23 Comments
I just read another thread where człowiekiem was accepted as person, and here it's not.
The człowiek/person thing is a difficult one, as they're used quite differently between Polish and English. As this sentence is really like "I am a human being" (and not a Wookie, Klingon or some other alien), it shouldn't accept 'person' in my opinion.
What is the difference between człowiek and człowiekiem? And while we are at it, what's up with the words ending with 'iem'? They seem to be totally arbitrary :/
The difference is grammar. Polish has declension of nouns. człowiek is Nominative, człowiekiem is instrumental. Polish has two ways of translating He is human.
On jest człowiekiem (instrumental)
On to człowiek.(nominative)
Only one of those can be also applied to "me, you, we, you" "jestem człowiekiem"
Read more about "to" and instrumental at: https://www.duolingo.com/skill/pl/Defining
Normal Instrumental ending for singular nouns is "-em" after "k" or "g" it's softened to "-iem".
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For masculine and neuter nouns, yes, but to avoid confusion, for feminine nouns it's "ą".
"Я человек" in Russian is "I am a person", so why is the cognate "człowiekiem" not able to be translated as "person" as "человек" can be?
Well, we consider "person" and "human" to not be the same thing. Imagine sci-fi movies, all the sentient aliens there are persons, but not humans. Same with fantasy, like Tolkien.
Я - человек translates to I am a human (being).
I am a person means Я - личность in Russian
I am a little confused about the English translation. What is the difference between "I am a human" and "I am a person"? Why is the former right but the latter wrong? I mean, obviously there are two English words, so I know there can be a difference, I just don't get what it is.
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There's something wrong with the pronunciation of "CZ" here, right? Because it's the same case even in Google Translate, and even one of two recordings on Forvo sound weird. So any clarification please?
I am a man was also accepted, can you clarify, if that means only a human being, or it might be understood as a male human being?
Thanks
