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  What it means

  Literally “to dump onto the shoulders,” this idiom means to shift a heavy responsibility or difficult task onto someone else. It captures the physical sensation of a burden being moved from one person’s “shoulders” (barki) to another’s. It is often used when a boss delegates a tough project or when a family member leaves someone else to deal with a crisis.

  Vocabulary

  • zrzucić — to throw off / to dump (perfective)
  • barki — shoulders (upper back area)
  • odpowiedzialność — responsibility

  Grammar note

  The verb 'zrzucić' is perfective, emphasizing the act of successfully transferring the burden. 'Na barki' uses the accusative case because the preposition 'na' indicates the destination of the "dumping" action.

  Cultural context

  In Polish, 'ramiona' are the general arms/shoulders, but 'barki' specifically refers to the broad part of the back that carries weight, making the metaphor more vivid.

  Intermediate

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