Do you also get annoyed when someone asks you what your nationality is? Countless number of times I have been asked this question even after a small conversation where it is obvious with my slight southern accent that I was not born in another country. I have even been asked by people who already knew that I was a Marine Veteran!?!? Though to their defense they probably just do not know the difference in semantics between "nationality" and "ethnicity". For you white people out there. If you are speaking to an Asian American that has no semblance of a foreign accent and curious of their racial make up, ask them "What is your ETHNICITY?"!
It's difficult to tell some people apart I don't think most of those folks are being purposely insulting to you. It would be like trying to tell a Candian, British, South African, or Australian apart.
By all means you can be curious of my race. But if I'm speaking to you fora good five minutes you should have the deductive reasoning to conclude I am not a foreigner from the way I speak. Thus the proper question is not whether I am an American citizen(nationality) but my race(ethnicity).
i dunno if it's because i had a lot of asian friends growing up, but i'm pretty good at telling the difference between chinese, japanese, korean, vietnamese ect. (i'm scottish)
you're so funny i'm from britain and i have perfect teeth, never needed braces. i've seen tons of americans with ****ed up teeth.
Why? For me its because even though its obvious that I am American from just the way I speak the question has to be asked because I'm not white(or black).
I was not born in America but I was raised here and have no accent. So your accent doesn't tell the entire story. Also, what does being a Marine Veteran have to do with nationality? You can be born somewhere else and be a Marine. People are curious about you. Take the opportunity to educate them. What's up with this attitude?
I guess its just an issue with semantics. I know that they are not purposely trying to offend me, but asking for someone's nationality is asking what nation's citizenship you posses.
I'm assuming you are a citizen of the U.S. if you lived here long enough to have no accent? Which would mean your nationality is American.
A lot of people , especially down here in the south ask that to be condescending so I can see what OP means. Not everyone is like that and you should be patient, even with the ones that are condescending imo.
Well, either it's not as obvious as you think, or they don't know the difference between nationality and ethnicity. Either way, it's not really offensive. Unless they mean it to be offensive, then just hit them.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0Ca1ozykhJI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Its more of a pet peeve. I'm not enraged but just frustrated. It is obvious when they know I was born in Texas. They just do not know the difference in semantics between "nationality" and ethnicity". That is all.
Sensitive much? They are incorrectly asking about your heritage. Usually I get asked this question by: "Where are you from?" They sometimes stop there when I tell them "Houston".
I never said I wasn't American. I asked you what nationality has to do with being a Marine veteran? And I also asked why take such an attitude towards a question, unless it's clear from their tone that they're asking it to try to say you're not as good as they are. You have to understand there is malicious ignorance and just plain innocent ignorance. Ignore the assholes and educate the others.