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It is a common annoyance to some who are born or raised here that many descendents of immigrants (who belong to groups that are seen as more recent arrivals) who are non-white or non-European (eg. certain Latin Americans, Asians, Middle Easterners) get asked if they are foreign or if they are not from around here, but what about European immigrants?
Few people ask Italian-Americans or German-Americans if they speak Italian or German, but it's possible for certain, more new European immigrants still get asked stuff like that, though not as much as say an Asian or Middle Eastern. Russian or Greek immigrants I have met still speak their home language and eat their traditional foods sometimes as much as Chinese or Arab ones do.
Some Eastern European immigrants seem more new, who came after the fall of the iron curtain, and they can be as new as Ethiopians or Pakistanis as communities.
In your area, if you live in an English-speaking country like the US, Canada, Australia, NZ etc. are European immigrants seen as equally foreign as other ones? Do they get annoyed with questions like "where do you come from?" or insistence that they are not as "American", "Canadian", "Australian" etc. as original settlers' descendents?
In my experience, no, not unless they speak with strong accents, there definitely is a racial component to that question. I find I get this most often from visible minority immigrants or second generation people with strong immigrant ties, though, not white people or heavily assimilated people. When I answer that I come form another province, they keep asking, and I think it's because they want to bond over immigrant heritage or something? I find it a bit strange though because I speak unaccented English, I'm half white, and my most recent immigrant family members arrived in this country 50 years ago. I have few of the trappings that would invite such questions expect for looking kind of ethnic.
It is a common annoyance to some who are born or raised here that many descendents of immigrants (who belong to groups that are seen as more recent arrivals) who are non-white or non-European (eg. certain Latin Americans, Asians, Middle Easterners) get asked if they are foreign or if they are not from around here, but what about European immigrants?
Few people ask Italian-Americans or German-Americans if they speak Italian or German, but it's possible for certain, more new European immigrants still get asked stuff like that, though not as much as say an Asian or Middle Eastern. Russian or Greek immigrants I have met still speak their home language and eat their traditional foods sometimes as much as Chinese or Arab ones do.
Some Eastern European immigrants seem more new, who came after the fall of the iron curtain, and they can be as new as Ethiopians or Pakistanis as communities.
In your area, if you live in an English-speaking country like the US, Canada, Australia, NZ etc. are European immigrants seen as equally foreign as other ones? Do they get annoyed with questions like "where do you come from?" or insistence that they are not as "American", "Canadian", "Australian" etc. as original settlers' descendents?
I don't understand why it's a problem to ask someone where they come from? I always ask people where they are from when I talk to someone with an accent.
Anytime I'm abroad, I'm asked where I'm from the second I open my mouth. I am glad to tell them where I'm from and about our streets of gold.
Hell, when I'm in the United States I get asked where I am from due to my accent.. and I'm American. I go back to my original thought, everybody just wants a reason to cry, whine or be offended. Now we can't even ask someone where they're from because it could hurt their feelings? Give me a break.
It is a common annoyance to some who are born or raised here that many descendents of immigrants (who belong to groups that are seen as more recent arrivals) who are non-white or non-European (eg. certain Latin Americans, Asians, Middle Easterners) get asked if they are foreign or if they are not from around here, but what about European immigrants?
Few people ask Italian-Americans or German-Americans if they speak Italian or German, but it's possible for certain, more new European immigrants still get asked stuff like that, though not as much as say an Asian or Middle Eastern. Russian or Greek immigrants I have met still speak their home language and eat their traditional foods sometimes as much as Chinese or Arab ones do.
Some Eastern European immigrants seem more new, who came after the fall of the iron curtain, and they can be as new as Ethiopians or Pakistanis as communities.
In your area, if you live in an English-speaking country like the US, Canada, Australia, NZ etc. are European immigrants seen as equally foreign as other ones? Do they get annoyed with questions like "where do you come from?" or insistence that they are not as "American", "Canadian", "Australian" etc. as original settlers' descendents?
Yes, they get asked where they are from when they open their mouths.
I don't understand why it's a problem to ask someone where they come from? I always ask people where they are from when I talk to someone with an accent.
Anytime I'm abroad, I'm asked where I'm from the second I open my mouth. I am glad to tell them where I'm from and about our streets of gold.
Hell, when I'm in the United States I get asked where I am from due to my accent.. and I'm American. I go back to my original thought, everybody just wants a reason to cry, whine or be offended. Now we can't even ask someone where they're from because it could hurt their feelings? Give me a break.
I'm Asian Australian, as good as born here so totally assimilated (arrived at age one) nor do I know life anywhere else or another culture...I get asked where I'm from fairly frequently, I usually just say Australia, if pressed say I was born in Singapore or my parents are from Singapore/Malaysia. I don't find it offensive, although it gets repetitive and annoying, like people asking what I do for a living and not knowing what a town planner is/does (I mean isn't it pretty self-explanatory?).
I'm Asian Australian, as good as born here so totally assimilated (arrived at age one) nor do I know life anywhere else or another culture...I get asked where I'm from fairly frequently, I usually just say Australia, if pressed say I was born in Singapore or my parents are from Singapore/Malaysia. I don't find it offensive, although it gets repetitive and annoying, like people asking what I do for a living and not knowing what a town planner is/does (I mean isn't it pretty self-explanatory?).
^ So THAT's why you were intent on portraying Singaporeans and Malaysians as native English speakers. It all makes sense now.
^ So THAT's why you were intent on portraying Singaporeans and Malaysians as native English speakers. It all makes sense now.
Well, more because English simply is more prevalent in Singapore (and a lesser extent Malaysia) NATIVELY than anywhere in Asia or Europe. And yes, my parents were more westernised than most Asian immigrants, because even back then Singapore and parts of Malaysia were like a hybrid Asian-Western sort of society in many respects. English was the only language spoken at home is the only language I speak.
Many Aussies have been to Singapore so are pretty familiar with this anyway.
So the impression I get is, in Anglo countries (besides the US): it is mainly non-European ancestry people that get asked this.
In the US, non-European, non-African ancestry (neither white or black) get this.
Am I right?
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