I'm used to thinking of the TED audience as a wonderful collection of some of the most effective, intelligent, intellectual, savvy, worldly and innovative people in the world. And I think that's true. However, I also have reason to believe that many, if not most, of you are actually tying your shoes incorrectly.
Tak se myśla, że sōm z wōs mondre, szprytne, pochytane, rozumne a akuratne ludziska. Możno mōm recht, ale tyż wōntpia, czy znōcie sie na akuratnym wiōnzaniu szczewików.
(Laughter)
(Lachanie)
Now I know that seems ludicrous. I know that seems ludicrous. And believe me, I lived the same sad life until about three years ago. And what happened to me was I bought, what was for me, a very expensive pair of shoes. But those shoes came with round nylon laces, and I couldn't keep them tied. So I went back to the store and said to the owner, "I love the shoes, but I hate the laces." He took a look and said, "Oh, you're tying them wrong." Now up until that moment, I would have thought that, by age 50, one of the life skills that I had really nailed was tying my shoes.
A to nie ma takie gupie, jak wom sie zdo! Tak to je w życiu, że niy wiysz, co cie czeko, czamu ci tesno. I naroz dzieje sie coś, co ci zmienio żywot. A bōło tak: kupiołżech szczewiki, ôgrōmnie drogie. A sznurki miały rube, sztuczne pierońsko! Cołki czos sie rozmatlały. Poszołżech nazod do geszeftu i nazdoł tymu chopu: "Te szczewiki som gryfne, ale sznurki som ô dupa rozczaś". A on mi pedzioł: "Chopie, dyć je naôpak wiōnżesz! I wiecie, pinznoł mi Abraham, a ôn mi pado, że niy poradza wiōnzać sznurków? A jo myśloł cołki czos, że to umia robić blank dobrze.
(Laughter)
(Lachanie)
But not so -- let me demonstrate.
A tyn chop mi gôdo, że jo je mamlas.
This is the way that most of us were taught to tie our shoes. Now as it turns out -- thank you.
Ôd bajtla nos uczom tak wionzać szczewiki. Dziynki.
(Applause)
(Klackanie)
Wait, there's more. As it turns out --
Dejcie pozōr a słuchejcie. Wychodzi na to,
(Laughter)
(Lachanie)
there's a strong form and a weak form of this knot, and we were taught the weak form. And here's how to tell. If you pull the strands at the base of the knot, you will see that the bow will orient itself down the long axis of the shoe. That's the weak form of the knot.
że maszki idzie wiōnzać słabo abo mocno. Nos uczom tych słabych maszek. A kere som kere? Sznurki wiōnżecie, tak jak wom pokazuja. Jak ôwiniecie maszka sznurkiem ôd dołu, to sie wynzeł ôbróci z wierchu na dōł. To je ta słabszo maszka.
But not to worry. If we start over and simply go the other direction around the bow, we get this, the strong form of the knot. And if you pull the cords under the knot, you will see that the bow orients itself along the transverse axis of the shoe. This is a stronger knot. It will come untied less often. It will let you down less, and not only that, it looks better.
Nic się niy starejcie. I tera robiemy to tak: wiōnżecie na ôdwrót i sztram trzymiecie szlajfka. Trzymie? To je isto ta mocno maszka. Jak zaciōngniecie sznurki pod wynzłym, ta maszka sie ôbróci na krzyż szczewika. Tera je gryfnie, bo sztram trzymie, nie matlo sie i sie nie łobalicie. No, tera je richtik doporzondku zawiōnzane.
We're going to do this one more time.
Moga to pokōzać jeszcze roz.
(Applause)
(Klackanie)
Start as usual --
Zaczynosz normalnie.
(Applause)
go the other way around the loop. This is a little hard for children, but I think you can handle it. Pull the knot. There it is: the strong form of the shoe knot.
Wiōnżecie naôpak, dokoła pyntli. Dziecka to poradzom zrobić, a wy niy?! Zaciōngosz wynzeł. Jak to to uczynicie, to sie maszka nie rozwiōnże.
Now, in keeping with today's theme, I'd like to point out -- something you already know -- that sometimes a small advantage someplace in life can yield tremendous results someplace else.
(Klackanie) Cobyście co z tyj godki spamiyntali, to na koniec wōm powiem, że cołki czas musicie sztudirować, co by szprytnym być a szprymy chytać.
(Laughter)
(Lachanie)
Live long and prosper.
Żyjcie a kwitnijcie.
(Applause)
(Klackanie)