a person if they are Polish, American, or other. We also, were off the main path, without any problems. No place in all of Poland, did I have any problems, not being able to speak Polish. I smile, and they find someone who can speak English. I have yet, to run into some one in Poland, speaking German, or other like French or so, most Polish, and a great many English. They want to speak English, to use it more.
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by kaima on Jan 23, 2008 19:01:53 GMT -7
Mike,
There are times you can tell who belongs and who does not. When I worked in Latvia in 1993 my co worker and I deliberately took our older clothes with us so we would blend in. There was some violence associated with people who were too easily associated with the Americans, so blending in was prudent. It worked for us... well, until the other guy was drunk, alone and cussed out some people (In Latvian) on a dark street corner. He ended up being flown out for medical treatment. Ironically the initial reaction of all of us who knew him was some variation of "what did he do to provoke it?".
In the late 1970's I was working on the airport in a large Indian village and got into village life pretty well, meaning the day's high entertainment was watching the tourists get off the 14 passenger airplane. One time the last couple to get go from 200 or 300 feet away. The clothes were right, but they were all brand new. The skin was white, but something was different. Closer inspection showed they had a sheen to their skin (from soap or skin care) that Americans do not have. Then close up I heard German.
At different time in life I have been good at picking out different nationalities. I am getting to claim that ability less and less these days.
Kai
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Post by livia on Jan 24, 2008 3:07:57 GMT -7
Kai, you are so very right! It is both fun and possible to recognize nationality by the looks. And it is not just the new -old clothes, there's something more to it, as you have decribed with the Germans in India. It's true that the US - Americans are one of the easiest to recognize,and not just in Poland, everywhere in Europe.
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Post by justjohn on Jan 24, 2008 4:31:01 GMT -7
Kai, I agree with you. In my many travels, with their accompanying delays, it is always fun to people watch at airport terminals. Guess their origin is probably what this should be called. Livia, You can pick out the Americans, but why? Is it their dress, attitude, personal hygiene? What makes them stand out?
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Post by livia on Jan 24, 2008 5:18:10 GMT -7
Livia, You can pick out the Americans, but why? Is it their dress, attitude, personal hygiene? What makes them stand out? I guess all you mentioned and yet something more. The easiest would be to say - they smile a little ..... irrelevantly, ;D ;D ;D and men wear fancy ties. Come one JJ! have a go and see for yourself if you'll find an American among Pole, French and Italian. To make the riddle less easy there are 5 snapshots and only 4 nationalities.
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Post by valpomike on Jan 24, 2008 7:10:51 GMT -7
To all,
Do you still think that much of Poland speak German, next to Polish, and not English?
Michael Dabrowski
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Post by justjohn on Jan 24, 2008 10:06:37 GMT -7
1. American 2. Polish 3. French 4. American 5. Polish Now ask me how I know?
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