Chicago's weird obsession with ethnicity (Pittsburg, Buffalo: deal, places, Dutch)

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by green apple

LOL are you serious? This is a super dubious claim to me. I don't have a dog in this fight but what you're saying sounds totally unrealistic.

Serious. Why would I make this up? If it doesn't happen or has never happened to you it all of a sudden makes it not believable? There is even a whole thread in the Relationships forum where people discuss the very things I talk about. Not unique to Chicago either.

[damba]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

Upthread shows it most certainly is not an isolated occurrence.

Hey maybe it happens to people who just don't look like Chicagoans maybe.

No. It just means you spoke with someone who is not exactly cultured, well mannered or particular educated. That's all.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

What? How is American not an ethnicity? English is. Scottish is. Why not American? This is quite ignorant.

None of these examples is an ethnicity. They are nationalities.

If someone tells me they're English, I have no I what they look like. England is full of people who are white, black, Asian, etc. "English" means nothing. As does Scottish, American, Italian, etc.

This guy is Italian.
This guy is American.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

None of these examples is an ethnicity. They are nationalities.

If someone tells me they're English, I have no I what they look like. England is full of people who are white, black, Asian, etc. "English" means nothing. As does Scottish, American, Italian, etc.

This guy is Italian.
This guy is American.

K

Does that change any of what has been discussed?

[damba]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

K

Does that change any of what has been discussed?

Frankly, your other threads regarding accents/Chicago dialect/etc. are great(!) Why waste the effort on this one? Your are chasing the wrong pony in the race.

[damba]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

None of these examples is an ethnicity. They are nationalities.

If someone tells me they're English, I have no I what they look like. England is full of people who are white, black, Asian, etc. "English" means nothing. As does Scottish, American, Italian, etc.

This guy is Italian.
This guy is American.

Correct(!) The worst part is that people equate or mix up the two.

Mr. Balotelli is an Italian national whose parents are of Ghanaian origin.

I don't comment about Tony Soprano in public forums(!)

cheers

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by damba

Correct(!) The worst part is that people equate or mix up the two

That includes most people tho. If someone asked me about my ethnicity, they're not expecting my answer to be 'caucasian'.

[damba]

Originally Posted by Dport7674

That includes most people tho. If someone asked me about my ethnicity, they're not expecting my answer to be 'caucasian'.

While that may be true, that's no reason not to educate people regarding the difference.

[Tex?Il?]

Its definitely true that Chicago, and by extension many other Northern/Eastern cities, have a noticeable stronger "white ethnic" identity amongst native born white people more so than in other parts of the country.

Like others have said, Chicago and other cities including NYC, Boston, Cleveland, Philly, Detroit, etc. experienced mass immigration from a multitude of European nations in the first three decades of the 20th century, whereas in California, their cities at that time, where a bit more remote and did not receive immigrants on the same level, however California cities (SF,LA, SD) experienced their mass immigration from Asia and Latin America in late 20th century (70s-90s), whereas in the mid-20th century Californias mass migration was largely domestic/within the US.

Consequently white people in California are more often assumed to be just "white American" I mean sure there is certainly a huge Jewish and Armenian population, and there are pockets of small Little Italies, and other small enclaves, but the ethnic populations of Asia and Latin America are among the biggest in the nation comparatively.

I do kind of like it, as the white ethnic identity communicates to others that you can't just apply the whole "white privilege" concept across the board, and that maybe a lot of "white ethnics" actually have had experiences that give them a bit of insight into the experiences of racial minorities.

[GoCUBS1]

In Chicago, I get asked a lot about my ethnic background (not anything exotic - just a European mix), and it's invariably from someone with a foreign accent.