Polish Language/Expert Profile

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, etymology 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, French and Esperanto to Poles, Polish to foreigners, teaching Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan to philosophy students. Tour Guide in English, French, Russian and German. Former President of the Regional Examination Committee for Tourist Guides (English and French)(1999-2005).

Organizations

The Catholic University of Lublin (KUL), Poland, History of Philosophy Department - assistant-professor; http://www.kul.pl/maciej.st.zieba/. Polish Oriental Society; International Association of Buddhist Studies; Klingon Language Institute; Learned Society of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin; Polish Philosophical Association; Universala Esperanto-Asocio.

Publications

Books: "Origin of the World According to Rigveda" (Montreal 1996); "Our River Bug. Creating Conditions for Development of the Border Areas of Poland, Ukraine and Belarus through Enhancement and Preservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage" (Lublin 2008); "Migration - a Challenge to the 21st century" (Lublin 2008); "Migracja zarobkowa do Włoch" (Job migration to Italy) (Lublin 2008); more than 100 articles in "Powszechna Encyklopedia Filozofii" (Universal Encyclopedia od Philosophy) vol. 1-10 (Lublin 2000-2009); many more in Polish

Education/Credentials

Studying philosophy at Catholic University of Lublin (Poland) 1976-81; PhD in Philosophy (1989). Having learned languages in Gdansk and Gdynia (Russian, Esperanto, Latin, English - International Bacalaureate), Lublin (KUL - French, German, Dutch, Sanskrit, Latin, Ancient Greek; UMCS - Chinese, Japanese; elsewhere - Esperanto, Spanish, Italian), Paris (IIAP - French; INALCO - Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese; Sorbonne - Sanskrit), Asker (Norwegian, while working in a kindergarten!), Montreal (McGill - Chinese); Rome (Italian). Self-taught: Slavic languages (other than Polish and Russian), Hungarian, Korean, Vietnamese, Klingon and several other.

Past/Present Clients

AllExperts users (since 12/03/2003); Wikipedia readers (since 2004)

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.