Głuchy telefon
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What it means
Literally “deaf telephone.” The Polish name for the game of Chinese whispers / telephone — where a message is passed along a chain of people and becomes distorted. Also used figuratively for any badly garbled communication.
Vocabulary
- głuchy — deaf, silent
- telefon — telephone
Grammar note
'Głuchy' is a masculine nominative adjective agreeing with 'telefon'.
Cultural context
A classic children's game in Poland. The figurative use — 'to jak głuchy telefon' (it's like Chinese whispers) — is very common in workplaces and families.
Beginner
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