Another language Question

crow · 03-02-2006, 16:50

I just got Activated and will be going to Kosovo

. I'm trying to learn Polish right now.
How close is Polish to Serbain or Albanian. I would like to know if it will help me any.
Also, If anyone can give me any Intel on whats going on over there and what to expect, that would be helpful too.

Crow

**Razor** · 03-02-2006, 22:48

If you're going to Kosovo, study Serbo-Croat, or if you want to focus on a more widely used language, look at Russian.

jatx · 03-03-2006, 08:31

Polish has limited utility even in Poland. When I lived there, I got by just fine with German and would have been just as well (or better) off with Russian.

stone · 03-03-2006, 12:50

I spent some time in a town called Gjakova/Dracovica and found Albanian and German quite useful-- but that's because the area was primarily ethnic Albanian-- at least it was in 1999/2000-- But that was in the Italian sector so might be of limited use to you. Like Razor said, Serbo-Croat and Russian is also widely used and I would definitely take his advice since your looking from the deployment perspective.

Danila · 03-03-2006, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by jatx

Polish has limited utility even in Poland. When I lived there, I got by just fine with German and would have been just as well (or better) off with Russian.

Many people in Poland speak some Russian. But even those who speak it will often refuse to do so (this is especially true among Czechs in my experience) or if they speak it, they'll do so grudgingly. Estonians often speak Russian but will ignore you at restaurants and maybe even give you a hard time if they think you're Russian, whereas the Lithuanian youth nowadays speaks fluent Russian (usually without a detectable accent) and enjoys using it. I don't know about the other peoples in the region including, unfortunately, Serbia and Croatia. I have a Serb friend here, though, so I'll ask him if you like.

The point is, just because some (or even many or most) people of a particular country speak a language not their own doesn't mean you'll get by very well with that language. And when that language is Russian due to Soviet occupation, you may actually generate ill will just by speaking it. The people from the smaller countries in particular often seem more flattered when you speak some of their language and more incensed when you speak their former occupiers' language.

But the Polish do love German. My Bavarian girlfriend told me they have a saying at home: "Come visit Poland! Your car's already here."

**Razor** · 03-03-2006, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danila

The point is, just because some (or even many or most) people of a particular country speak a language not their own doesn't mean you'll get by very well with that language. And when that language is Russian due to Soviet occupation, you may actually generate ill will just by speaking it.

This can be true in some cases, however my recommendations were made based off spending time in and around the area Crow is visiting, for whatever that's worth to you.

Danila · 03-03-2006, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor

This can be true in some cases, however my recommendations were made based off spending time in and around the area Crow is visiting, for whatever that's worth to you.

I'm sorry, Sir, I was just responding to jatx's post regarding Poland. I only know one Serb (from Sarajevo) and that topic has never come up. He does not speak Russian, though.

crow · 03-04-2006, 17:56

Thanks for the replies, I was learning Polish because of my Polish heritage plus I have this Hot Polish girl that will teach me how to speak it.

I guess I just have to order more language CD's.
164 days and a wake up

thanks Crow

**Airbornelawyer** · 03-04-2006, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by crow

I just got Activated and will be going to Kosovo

. I'm trying to learn Polish right now.
How close is Polish to Serbain or Albanian. I would like to know if it will help me any.
Also, If anyone can give me any Intel on whats going on over there and what to expect, that would be helpful too.

Crow

Regarding your specific question:

Albanian is not a Slavic language and has virtually nothing in common with Polish or Serbo-Croatian. Albanian is probably closer to English than to Polish (well, pretty much as different).

The bad news is that as Slavic languages go, Polish is pretty dissimilar to Serbo-Croatian (though slightly closer to Croatian than to Serbian). The good news is that Serbo-Croatian is in most respects a simpler language than Polish, with fewer complex spelling and grammar rules. So learning Serbo-Croatian when you are already familiar with some of the complexities of Polish is easier than learning Polish when what you know of Slavic languages is from Serbo-Croatian.

**The Reaper** · 03-04-2006, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by crow

Thanks for the replies, I was learning Polish because of my Polish heritage plus I have this Hot Polish girl that will teach me how to speak it.

I guess I just have to order more language CD's.
164 days and a wake up

thanks Crow

And the real reason for the language, the dreaded long-haired dictionary makes its appearance.

Polish is not very useful outside Poland.

English, Russian, Spanish, and French are.

TR