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I had a person ask me that. A couple people actually. When asked that question I sometimes just reply, "I'm American" and leave it at that. Though I do give the occasional straightforward answer to "what I am". People are shocked, however, to find that I have no Hispanic/Latin blood in my body whatsoever.
So my question for you guys is, what race do you get mistaken as? :mog:
British. Apparently speech impediments = British accent. Who knew?
I don't really get mistaken for anything. I'm pretty muttish with alot of British, Irish and a little French, German and Native American mixed in there.
I'm Aussie. :D
Though most of my family's past comes from Scotland and Ireland.
People cal me Captain MEGAMUTT! lol im too much to type without getting a massive handcramp
Human. Irish and British in legal terms, American in spirit, but ultimately I'm Human and I don't care much for distinctions beyond that.
Based on accent, I've been mistaken for:
Irish
English
American
Based on skin, hair, and facial features I've been mistaken for:
Arabic
Jewish
I've no idea how my voice can lend itself to such wildly different interpretations from my countrymen and women. I've got English and Scots ancestry, but my most of my family's lived in New Zealand for generations.
I'm awesome, and that's all that matters.
Russian on my mom's side. Basque and Mexican on my dad's side. Culturally I identify myself as American.
im a dutch guy that would fit in the nazi views, while coming from a heritage of jewish arabians.
I am.. the recessive gene.. literally.
People always think I'm Chinese or Japanese.
I'm Canadian.
I'm not mistook, usually
Occasionally I get mistaken for being British, in spite of the fact that I spent most of my childhood in Texas. I've never adopted any local accents and tend to be more well-spoken than most people I know, so apparently that makes me "British".
Hmm... I get "mistaken" for being Chinese, but I wouldn't call it mistaken so much as willful ignorance. Most people with any bit of sense will refrain from making assumptions about my race, and those who do make assumptions only do so to make rude or derogatory remarks. If someone calls me a "chink" I don't ever really figure that they really believe me to be Chinese. More that they've decided to clump every Asian looking person into one group and figure that one nasty term should cover the whole lot of us.
Generally, I think that I look very Korean, and most Asian people I encounter agree with me on this. Very rarely have I had another Asian person believe me to be anything other than Korean. Non-Asian folk have a bit harder time placing me, but most of the time, they'll ask politely rather than making assumptions.
And as a side note, these sorts of conversations haved played out for me numerous times in my life:
RandomPerson: Where are you from?
Me: Los Angeles
RandomPerson: No, I mean, where are you REALLY from?
Me: I'm REALLY from Los Angeles.
RandomPerson: ... are you Chinese?
Me: *walks away*
Oh and it really pissed me off when people try and talk to me in Chinese. I don't go up to random European lookin' people and start speaking French. Like, wtf is that all about? Inevitably, I get this from old American white people more than anyone else.
I've gotten asked if I'm mexican, jewish, samoan (lulz), and chinese.
I am a mutt, but my mixture includes none of the above.
I'm not really mistaken for anything, but my past heritage comes from: England, Scotland, Ireland, Poland, Germany, France, and 3 different Native American types :) I have a medium skin tone..not strikingly tan but not strikingly pale either. My bone structure is made for bearing children, as I have a decent hip size.
no one ever asks me that for they can tell im a god
Most recently I've been mistaken as Asian. O_o
Every type of asian... half-black (I've gotten this once!)... and mexican~ :p
When I go to China everyone says they think I look like I'm from Southeast Asia or something o.O
Well... your skin tone, build, height, and face tend to look way more Thai than Chinese:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Jojee
Ah I can see that... I have a big flat nose and dark skin. xD I hate that.
I'm American with parents that come from Mexico. I've been mistaken for being white due to my light skin and green eyes, and I've also been mistaken as East Asian.
I usually don't get mistaken for anything.
The first time I talked to James on the phone he told me "you sound British." (I still don't understand... lol)
Also, someone thought I was Japanese (I believe someone here on eoff) because my display name on myspace was something in Japanese. (my default picture was Kairi.)
I've never been mistaken for anything based on my looks though. I'm mostly German (both sides), Italian, and a little Irish and Scottish.
Yea to the untrained ear, your accent might sound British.
I don't get cultural misconceptions. People tend to make bogus assumptions about my lifestyle though. One of my friend's gay friends thought I was in the closet. Macho bastard guys accuse me of it all the time, 'cause I'm not a pig like them. That, I'm used to. But when gay guys get confused. Then I'm confused. I don't dress metrosexual. And I don't act homosexual. I dunno where people pick up a vibe from the lack of being manly. I don't act femenine. Oh well
If you didn't have Max as your avatar, I'd knock your teeth in. :mad2: That's how un-awesome you are! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Captain Maxx Power
The last time someone actually referred to my ancestry by something besides my ancestry, they were just joking around. Most of the traits I inherited are very common where I live, so I don't really come off as foreign in any way, and thus, no one asks me "What I am" besides my interests.
Some people mistake me for a pig. Then they try to make me eat my own feces :(
I guess some people think I'm Irish. It's just the hair, though.
It's quite apparent to everyone I meet that I'm an Englishman. I fit the stereotype quite well, I feel. One or two people have asked me if I'm Jewish, but that's because I have quite a few Jewish friends, so people assume that I'm part of the community.
I'm Irish, simple as.
I occasionally get mistaken for an imbecile but other than that, no, everyone knows I'm English. And a Northerner.
Hahaha, the Lake District. I live in Lancaster :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Cloudane
Ulverston :)
wherever I am in the world, they'll know where to drop me off.
People know that I'm from the internet when they see me.
No one ever asks, because I look Italian, which I am. And coupled with my retardedly Italian last name, it leaves no doubt.
I was asked if I was French once though, because of my nose, and it made me sad. =[
I've never been mistaken for any race. I guess I just look like the standard Australian. My background's English. In fact, I didn't even know my own background 'till a few years ago.
One of my online friends once said I sound indian. He based that solely on me answering the phone "hello". He retracted that statement when I got a mic though :p
People at my old school didn't talk to me for a while because they thought I was British!;___________; Then I told my name and said I was Portuguese to the teacher and I made tons of friends :exdee:
British. It would be nice to have some exotic nationality within me somewhere but nope.
I think I must look very English because I've never been mistaken for anything other. I went to Paris in February and they knew I was English just by looking at me. :jess:
Whoops. Looks like I didn't answer the topic question.
Hispanics think I'm white. Whites think I'm European. And the Europeans think I'm Eastern European.
People can always tell I'm English XD
I was at an opera and one American girl there thought I was from New England. I guess she probably just misheard me.
Miriel, what I do is carry a glass of water. When that conversation comes up, I throw it in their face. People called me Japanese when I first came to this country 23 years ago.
What's particularly bizarre to me is when people speak to me in mandarin.
I'm not sure where I want to start when critiquing the whole notion of categorizing a person by their geographical ancestry. We all came from what is now known as Africa, but I'd think twice before trying to convince certain friends of mine that I'm 'part African'. Obviously I'm trying to get across the notion that we're all humans and categorizing by geography is beyond silly. This is complicated by my general disgust for any sort of nationalism. I tell people I'm Canadian only for their ease, not mine. I couldn't possibly care less what your particular ancestry is. I of course respect your freedom to care what your ancestry is.
It seems this thread has incited yet another attack on my attempt to rectify my own issues with growing up in this country. Bravo, I say, geniunely, with no sarcasm.
Well I'm mostly of Irish and German decent. A little bit of French in there, but I don't get mistaken for anything. I'm from America and I'm as pale as can be.
I get mistaken for a lot of things, going with my looks I often get mistaken for Greek, quite possibly because I have dark hair and lots of it. I also live in an area of London full of greek families so when you see a dark haired, hairy guy the instinct says Greek. I've also had Italian or other things, though always from the Med area.
My voice has had me mistaken for a lot of things:
South African - a big black south african guy made this comment, I chose not to argue with him as he was a very angry man who was being nice to me because he believed me to be also south african.
American - even when I am not doing my american accent which is surprisingly accurate, when I speak to people on xbox live they tend to believe this even when I tell them I am actually english.
Austrailian - I have no idea where to begin my aussie accent sucks
New Zealander - Again no idea where to begin
Eastern European - No speciffic country was given I found it ironic because I have the least eastern european accent I know.
Canadian - People in England often have difficulties telling the americans and canadians apart by voice alone.
Irish - well I do an accurate impression of one but this was purely from me being drunk in a pub and asking a girl if she had a light who replied "I don't like irish guys." before walking off
I really find it silly especially because I tend to get told by a lot of my friends how posh my voice sounds.
I have people say I look extremely British and others who say I look slightly Japanese. I've been to foreign countries and straight away they've spoke to us in English, once we went into a pub in Spain, and my Dad ordered something and the guy was all "So are you from St Helens?". It was an English pub though and it turned out that the guy himself was from St Helens too.
People automatically assume that because I live within Merseyside that I'm a scouser.
Someone once asked my friend if I was Jewish.
Unfortunately, she said no. :(
People usually ask me first and then I tell them so I wouldn't really know
I love you. Marry me? :tongue:Quote:
Originally Posted by Faded Tears
I don't think I've ever been mistaken for being anything else but Danish..?
I got mistaken for being Australian once. I've made my peace with getting mistaken for an Irishman by the ignorant masses, but I really never expected to be called an Aussie.
A lot of people mistake the English for being Australian and vice-versa, but Scottish?
To be fair the person was Cuban, he interrupted my meal with an interesting guitar solo performance and wouldn't let me leave until I tipped him. For some reason he thought guessing my nationality would make me want to tip him more.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakamut
No they say "You're a Filipino". Though I think one time, they thought I was a kid, when I was already 20. Dang I hate being short... :mad:
I'm English, although I have some Irish and Scottish blood in me as well. Not much though, but my family line is a mixture of English, Irish and Scottish.
I don't tend to get mistaken for anything other than English due to my strong accent.
People think I'm not from around where I'm from because I speak very clearly. :yuck:
People rarely wonder where I come from, or what race I am. I'm very obviously anglo, and I will tell them that I am Texan before they can ask.
No one's ever mistaken me for another "race" and whenever I open my mouth they usually figure out my geographical location pretty quick.
You right. :love:Quote:
Originally Posted by Pureghetto
Story time! I find it interesting that people also tend to get assumptions about a person's race just by hearing their voice. For instance, one time my dad called a retail company or something and the lady was nice to him over the phone. Yet, when he met with her in person she was suddenly rude and snobby. When my dad asked why she was being a bish, the lady simply put, "I thought you were going to be white."
Well, I think i'm legally considered "African-American", but if you want to get technical, i'm a bi-racial mix of black and white. About 75% black, 25% white.
I like to think of myself as being bi-racial. I think it makes me more interesting!
But, this "bi-racialness" can be a problem. All of my life, i've been surrounded by white people. White neighbors, white school, white friends, white teachers...Most of my childhood (outside of family) was within a very Caucasian area. I guess that being surrounded by " white culture" has somewhat sculpted my psyche somehow. That's where the "problem" lies. I'm in my freshman year of high school, and for the first time in my life, i'm encountering other black people on a larger scale (much larger black population at the high school) on a regular basis. I don't have many black friends, all because of my "white mentality". People say I act, talk, and dress like a white person. And that makes me mad. Does it make me any less "black" because I speak properly? Because I take honors classes and wear clothing the right size? Because I have lots of white friends?
I wish society would accept people on an individual level, and not on such generalized pre-judgements.
Sometimes, people think I'm a a guy. And white.
Best post in the whole topic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pureghetto
Goddess. Heaven.Quote:
Originally Posted by fire_of_avalon
Hispanic, by a Spanish-speaking man in Scotland. He gestured that it was because of my facial hair.
Australian, by loads of people who aren't from Australia or New Zealand and therefore can't tell the accents apart.
Uhm... I think that's it, actually. Oh, someone in AmeriCanada thought I was British at some point, I believe.
Any day sweetheart ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue HarvestI love you. Marry me? :tongue:Quote:
Originally Posted by Faded Tears
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Faded TearsAny day sweetheart ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue HarvestI love you. Marry me? :tongue:Quote:
Originally Posted by Faded Tears
You're all invited to the wedding btw =]
I dislike that question.
Person 1: Where are you from?
Person 2: Atlanta, Georgia — why?
Person 1: Oh, no, where are you really from?