Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Odd Question

Options
  • 15-07-2010 4:51pm
    #1
    EdgarAllenPoo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,686 ✭✭✭


    I work with many Lithuanian and Polish people (and Irish) and I very often hear my Lithuanian and Polish co-workers speaking to each other in a language (other than English) and I've no idea which it is.

    I thought it might be rude to ask them so I never have but is it a case that thanks to their school systems people from one or both of the two countries are multi lingual or would they adopt a common language (sometimes russian according to what I've read) when talking to each other.

    Anyone able to throw some light on the subject for me?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,202 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    It could be Polish, many Lithuanians are ethnic Poles.
    Anyone over a certain age from Lithuania or Poland would have almost certainly done some Russian at school. I know my Latvian/Polish/Russian/Bulgarian friends all speak to each other in Russian.


  • Options
    #3
    EdgarAllenPoo
    Registered Users Posts: 2,686 ✭✭✭EdgarAllenPoo


    Really makes you realize how crappy the Irish school system is, some students can barely speak English.;)


  • Options
    #4
    Johnny_Trotter
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭Johnny_Trotter


    There was also a period between about 1400 and 1800 when Poland and Lithuania were joined in the Polish Lithuanian Union. It has meant fairly close relations between the countries including the fact (as Spurious said) that many Lithuanians have Polish heritage as a result of it.

    Also as they share a border, it can happen that there are people that can speak a mish-mash of both languages if they both lived close enough to the border. I remember my (Polish) wife talking in Polish to some Slovakians and they responded in Slovakian but a conversation was possible.


  • Options
    #5
    _feedback_
    Registered Users Posts: 4,269 ✭✭✭_feedback_


    Johnny_Trotter wrote: »
    There was also a period between about 1400 and 1800 when Poland and Lithuania were joined in the Polish Lithuanian Union. It has meant fairly close relations between the countries including the fact (as Spurious said) that many Lithuanians have Polish heritage as a result of it.

    Also as they share a border, it can happen that there are people that can speak a mish-mash of both languages if they both lived close enough to the border. I remember my (Polish) wife talking in Polish to some Slovakians and they responded in Slovakian but a conversation was possible.

    As Johnny says - they sort of get by with conversational Polish. My (polish) girlfriend speaks in Polish to Lithuanian people, and most of them have enough of an understanding for a basic conversation.


  • Options
    #6
    beazee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭beazee


    Johnny_Trotter wrote: »
    I remember my (Polish) wife talking in Polish to some Slovakians and they responded in Slovakian but a conversation was possible.

    It is possible and quite easy with Slovaks. A bit harder with Czechs.
    Picture that:
    Lunchtime, Czech, Slovak and Polish sitting at one table. Slovak it telling some brilliant joke all of us burst with laugh. I'm telling a joke in Polish - only Slovak seems to catch that. Time for Czech and his joke - Slovak chap ROTFL, I'm not grasping a thing:eek:

    As to conversations with Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian - I find it hard myself. I'm in my late twenties and had no Russian at school ;/
    It may work for us as long as the other part knows a bit of Polish.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement