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Where are you from? Is it an insult?

(393 Posts)
Sago Fri 02-Dec-22 08:07:40

I often ask people “where are you from” it’s always interesting to know, particularly as there are so many accents I cannot always pick up.
A cab driver recently told us about his old life in Afghanistan and how he was loving his time in the UK, he told us he had really enjoyed his chat.
Our SIL is mixed race and often gets asked, he is always happy to talk about his heritage.

It’s so easy to offend.

nanna8 Thu 08-Dec-22 05:32:40

Well we all talk more or less the same but there are other methods- here it is which school did you go to? It is slowly changing but still holds for locals. I don't think race is so much of an issue because there are dozens of different races all within a stonesthrow. No one notices anymore, at least not where we live. Probably different if you are in the centre or the outback.

DaisyAnne Thu 08-Dec-22 07:54:50

GrannyGravy13

tickingbird

Fleurpepper

Yes, that is the answer regularly given.

However…..

…… just say what you’re implying.

I have got an early New Year’s resolution which is to ignore people who are posting/talking rubbish.

Sounds a bit like mine, which is not to allow those on the extremes of a discussion to make me feel extreme.

You are one of the few on GN actually employing people at the moment. We may not agree on everything GrannyGravy but in this climate I would raise my hat to you (if I wore one smile).

DaisyAnne Thu 08-Dec-22 08:04:06

Lollin

Fleurpepper

vegansrock

But if they said they were British from London would you follow up with, “but where are you really from? “ That’s the potentially offensive bit.

Exactly- just depends how it is done! Not read every post, but this video came to mind.

youtu.be/crAv5ttax2I

I have a rather strange accent, and I am asked the question all the time, and I don't mind at all. But a very different situation.

Good video but of course it will sweep over many an ignorant head.

As learning to communicate politely will over the heads of many with an arrogant sense of superiority Lollin.

Being bad mannered and rude is being bad mannered and rude whatever the reason.

DaisyAnne Thu 08-Dec-22 08:06:32

Just realised Lollin, you may actually be so arrogant that you don't realise what I was saying was because you were being unacceptably bad mannered and rude. It was.

DaisyAnne Thu 08-Dec-22 08:10:11

Fleurpepper

vegansrock

But if they said they were British from London would you follow up with, “but where are you really from? “ That’s the potentially offensive bit.

Exactly- just depends how it is done! Not read every post, but this video came to mind.

youtu.be/crAv5ttax2I

I have a rather strange accent, and I am asked the question all the time, and I don't mind at all. But a very different situation.

I wonder why we don't run videos like this on TV. I would/should help reach a wider audience.

volver Thu 08-Dec-22 08:10:12

We're all arrogant DaisyAnne but you're completely angelic.

Apparently.

Oh, wad some power the giftie gi'e us....

DaisyAnne Thu 08-Dec-22 08:11:46

volver I really do feel sorry for you. Do you stalk people in real life?

volver Thu 08-Dec-22 08:13:55

Yes. I have no life.

MerylStreep Thu 08-Dec-22 08:32:52

Fleurpepper
I know you watch British tv dispute the fact you are Swiss and live in Switzerland.
Has the wide range of accents on British tv passed you by?
Of course it hasn’t.
But that fact wouldn’t support your racists under the bed campaign, would it.
But you carry on and fill your boots with this rubbish.

GrannyGravy13 Thu 08-Dec-22 08:51:56

Advertising and TV has changed in the U.K. every ethnicity along with different family dynamics are now portrayed in print, programming and tv adverts.

Mixed race families, lesbian families, gay families, families with disabilities, singles I could go on but hopefully you get the picture.

Long gone are the days of middle class white family with two children being the norm , and rightly so.

nanna8 Thu 08-Dec-22 08:56:19

Just wondering what is a middle class family ? And why white ? And why two children? Is that some sort of average or what ?

MawtheMerrier Thu 08-Dec-22 09:04:38

Our prejudices are often not acknowledged and subtly hidden by all sorts of other factors. I know of 2 people who, with Brexit, made the explicit decision to only employ 'British' people, in Ye Olde fashioned sense

I knew Brexit had to come into it! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Anybody else up for a game of “Brexit Bingo” ? gringrin

Iam64 Thu 08-Dec-22 09:14:33

nanna8

Just wondering what is a middle class family ? And why white ? And why two children? Is that some sort of average or what ?

It’s called a stereotype. It still has power

tickingbird Thu 08-Dec-22 09:28:12

Many a true word spoken in jest/sarcasm.

volver Thu 08-Dec-22 09:29:14

What was that thing about stalking again...?

Callistemon21 Thu 08-Dec-22 09:45:17

Our prejudices are often not acknowledged and subtly hidden by all sorts of other factors. I know of 2 people who, with Brexit, made the explicit decision to only employ 'British' people, in Ye Olde fashioned sense

What exactly your definition of "Ye Olde fashioned British"?

My definition would be Welsh and Cornish who were driven to the edges of the land by those marauding invaders.

So is a prerequisite of employability to be the ability to speak fluent Welsh or Cornish?
Tidy! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
I can't find a Cornish flag, that's disgusting that is.

Callistemon21 Thu 08-Dec-22 09:48:14

I have a rather strange accent, and I am asked the question all the time, and I don't mind at all. But a very different situation.

Why is it different?
Because it's not at the Palace? 🤔

Callistemon21 Thu 08-Dec-22 09:50:11

nanna8

Well we all talk more or less the same but there are other methods- here it is which school did you go to? It is slowly changing but still holds for locals. I don't think race is so much of an issue because there are dozens of different races all within a stonesthrow. No one notices anymore, at least not where we live. Probably different if you are in the centre or the outback.

No, it's not.

"The Outback" is like a World Jamboree!

volver Thu 08-Dec-22 09:51:25

I don't think race is so much of an issue

Have you verified that with any aboriginal people?

Callistemon21 Thu 08-Dec-22 09:52:07

Mixed race families, lesbian families, gay families, families with disabilities, singles I could go on but hopefully you get the picture

Or all together in one family like ours 😀

nanna8 Thu 08-Dec-22 10:07:34

I haven’t met any First Nation people since I was in the Northern Territory a few years back so I can’t say. I don’t claim knowledge I haven’t got, unlike some.

volver Thu 08-Dec-22 10:17:59

Plenty aboriginal people in Adelaide when I lived there. Quite often in Victoria Square, or in Tandanya.

How strange that you've never seen any where you live nanna8.

Callistemon21 Thu 08-Dec-22 15:56:55

nanna8

I haven’t met any First Nation people since I was in the Northern Territory a few years back so I can’t say. I don’t claim knowledge I haven’t got, unlike some.

I've met quite a few Indigenous Australians.
They're not separate from other Australians.

volver Thu 08-Dec-22 16:07:50

They're not separate from other Australians.

Have you verified that with any aboriginal people?

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/24/discrimination-against-indigenous-australians-has-risen-dramatically-survey-finds

Of course everything may have changed in the last 18 months...probably not though.

Callistemon21 Thu 08-Dec-22 16:17:19

Quite often in Victoria Square, or in Tandanya
So were they friends of yours or you just saw them?


Indigenous Australians are not all a separate entity as you seem to be saying - they live next door, work in schools, nurseries, their children are at school, play football etc with our children, they are friends and neighbours.

Some prefer to live a simpler life as they have done for thousands of years (it is probably the best way to live for the sake of the planet). But then so do other immigrants.

Unfortunately even Indigenous Australians are disagreeing amongst themselves on the way forward.