What not to talk about with Poles ...

06.12.05, 11:13
Can someone draw up a list of topics that you can't talk about with Poles?
    • nasza_maggie Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 06.12.05, 12:12
      'zee germans' smile))
      why do you ask?
      • russh Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 06.12.05, 14:10
        Funny, I'd have thought the same, but;

        Many of the older folk I've talked to (via my Wifes translation) have
        surprisingly given a good account of the Germans during the war, and very
        dispariging or worse about both the Russians and the Jews.

        I can understand the feelings about the Russians (and this obviously dates back
        a long time), and have some sympathy in relation to the Jews (not in an
        anti-semitic way); I cannot understand feelings towards Germany that are not
        similar to those of the Jews.

        Have I been meeting the wrong people, or can someone explain?
    • ianek70 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 06.12.05, 13:15
      Their dead pope, unless you liked him.
      Basically the religious hypocrisy of most Poles is a taboo, so avoid any
      discussion of religion.
      I've to spend a weekend with my girlfriend's family, and I've already been
      given a list of things not to say or do.

      1. Don't express any opinion about the last pope.
      2. Don't get drunk.
      3. Don't swear, and cut down on my use of the word "dupa".
      4. Don't tell any jokes about Poles (I don't do that anyway).
      5. Don't say "spadaj, wieśniaku" when some cretinous relative asks about kilts.
      6. Don't pretend we're getting married on Tuesday.
      7. When her Gran drops by on Sunday and asks about our visit to the Vatican,
      don't say "Cuchnął pychą i bałwochwalstwem," even though I like this phrase.

      Apart from that, when Poles start going on about how their country is the most
      dangerous/corrupt/beautiful/underrated in the world, their history the most
      tragic or language most difficult, don't bother arguing with them, just
      say, "Whatever, dude, give me more cake."
      • nasza_maggie Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 06.12.05, 13:24
        exactly.
        and don't forget to wash your hands when leaving the loo.
        • ianek70 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 06.12.05, 14:10
          nasza_maggie napisała:

          > exactly.
          > and don't forget to wash your hands when leaving the loo.

          And pull your trousers up.
          • nasza_maggie Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 06.12.05, 14:13
            and do your rozporek upsmile
            • usenetposts Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 06.12.05, 20:22
              nasza_maggie napisała:

              > and do your rozporek upsmile

              Zzzzzzzzip!

              Ahem. Sorry about that.
      • bob75rob1 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 08.12.05, 16:56
        Very accurate recipe! Although I'm Pole most of these "don't" apply to me as
        well.
        Malgosia
      • waldek1610 you have no clue Ianek....... 09.12.05, 07:56
        ianek70 napisał:

        > Apart from that, when Poles start going on about how their country is the
        > most dangerous/corrupt/beautiful/underrated in the world,

        And you think it is not underrated??? You could have a new Manhattan build in
        Warsaw...and you would still have BBC reporters stand in the front of the
        shabbiest communist building they could find in Warsaw, and they would "report"
        from Poland as they always do.....Besides looking at London's and Warsaw's high
        risers I tend to think polish capital looks more impresive...


        > their history the most tragic

        Oh, stop right now. To the contrary poles prefer when foreigners also remember
        Polish history before partitions...because it seems that for some strange
        reasons anglo-americans don't want to acknowlege the times when Polish
        Commonwealth was expansive empire size of 1/3 of the whole Europe...and average
        polish landed aristocrat was on average 5 times ritcher than english lord...

        > or language most difficult,


        don't bother arguing with them, just
        > say, "Whatever, dude, give me more cake."

        This very sentence shows ignorance or rather western arrogance that poles
        loathe. You think that poles are boring because they talk what's important for
        poles...and you being British couldn't care less, being self centered big-
        headed self....
        • ianek70 Re: you have no clue Ianek....... 09.12.05, 09:52
          waldek1610 napisał:

          > > don't bother arguing with them, just
          > > say, "Whatever, dude, give me more cake."
          >
          > This very sentence shows ignorance or rather western arrogance that poles
          > loathe. You think that poles are boring because they talk what's important
          for
          > poles...and you being British couldn't care less, being self centered big-
          > headed self....

          No it doesn't, Waldo. There are people everywhere who think their country is
          the pępek świata and, no offence, but these people are very stupid and
          irritating.
          Almost as stupid and irritating as people who think they're speaking on behalf
          of their entire nation, or use bizarre stereotypes as arguments instead of
          logic, knowledge or experience.
          • waldek1610 Re: you have no clue Ianek....... 10.12.05, 12:21
            ianek70 napisał:

            > No it doesn't, Waldo. There are people everywhere who think their country is
            > the pępek świata and, no offence, but these people are very stupid and
            > irritating.

            But wait....watching BBC news I get the very same impresion about Brits...

            > Almost as stupid and irritating as people who think they're speaking on
            behalf
            > of their entire nation,

            Well, name one polish person on this forum who is actually represents polish
            view ( I don't claim to represent every pole, but at least myself.) On the
            other hand Maggie who is the pole is desperatelly trying to prove that she is
            english, because in her book it is "cooler" to be british...

            > or use bizarre stereotypes as arguments instead of
            > logic, knowledge or experience.

            That's what frightens me, your knowlege is based on subjective british sources,
            according to which "British inteligence has broke Enigma-nazi coding
            machine"...too bad they did that 10 years after Poles broke this code first....

            If you really want to know why think British sources are biased, is because
            when I open Encyclopedia Brittanica, I find out that Frederic Chopin was
            French, so was Sklodowska-Curie (they add though that they were "polish born"
            whatever that means....?)

            After all they don't say american painters Whisler or Morissot were "french,
            and american born" although they did to emigrated....this is exactly what makes
            me think anglo-american sourses are biased and have their preferences....
            • ianek70 Re: you have no clue Ianek....... 10.12.05, 13:55
              waldek1610 napisał:

              > ianek70 napisał:
              >
              > > No it doesn't, Waldo. There are people everywhere who think their country
              > is
              > > the pępek świata and, no offence, but these people are very stupid and
              > > irritating.
              >
              > But wait....watching BBC news I get the very same impresion about Brits...

              British television is Brito-centric? I wonder why?

              > Well, name one polish person on this forum who is actually represents polish
              > view ( I don't claim to represent every pole, but at least myself.)

              Yes you do, frequently.

              > > or use bizarre stereotypes as arguments instead of
              > > logic, knowledge or experience.
              >
              > That's what frightens me, your knowlege is based on subjective british
              sources,

              My knowledge of what?

              > according to which "British inteligence has broke Enigma-nazi coding
              > machine"...too bad they did that 10 years after Poles broke this code
              first....

              Boring.

              > when I open Encyclopedia Brittanica, I find out that Frederic Chopin was
              > French, so was Sklodowska-Curie (they add though that they were "polish born"
              > whatever that means....?)

              It means they were born in Poland, Waldo.
              • waldek1610 Re: you have no clue Ianek....... 11.12.05, 08:04
                ianek70 napisał:

                > > when I open Encyclopedia Brittanica, I find out that Frederic Chopin was
                > > French, so was Sklodowska-Curie (they add though that they were "polish b
                > orn"
                > > whatever that means....?)
                >
                > It means they were born in Poland, Waldo.


                But why differenciate? Why can't they just say instead Chopin was a Pole...and
                spend his last years in France?
                If somebody is born and grows up in Poland, and leaves his country at the age
                of 21... he's polish....PERIOD!
                • ianek70 Well....... 11.12.05, 20:17
                  waldek1610 napisał:

                  > ianek70 napisał:
                  >
                  > > > when I open Encyclopedia Brittanica, I find out that Frederic Chopi
                  > n was
                  > > > French, so was Sklodowska-Curie (they add though that they were "po
                  > lish b
                  > > orn"
                  > > > whatever that means....?)
                  > >
                  > > It means they were born in Poland, Waldo.
                  >
                  >
                  > But why differenciate? Why can't they just say instead Chopin was a
                  Pole...and
                  > spend his last years in France?
                  > If somebody is born and grows up in Poland, and leaves his country at the age
                  > of 21... he's polish....PERIOD!

                  Well, why don't you write to the Encyclopedia Britanica?
                  There was actually a young boy earlier this year found some mistakes in their
                  items about Polish history (fairly obscure ones), he told them and they
                  corrected them.
      • usenetposts Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 28.03.06, 00:36
        ianek wrote:


        > 7. When her Gran drops by on Sunday and asks about our visit to the Vatican,
        > don't say "Cuchnął pychą i bałwochwalstwem," even though I like this phrase.
        >

        I wish there were a lot more people who could see that.
    • waldek1610 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 09.12.05, 07:31
      1.You should not ask them why they do not bother to learn english, especialy
      when you're in Warsaw......Poland.
      2. When speaking english anyways, you should avoid using your english "play of
      the words", just say it clearly without those Shakespearian wiseness....
      3. Poles like to hear what foreigners think about them, so don't be talking
      about Britain and west all the time, talk about polish issues with them,
      because they couldn't care less about british labour party...
      • ianek70 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 10.12.05, 14:15
        waldek1610 napisał:

        > 1.You should not ask them why they do not bother to learn english, especialy
        > when you're in Warsaw......Poland.

        But fortunately in Poland you don't have to ask them "Oi, have you got a work
        permit?"
        • waldek1610 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 12.12.05, 07:32
          ianek70 napisał:

          > waldek1610 napisał:
          >
          > > 1.You should not ask them why they do not bother to learn english, especi
          > aly
          > > when you're in Warsaw......Poland.
          >
          > But fortunately in Poland you don't have to ask them "Oi, have you got a work
          > permit?"

          What's that "Oi" for?........ Do pigs work as the Immigration officers in
          Britain? smile
          • varsovian Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 12.12.05, 16:21
            Hmmm
            Now I know what mistakes I've been making all these years I'm even more
            impressed with those lovely Poles closest to my heart. I mean they even
            forgive me when I tell them that Mickiewicz is famous only because he comes
            next to Mickey Mouse in the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
            • waldek1610 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 15.12.05, 11:19
              varsovian napisał:

              > Hmmm
              > Now I know what mistakes I've been making all these years I'm even more
              > impressed with those lovely Poles closest to my heart. I mean they even
              > forgive me when I tell them that Mickiewicz is famous only because he comes
              > next to Mickey Mouse in the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

              Of course, if doesn't suprise me. You don't bother to read and compare....It's
              much easiere for you to read Shakespeare for half of the millenium and pretend
              other countries have neither poets or literature....

              • varsovian Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 15.12.05, 11:35
                Shakespeare is easier in translation.

                BTW, I would tend to agree with you in that the English and Welsh, and
                increasingly the Scots, are on the whole philistines. What used to save the
                Scots was a superior education system, but they've dumbed down now.

                Unfortunately, Poland's decided to dumb down its education system as well - the
                difference being that you don't recognize the disaster in the first few years
                of experimentation. Something needed to be done to Polish education, but I
                fear for the future, I really do.
                • ianek70 Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 15.12.05, 19:33
                  varsovian napisał:


                  > BTW, I would tend to agree with you in that the English and Welsh, and
                  > increasingly the Scots, are on the whole philistines. What used to save the
                  > Scots was a superior education system, but they've dumbed down now.

                  no yoo is compleetly rong!
                • russh Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 15.12.05, 22:48
                  varsovian napisał:

                  > Shakespeare is easier in translation.
                  >
                  > BTW, I would tend to agree with you in that the English and Welsh, and
                  > increasingly the Scots, are on the whole philistines. What used to save the
                  > Scots was a superior education system, but they've dumbed down now.
                  >
                  So true, and horrifying. Dumb down 1st generation. 2nd generation tought by
                  dumbed down 1st generation so becoming even more dumbed and so on; and seemingly
                  to ensure that everyone is a success, or more precisely, that there are no
                  failures! Such a dirty word.
          • usenetposts Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 16.12.05, 00:30
            waldek1610 napisał:

            > ianek70 napisał:
            >
            > > waldek1610 napisał:
            > >
            > > > 1.You should not ask them why they do not bother to learn english,
            > especi
            > > aly
            > > > when you're in Warsaw......Poland.
            > >
            > > But fortunately in Poland you don't have to ask them "Oi, have you got a
            > work
            > > permit?"
            >
            > What's that "Oi" for?........ Do pigs work as the Immigration officers in
            > Britain? smile

            Why, you interested?

            I'm sorry, you're not Indian enough. HM Immigration is an equal opportoonities
            employer.
            • easystreet Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 01:31
              You can talk about everything with Poles, and they usually have strong, if not
              always informed opinions. On the other hand, there is a whole lot you cannot
              talk about in politically correct societies because what their "free press"
              doesn't consider newsworthy simply does not "exist". If it ain't in the news,
              it can't be important.
              And what IS in the news is repeated ad nauseam, as if their listeners attention
              span was that of patients with advanced Alzheimers.
              Earnings/faith/politics? BIG NO NOS, and who cares anyway...
              One advantage in NOT talking with Poles is this: less griping and compalining
              about everything under the sun.
              • russh Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 07:03
                On the other hand, there is a whole lot you cannot
                > talk about in politically correct societies because what their "free press"
                > doesn't consider newsworthy simply does not "exist".

                Where have you got your information from?

                > And what IS in the news is repeated ad nauseam, as if their listeners attention
                >
                > span was that of patients with advanced Alzheimers.

                It would seem that you read the Tabloids unfortunately. They are sensationalist,
                and crap; full-stop.
                • marcus_anglikiem Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 20:11
                  there is of course truth in what you say russh; however, i'd like to point out
                  an exception to your judgement of the "gutter press" - in the Daily Mail,
                  surprised as you may be, you will find a lot of good solid logic, common sense
                  and good thinking. you'll also find a certain amount of misguidedness and $^it;
                  it's a 'mixed bag'(you'll also find writers who've 'emigrated' from quality
                  broadsheets)
                  • russh Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 20:41
                    Must admit, I was thinking of the Star, Sun & Mirror as the gutter press.

                    Then comes the Mail & Express, as common easy-read papers, then the 'quality'
                    papers, The Times, Telegraph, Guardian etc.
                    • marcus_anglikiem Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 20:50
                      so russh, how long have you been in Poland, what d'you do there and how did you
                      end up there?
                      • russh Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 21:03
                        2 years.

                        Trying to create a property development company (problems with planning
                        permission), teaching English, & thinking of doing some consultancy (if I can
                        get started).

                        It seemed a good idea at the time - partner / ex-partner is Polish, and plenty
                        of opportunities.

                        Missing very much Italy, where I lived for 13+ years, my UK & Italian mates, my
                        English local and my favorite Italian restaurants (in Italy of course).
                        • marcus_anglikiem Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 21:11
                          hmm, i lived in Poland for 2 years too (summer '02 - summer '04).
                          i too taught English - in Swiebodzin (nr Poznan), Slupsk and Koszalin (both on
                          the North coast). Property - there's an idea. i cordially wish you the best of
                          luck. How do you find Polish laws - do you have a legal translator/ English
                          speaking lawyer?(unfortunately i know v. little of law English or Polish).
                          What kind of consultancy? sounds interesting.
                          I also thought of Italy as a place to live (after visiting Rome), but i
                          wouldn't give away my time in Poland for anything. I can honestly say those
                          times from my first visit in summer '00 to my departure in summer '04 were the
                          best times of my entire life!
                          Hey, i know pizza in Italy cannot be replicated elsewhere. but have you found
                          any good Italian joints in Poland?
                          Pozdrawiam Cie
                          Marcus.
                • easystreet Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 28.03.06, 02:08
                  Where from you ask? From first-hand experience. Turn on CNN and ponder!
                  • russh Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 28.03.06, 04:33
                    One of hundreds, is not thousands of TV stations in the Western world. What
                    about the rest?

                    PS - I only watch CNN when I am in a hotel away from home, and here is no other
                    choice. I have never liked it.
                    • easystreet Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 28.03.06, 14:45
                      What about the rest? Hmm, I can speak from experience about the American media.
                      Two words: Same Crappolismus. One exception is the CBC (Canadian) and public
                      broadcasting. Unfortunately, Polsat is also stooping to the pits in imitating
                      Western garbage.
                      BUT IN POLAND YOU CAN STILL AIR YOUR VIEWS ON THIS FORUM AND SEE THEM ELEVATED
                      TO PRINT FOR GENERAL CONSUMPTION. EVERYWHERE ELSE THERE IS
                      C-E-N-S-O-R-the drowning-S-H-I-P of free voices!
                      • russh Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 28.03.06, 16:49
                        I agree with you about the Gazeta's forums - they seem to be free of censorship, although I wonder for
                        how long, given the current Governments apparent wish to control the media.

                        I have no experience of American media, so cannot comment. My experience comes from the UK and
                        Italy, where I can say that there are a broad spread of views, and enough forums to ensure that
                        censorship does not exist. As said earlier, forums within English papers' Web sites ares not the
                        preferred route - there are plenty of others, Yahoo & MSN to name just a few. Therefore I cannot agree
                        that outside of Poland there is censorship drowning free voices. I've looked at your 1st post again, and
                        believe it is fundamentally flawed in its argument;

                        'You can talk about everything with Poles, and they usually have strong, if not
                        always informed opinions. On the other hand, there is a whole lot you cannot
                        talk about in politically correct societies because what their "free press"
                        doesn't consider newsworthy simply does not "exist". If it ain't in the news,
                        it can't be important. '

                        'You say that you can talk to Poles about anything, and they usually have strong opinions'. I do not
                        disagree with this (I haven't enough information)., but what are the PC countries you refer to? What can
                        they (the people) not talk about? How are they stopped talking? In each of the countries that I believe
                        you feel are PC'd, there are enough alternatives to ensure inneffective censorship even if it is exercised.

                        BTW - I am a great opponent of PC, and have voiced my opinion many times on this forum. I have lived
                        through its growth, and absolutely despise it. Remember, it is not only about censorship and playing to
                        minorities.

                        An example; my other was deaf, and later blind. She was called a 'hard-of-hearing' and 'visually
                        impaired' person. She was well read and very intelligent, despite her disabilities, and said to me on
                        more than one occasion, 'why don't they call me blind, for that is what I am. They now say I am
                        impaired - it's a lot worse in my books than blind'. Just a small example of the many stupidities in the
                        PC culture.
              • marcus_anglikiem Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 20:01
                easystreet, i congratulate your sentiments wholeheartedly. well said.
                pozdrawiam.
              • marcus_anglikiem Re: What not to talk about with Poles ... 27.03.06, 20:02
                ps. i love this waldek/ianek dialogue. they're both great!
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