Archive for June, 2008
Cases in Polish: Genitive Posted by Anna on Jun 27, 2008
It’s time for some grammar now, don’t you agree? And since we’ve already started with nouns and declensions a couple of weeks ago, I think we should continue. The case we’re going to discuss today is my least favorite. Why? Because on the surface, it seems deceptively easy. Almost too easy, in fact. Yet when…
Time for Dinner Posted by Anna on Jun 25, 2008
Most foreigners, whether they realize it or not, have had some sort of contact with Polish culture. And it happened, most likely, in the kitchen. Yep, it’s Polish food time! And if you’re going to argue that food is not culture, then I dare you to eat nothing but burgers next time you’re in Italy…
Is Polish a Phonetic Language Posted by Anna on Jun 23, 2008
Many Poles will tell you that Polish is a phonetic language. In other words, you read it as you write it. Cool! Sounds easy enough, right? But hold on a sec. That’s not entirely true. While written Polish might indeed be easier to decipher than for example English (just think about the many different ways…
Where in the World Is Galicia Posted by Anna on Jun 20, 2008
I would like to welcome all my new readers and thank you guys for commenting. It’s great to see your feedback! I also want to encourage you to ask me questions and offer suggestion regarding what you want me to write about here. Don’t be shy! Whether it’s grammar, spelling, history, or “my grandma used…
Henryk Sienkiewicz – Required Reading Posted by Anna on Jun 18, 2008
Lately I have been hearing a lot about what it means to be Polish. It seems to be a trendy discussion topic, both among my countrymen and foreign expats living in Poland. And while neither side can agree on what exactly characterizes a typical Pole, they are both of the same opinion when it comes…
The Mythical Polish Plumber Posted by Anna on Jun 16, 2008
My favorite politician, Nicholas Sarkozy went to Poland a few weeks ago and chatted with the Polish honchos in charge, namely, with one of the ducks – Lech Kaczyński. (The surname “Kaczyński” comes from the word “kaczka” which means “a duck” in English.) While in Poland, my favorite politician made the announcement of opening the…
One Town Three Names Posted by Anna on Jun 13, 2008
Poland has had a complicated history. And that’s a boring historical fact. What’s not boring is how that history affected the names of all sorts of places. In certain regions of what is now Poland, people sometimes lived in three different countries, all within the span of a lifetime, and without ever leaving their home…