Hi, I was interested by the German note Adam posted, because of my work with Polish surnames: > Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, > es war Zeit wenn ich gebeten habe um Antwort > fuer Fragen die mit Ihren > Familiennamen und familiengeschichten verbunden > waren. Jezt es ist der > erste Ban von "Lexicon den Familiennamen > polnischer Herkunft im > Ruhrgebiet" erschienen. Es ist aud deutsch > geschrieben und enthaelt die > Familiennamen A-L. Der zweite Band soll in > Fruehling naechstes jahres > publiziert sein. Das erste Band ist im Institut > fuer Polnische Sprache > der PAN in Krakau zu bestellen, auch > elektronisch unter dem Adresse > kolportaz@poczta.ijp-pan.krakow.pl oder an der > Universitaet Dortmund bei > herr Oberrat Johannes Hoffmann, der ehemalige > Leiter der Forschungstelle > fuer Geschichte und Kultur Ostmitteleuropa" > Mit besten Gruessen > Ihre > Barbara Czopek-Kopciuch Even more interesting was the translation by Babelfish that Mary Snow posted. Not too bad -- I think you can get the gist of it. (I haven't wasted space repeating it here). Some of the errors Babelfish made are due to misspelling of the German words: it's Band, not Ban; auf, not aud; jetzt, not jezt; and so on. In case you're interested, here's how I'd translate the original: ========== Honored ladies and gentlemen, There was time when I prayed for an answer to questions connected with your surnames and family histories. Now the first volume has been published of _Lexicon of Surnames of Polish Origin in the Ruhr District_. It is written in German and contains surnames A-L. The second volume should be published in the spring of next year. The first volume can be ordered from the Polish Language Institute of the Polish Academy of Science in Krakow, or electronically from the address kolportaz@poczta.ijp-pan.krakow.pl, or from the University of Dortmund, from Herr Oberrat Johannes Hoffmann, the former director of the Research Bureau for the History and Culture of Central Europe. Best wishes, Yours, Barbara Czopek-Kopciuch ========== You never know how well these computer translators will do. Sometimes they produce pure gibberish; other times they produce a translation that does at least convey the basic idea. Babelfish didn't do too badly here. By the way, the director of the Polish Language Institute just told me she's going to send me a copy of this book, and I can't wait to see it! Fred (officially William F.) Hoffman Author, _Polish Surnames: Origins & Meanings_