You are here:

Polish Language/Expert Profile


Ask A Question

Maciej St. Zięba

Available
Expertise

I am native Polish and I used to teach Polish to foreigners. I know (passively of actively) more than 15 other languages - so I can answer many questions concerning Polish grammar, pronounciation, spelling, ethymology and usage - as compared to English, French, German, Russian, Dutch, Esperanto or Norwegian. Also questions concerning other Slavic languages, Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan, or general linguistics, especially scripts (writing systems and transcriptions) - are welcome.

Experience in the area

Teaching English and French to Poles, Polish to foreigners, teaching Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan to philosophy students.

What do you like about this subject?

While learning languages you get completely new ideas of the same old world, which has hitherto seemed so well known to you.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

Learn or at least study many, many, many new languages.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

To read a newspaper in a given language you need to know about 1200-1500 words of that language. If you learn only 3 new words every day you reach this level within 1 year only. Now you only need to exercise your grammar.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

Just a few golden thoughts heard or read somewhere: 1) Each language gives you a new perspective to understand a world. To know two languages is to be human twice. 2) With only a single new word from a different language you are a richer person. Why not enhance your richness? 3) If you pray in another language - you pray twice.

Average Ratings

  • Knowledgeability 10.0
  • Clarity of Response 9.98
  • Timeliness 9.91
  • Politeness 10.0
  • Number of Questions (in Past 24 Hours) 0
  • Max Questions to be Asked (in 24 Hour Period) 4
  • Total Questions (since joining AllExperts) 178
  • Volunteer Since 2003-08-06
  • Prestige Points 1772

Recent Reviews from Users

Read More Comments

    K = Knowledgeability    C = Clarity of Response    T = Timeliness    P = Politeness
UserDateKCTPComments
Kasia11/22/0910101010Nice to know all these subtleties.
Ash11/22/0910101010Wow, thank you so much for your .....
Donna10/14/0910101010Dr. Zieba demonstrates an interest in the .....
Laurie10/06/0910101010Thank you very much for the very .....
Anarres09/15/0910101010 

Recent Answers from Maciej St. Zięba

2009-11-22 Polish name "kasia":

Dear Catheryn, "Kasia" is really a diminutive (endearment form) of the full name Katarzyna. Kasia is pronounced [KAH-shah] not [ka-ZEE-yah]. The problem is that in Polish we have two sounds similar

2009-11-19 proper pronunciation surname Albiniak:

Dear Ash in Polish your surname has three syllables, the middle one is stressed: [al-BI-niak] pronounce them: al - with "a" like in "father" (or maybe this is the way people in your area pronounce

2009-11-15 spelling in Polish "baby girl" and "granddaugther":

Dear Helen, as far as "granddaughter" concerned I ansered a question like that just 6 days ago; see: http://www.allexperts.com/ep/3388-54423/Polish-Language/Maciej-St-Zi.htm (links at the bottom of

2009-11-15 spelling of Polish last name Voykoviak:

Dear Karen If it is pronounced like what you write it should be spelled Wojkowiak, but in fact there is no such surname in Poland. But there is a surname Wojtkowiak, which means it is pronounced Voytkovyack

2009-11-14 Polish surname starting with Nad-:

Dear Karen, I am sorry but your informations are contradictory. There is no Polish surname that starts with "nad" and ends in "ski" and sounds like "nickanashy". (of course, if "soulds" as written

 

Ask A Question

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.