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Polish becomes England's second language

Started by Martinus, January 30, 2013, 11:33:29 AM

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merithyn

#15
January 30, 2013, 12:55:39 PM
From what I understood when I lived up there, Chicago has the second most Polish speakers in the world, second only to Warsaw.

That could just be rumor, but it was commonly said.
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

Caliga

#16
January 30, 2013, 01:01:22 PM
Quote from: merithyn on January 30, 2013, 12:55:39 PM
From what I understood when I lived up there, Chicago has the second most Polish speakers in the world, second only to Warsaw.

That could just be rumor, but it was commonly said.
I believe it.  Our Chicago office has a handful of dudes with Polish names who fluently speak Polish as well as English.  Last Christmas we had this work outing thing where we gambled with pretend money and those bastards were speaking to each other in Polish in order to coordinate their wagers, etc. :rolleyes:
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derspiess

#17
January 30, 2013, 01:04:20 PM
A bank I visited in Chicago had an entire customer service section that spoke Polish.  And several of the other staff apparently spoke some as well. 
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Caliga

#18
January 30, 2013, 01:09:33 PM
I should mention too that every one of those guys is really smart, cool, and works hard.  I'm not sure if that's an endorsement of Poland since maybe all of Poland's best and brightest were smart enough to GTFO.  I know I'd flee a country wedged between pre-WWII Germany and Russia. :)
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derspiess

#19
January 30, 2013, 01:12:27 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 30, 2013, 01:09:33 PM
I should mention too that every one of those guys is really smart, cool, and works hard.  I'm not sure if that's an endorsement of Poland since maybe all of Poland's best and brightest were smart enough to GTFO.  I know I'd flee a country wedged between pre-WWII Germany and Russia. :)

Do you make it a point to tell them that a lot, and express your surprise that they're not at all like the stereotype? :P
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Caliga

#20
January 30, 2013, 01:13:50 PM
I haven't yet but... great idea. :cool:
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merithyn

#21
January 30, 2013, 01:14:40 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 30, 2013, 01:09:33 PM
I should mention too that every one of those guys is really smart, cool, and works hard.  I'm not sure if that's an endorsement of Poland since maybe all of Poland's best and brightest were smart enough to GTFO.  I know I'd flee a country wedged between pre-WWII Germany and Russia. :)

I worked with a number of Polish people when I lived up there, and they were all pretty much the same as you describe. Many of those I worked with weren't long off the boat, and had moved to Chicago to be with family. I took that to mean that Polish people, in general, don't live up to the stereotype at all.
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

Caliga

#22
January 30, 2013, 01:22:39 PM
Now that I think about it, one of the guys is named Vlad and I don't think that's a Polish name.  But I have seen him talking to another guy who I KNOW is Polish (his name is Wojciech) in what I assumed was the same horrific-sounding language.  Is it possible that some Slavic languages are mutually intelligible? :hmm:
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Ed Anger

#23
January 30, 2013, 01:35:28 PM
Did the Chicago Polacks have magic?
Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive

derspiess

#24
January 30, 2013, 01:38:52 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on January 30, 2013, 01:35:28 PM
Did the Chicago Polacks have magic?

:lol:
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

jimmy olsen

#25
January 30, 2013, 01:40:33 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 30, 2013, 01:22:39 PM
Now that I think about it, one of the guys is named Vlad and I don't think that's a Polish name.  But I have seen him talking to another guy who I KNOW is Polish (his name is Wojciech) in what I assumed was the same horrific-sounding language.  Is it possible that some Slavic languages are mutually intelligible? :hmm:

Slavic is the last major Indo-European language group to diverge into different languages back around 1000AD, so I'd think so. 
It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
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Gups

#26
January 30, 2013, 01:54:16 PM
My local high street has a shop which specialises in Polish and Brazilian groceries  :wacko:

Barrister

#27
January 30, 2013, 01:59:29 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 30, 2013, 01:22:39 PM
Now that I think about it, one of the guys is named Vlad and I don't think that's a Polish name.  But I have seen him talking to another guy who I KNOW is Polish (his name is Wojciech) in what I assumed was the same horrific-sounding language.  Is it possible that some Slavic languages are mutually intelligible? :hmm:

I'm told that if you know Ukrainian, you can manage to make yourself understood in Russia or Poland.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Valmy

#28
January 30, 2013, 02:07:09 PM
Quote from: Barrister on January 30, 2013, 01:59:29 PM
I'm told that if you know Ukrainian, you can manage to make yourself understood in Russia or Poland.

If Ukrainian is so close to Polish any particular reason the Ukrainians felt so much more loyalty to the Muscovite Tsar instead of the Polish King during their period of rivalry?  I guess it was solely a religious thing then but for some reason I felt that the ethnic ties were alot close as well.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Barrister

#29
January 30, 2013, 02:40:12 PM
Quote from: Valmy on January 30, 2013, 02:07:09 PM
Quote from: Barrister on January 30, 2013, 01:59:29 PM
I'm told that if you know Ukrainian, you can manage to make yourself understood in Russia or Poland.

If Ukrainian is so close to Polish any particular reason the Ukrainians felt so much more loyalty to the Muscovite Tsar instead of the Polish King during their period of rivalry?  I guess it was solely a religious thing then but for some reason I felt that the ethnic ties were alot close as well.

It was a religious thing, but it wasn't a feeling of "loyalty".  Khmelnitsky, the leader of the cossacks, had no royal blood and thus had little legitimacy in the eyes of the world.  Ultimately they accepted Russian sovereignty, though it wasn't felt it would be don in name only, rather than lead to the incorporation of Ukraine into the Russian empire.

Supposedly they had a similar offer from the Ottomans, but did go with Russia due to religion.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.
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