Just Kids

When I was a kid there were a lot of programs for kids. I remember watching TikTak, Ciuchcia and Domowe Przedszkole. So I thought that since I wasn't able to get my childhood picture I would post a MV of a song that I listened to when I was 5 or 6.

Childhood: what a magic moment! 

When I was a child we used to play a lot at a playground in my village. There were many games we played like states and cities, tag, hopscotch or hide-and-seek (this was our favourite, especially when it was dark ^_^). Playing these games gave me a lot of pleasure. It was very funny and amusing to gather in a group of 6 or 10 people and spent all day outside playing and even arguing about silly matters, which at that time seemed the most important things in the world. 

PS.

There was a game "Raz, dwa, trzy Baba Jaga patrzy!" I place it here because while watching one of Korean variety shows I came across the Korean version of it. The most stunning point was that there were two foreign girls participating in the game (one of British-Japanese origin and the second Polish-Russian), to whom the Koreans didn't have to explain the rules of the game, because they said they know how to play it.  

I was wondering if anyone knows if there is such a game in the English culture and what its name is.

PS2
Is there any English version of the Zakuty game?

Changing the Pushkin Affair

Long time ago when Hitler and Stalin were not alive and J23 was not able to save the world, Dr. Who saved two men from committing a grave mistake.....

          On the frosty morning of 8th January 1837 Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin was reading a paper while waiting for his opponent Georges d'Anthès. It was a truth universally acknowledged, that a married man in possession of good reputation, must be in want of preserving it. He didn't know that at this moment a man with a sonic screwdriver was immobilizing his servants and locking all the doors in the estate. 

         Suddenly, Alexander heard the tramp of horses' hooves and run to the door to prepare his gun, only to realize that he was locked. He started knocking and shouting furiously, but the only voice he heard was Georges d'Anthès, urging him to come and fight.  

         Finally, the impatient Frenchmen broke into the house by shooting through every lock in the door he came across as he was striding led by Alexander's desperate voice. Lastly, wasting the last bullet, he managed to get into the Pushkin's room.

"Sir, why did your servants locked all the doors?",  asked breathless Frenchman.

"I have no idea why they did it", answered the Russian.

"Sir, are you ready to duel?"

"Well, of course I am. Let me just take my...", only then did he realise that the pair of pistols that he had prepared were missing. 

"I'm sorry Sir, but, do you, perhaps, have a spare gun?", asked Pushkin.

"I'm very sorry, I don't. My other pistol and the powder gone missing and I wasted all bullets to get here", answered d'Anthès.

"Then, how shall we settle the matter?", asked Pushkin. This whole situation seemed to him hopeless and he wanted to bring it an end in order not to make the matters worse.  

Georges d'Anthès looked around the room as if he searched for a clue.

"Do you play?", he asked pointing at the table with the drafts prepared for a game.

"Yes. Would you like to...."

"With great pleasure!", interrupted d'Anthès enthusiastically.

         As the men sat to the play they lost the track of time playing one game after another. They could not possibly see a dark shadow in the garden nor hear the rattle of metal as he walked down the alley and disappeared in the fog. 

       Later on Pushkin wrote a poem to commemorate the event that brought the men together and let them live long and happy life, which became more famous than "Eugene Onegin".

Ojczysty - dodaj do ulubionych

      I'd like to present an abstract from one of my works I wrote on my first faculty. It is connected with some language issues that I am interested in and I reminded myself about it after reading of the Krzysztof Varga's feuilleton "Polski język czyli lubię to, kurwa!" (Duży Format 1.03.2012.)

I hope you'd like it and pardon my French ^_^

The loss of  the rude meaning of some rude expressions in the Polish current language.

            The problem of foul language has been described in details by many linguists but one of the recent phenomenon as the loss of the rude meaning of some vulgar expressions has not been yet widely brought up. The background for this linguistic issue is the constantly changing and modifying language of young people. This particular change is connected with the need of the youth to make their language more expressive and intense.

            The contemporary Polish language belongs to numerous variants of the language and depends on communication situation of the participants of the language act. Contemporary language of young people is especially focused on expressing emotions both positive and negative. Sometimes to express their feelings young people use foul expressions. There is a great word family of words derived from ‘jebać’ that refer to negative and, surprisingly, positive feelings and events as well. Especially words like ‘zajebiście’ and ‘zajebiaszczo’ are so common that young people started to lose the sense of rude meaning of these two words. They stopped to use less rude synonyms like ’ekstra’, ‘świetnie’, ‘super’ or more expressive ‘zarąbiście’. Now saying: “Wyglądasz zajebiście” or “Było zajebiaszczo” is no longer rude.

            I believe that the reason for the loss of the rude meaning lies in common use of those expressions. ‘Zajebisty’ is heard on the street and television, used by pop idols and even politicians. Such behaviours surprise because the rude meaning of other related words such as ‘zajebać’ and ‘jebać’ is still visible. Why then the adverb and adjective are no longer seen as foul language? The answer to that question is connected with contemporary language and its domination in communication in present-day culture. All these aspects gathered together induce that phenomenon.

            In conclusion, the loss of rude meaning of some vulgar expressions is caused both by the need of stressing emotional aspect of some events and the present fashion of using colloquial language in every communication situation. If some foul phrases start to be used in everyday-life language they lose their rude meaning and become just some emotional expressions of the contemporary language.                     

Charmed by J-Rock

I think that, at least for those who know me, saying that I've been mesmerised by many artists won't be surprising. I admire many people for many things, mostly because they drove my attention to a lot of issues and problems that I wouldn't have ever thought of, if I hadn't got to know those people. They, in some way, helped me to become the person I am.

When I was a small and lovely girl (I really was like that, small and lovely), I came across the "Sailor Moon" anime series. Because of this encounter I became interested in anime and manga, which developed into a fascination of the Japanese and Asian culture and languages. 

One of the aspects of the Japanese culture I like the most is their type of rock music. In the visual aspect it is really different from the European one. It differs also in terms of the approach to music and lyrics. 

The band that has a special place in my heart is Girugamesh, although I really admire X Japan, Mucc, L'Arc en Ciel and UVERworld as well. When I heard Satoshi's (the vocalist) voice and listened to the rhythm of guitars and the drums I knew it was it. There was harmony in this cacophony, if you know what I mean ^_^. I listen to many different types of music but this pure and clear male vocal mixed with the music full of energy couldn't have left me cold. Whatever it is, a ballad song or kind of hard core and scream song, it just captivates me because of the amount of feelings and emotions that the band tries to transmit. Whenever I hear them it makes me want to sing along, even though I can't understand the lyrics clearly. I really have a soft spot for this band.

For anyone interested in how the band plays, here is one of my favourite songs (with English subs so that you know what it's all about) Enjoy >_<

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Foreign language learning

In response to AgataL & Students

I think that learning other languages widens your intellectual horizon as well as increases curiosity of life. It may also help people to learn more about their native culture and themselves. 

What is more, in the modern world it is rather impossible to be a member of the global village without speaking at least one other language. Those who think that by knowing English they are able to access any information are making a 'grave mistake' because many other language sources may provide better, more comprehensive outlook on things like current affairs, music and film news, sport, literature, etc. 

In my case not being able to speak English would mean not being able to learn other languages, as many of course-books are in English, not being able to read manga or watch movies, anime or dramas, because subbing squads provide subtitles mostly in English or Spanish and, finally, not being able to listen to BBC pod-casts, understand songs lyrics and travel. Just thinking that I would not be able to have all that makes my heart sink into sadness and despair because I would be a different person.

Lastly, it may be useful to know other languages to decipher the 'modern pidgin' forms of communicating...

PS. Something for philologists ^_^

I would like to share some examples of 'modern pidgin' (these were find in an ad):

'cost cutting w obszarze HR', 

'trendy w employer brandingu na świecie', 

'zarządzanie zmianą na przykładzie outsourcingu kadrowo-płacowego' 

and something heard in a bus 'w tej pracy nie ma teamworku' o_0.

This may prove the English language domination but, on the other hand, would an English-person understand the 'Me gusta!' thing?

My current Image ^_^

BEAST - 'Mystery' Special M/V

Breath-taking, extraordinary, fabulous & flawless!