How do you distinguish Germans from other Europeans? (find, world, population)

[texdav]

Originally Posted by lucknow

Well we are not very politically correct around here. My wife and her family are as German as you can get and my family are as Scottish as you can get. It's an ongoing ethnic jokes battle around here and you know what? We can take it and laugh at ourselves about it. I usually come out on the loosing side of things because my family comes from the very north of Scotland and don't live much different than they did 500 years ago yet they maintain that " If it's nay Scottish it's Crrrrap."

Being that my grandfather was german its funny to me and he would also have found it so. My wife is cajun french and they have million of cajun french jokes that poke fun at themselves.

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

This is somewhere between very interesting and hilarious.

If you go to the old countries and examine large populations of different ethnicity elements in their respective ancestral homes you may be able to see some characteristics that distinguish, for example, Angles from Normans, but it isn't really something that you can express in word or in print with any efficiency and it isn't science.

Bigger differences are easy, of course, like Semites, Mediterranean peoples and Northwestern Europeans, but differentiating between varieties of germanic peoples is somewhere between really tricky and impossible.

Can you tell a difference between Okinawans and Japanese mainlanders? It's probably about that close.

In America, you are extremely unlikely to be able to look at a white person and deduce whether or not this person is of Irish, German, Welsh, Polish, French, Russian or Slavic descent because that person is probably fairly likely to be an amalgam of different ethnicities.

I couldn't until I moved to Hawaii. There and especially in Japan, the two ethnic groups consider themselves distinctly different.

[bjh]

The original question stunned me for its naivete.

Originally Posted by Joliefille

Usually, we are pegged as Americans, due to our teeth! Americans are notorious for our excellent dental care!
...
I don't think it is as easy to determine European ancestry as it is Asian, as there has been so much inter- breeding in the last centuries that physical type is no longer a good indicator. As for promptness, I think thats more an issue of upbringing.

Yes, see mah teef?

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

There is no single "German" look anyway, even in Germany. The nordic looking ones up North look a lot different from the darker bavarians. Since Germans came to this country from all different parts, I don't think there's a distinguishing appearance they brought with them.

Originally Posted by CamaroGuy

Very true. Remember that Germany lies in the center of Europe and various tribes have lived there for thousands of years.

Agree. One of the crossroads of Europe.

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

This is somewhere between very interesting and hilarious.
...
In America, you are extremely unlikely to be able to look at a white person and deduce whether or not this person is of Irish, German, Welsh, Polish, French, Russian or Slavic descent because that person is probably fairly likely to be an amalgam of different ethnicities.

Originally Posted by InsaneTraveler

I don't really think its easy to distinguish Germans from other Europeans.

For instance, so many people stereotype Germans as being tall, blonde, and blue-eyed. I am friends with two Germans, both of whom live in a town outside of Frankfurt. They are average height at best, with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

My family is overwhelmingly of English and German descent. The variation in complextion in our gatherings shows that you really can't put a particular look on either ethnic group. People all the time ask me if I'm Russian. I don't have one bit of that in me.

Now, I have been to The Netherlands and Spain. While the indigenous stock of both nations are light skinned, there was definitely a higher percentage of Dutch people expressing recessive hair and eye features. But, I would never use that as a way of distinguishing them.

People tend to think I'm Scandinavian (tall and fair), but I'm 90% of British heritage. To whatever extent we are Scandinavian, they were vikings!

[jacq63]

My German partner is pretty typical..tall, dark and handsome. He's in my profile pic, but that picture doesn't do him justice.

[DeltaT]

I can tell the difference, but I was born and raised in Europe. Of course, you can't tell 100% of the time. But most of the time I can tell. Only works for Spaniards, French, German, British etc. I can't tell if someone is from Sweden or Norway, for instance.

[L.Funk]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

There is no one distinguishing facial feature for Germans. I am German-American, and grew up in a heavily German populated area of Missouri.
As far as never being late for a meeting, it makes me crazy to not be on time, but thats just me, I have known other German-Americans that are NEVER on time.
Sorry not to be of any more help.

kshe95girl !!! Well Said !

As for the proud German-Americans there is one other distinguishing factor ..... They are usually the most highly intelligent person in any crowd !!!

There are a large number of fine German-Americans in this nation ... about 38% 0f the population ! I'm extremely elated to be one !

There is truly a great sense of "Pride" in being a part of the "German Race" !!!

Thanks / Old Sgt. Lamar

[DeltaT]

BTW. Americans are usually mixed... so there's no way that you could tell. I forgot to mention that.

[KC6ZLV]

Look at the people from Northern Europe (Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia/perimeter of the Baltic Sea) and compare them to people along the Mediterranean. In most cases they are easy to tell apart.

Look at the typical face from Northwestern Europe, then compare them to people from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine. You can see some common distinctive traits from which you can often tell them apart.

[corcorangirl]

You can often tell by the looks if someone's from eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Western Europe or Scandinavia, but not anything more precise.

However, I lived in France, and the French people could tell, not by the looks, but by the way people dressed, walked, wore their hair, etc. often frighteningly accurate where someone was from. I personally can't tell if someone's from Texas, California or Poland without hearing them talk, but apparently if you're in Europe and always exposed to so many different cultures you get that skill.

And yes, they know us Americans by our teeth (though they make fun of how fake and shiny they are) and our hair, american women have that typically american hair. If you also wear one of those oversized sweaters you make it really easy for them

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by Lucario

I couldn't until I moved to Hawaii. There and especially in Japan, the two ethnic groups consider themselves distinctly different.

That's exactly my point. Although there are certainly some ethnic identifiers that may seem plain to people there, they are very, very subtle.