Hello
Guest

Sponsored Links


Topic: Split: Mistaken for Canadian  (Read 11872 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

  • *
  • Posts: 3358

  • Liked: 9
  • Joined: Mar 2011
  • Location: IN to Blackburn to IN to KY
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« on: August 17, 2011, 06:19:53 PM »
Quote
I responded no, I am American. To which she responded "oh" and just turned around very rudely.

Yep, quite a few people I have encountered here seem to love America and all things American, but don't seem to like American people. The ones I've pressed for an answer seem to blame all of us for the fact their government leaders follow our government leaders into battle for things that have nothing to do with them. I politely remind them that blaming all Americans for what the government does is as fair as blaming all Brits for what their government does.
“It's practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.” Joe Moore

“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”
― Dr. Seuss


  • *
  • Posts: 2442

  • Liked: 2
  • Joined: Mar 2006
  • Location: Sussex
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2011, 05:08:39 PM »
The Muppet Show was originally made in England. Henson couldn't seal the deal with an American producer at first. So, you know, we kind of have to cede "muppet" to them.

And I council Brits *never* to ask if someone is American (most seem to know that instinctively). An American won't be offended to mistaken for a Canadian, but -- hoo boy! -- the same isn't always true the other way around.


  • *
  • Posts: 3358

  • Liked: 9
  • Joined: Mar 2011
  • Location: IN to Blackburn to IN to KY
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2011, 05:20:28 PM »
Quote
And I council Brits *never* to ask if someone is American (most seem to know that instinctively). An American won't be offended to mistaken for a Canadian, but -- hoo boy! -- the same isn't always true the other way around.

I wouldn't say that is exactly true, because some Americans do get offended by being mistaken for being Canadian. I wouldn't say I get truly offended but after so many times of being asked if I am Canadian it has worn a bit thin.
“It's practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.” Joe Moore

“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”
― Dr. Seuss


Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2011, 10:08:55 AM »
I wouldn't say that is exactly true, because some Americans do get offended by being mistaken for being Canadian. I wouldn't say I get truly offended but after so many times of being asked if I am Canadian it has worn a bit thin.

I don't see the point in getting offended if someone asks you if you are 'American' or 'Canadien' or whatever. Some American and Canadien accents are very similar, if not the same. Does it really harm you? It's silly to take trivial things so personally.
Of course, the proper thing for them to ask is where you're from. But. Oh well.


  • *
  • Posts: 3358

  • Liked: 9
  • Joined: Mar 2011
  • Location: IN to Blackburn to IN to KY
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2011, 11:01:27 AM »
Quote
I don't see the point in getting offended if someone asks you if you are 'American' or 'Canadien' or whatever. Some American and Canadien accents are very similar, if not the same. Does it really harm you? It's silly to take trivial things so personally.
Of course, the proper thing for them to ask is where you're from. But. Oh well.

I think it all comes down to being proud of where you are from. I know hubby hated it when someone would ask him if he was Australian, during the five years he lived in the States. He got it as frequently as I get asked if I am Canadian. I don't get offended by the question so much as I get tired of answering it as often as I have to. Sometimes I just want to be out with hubby/friends/MIL.. whoever, and just be able to talk without so many people stopping my conversation to ask if I am American or Canadian, or blatantly stare at me while I am talking. I don't want to have to keep telling people I am American instead of Canadian. Being asked occasionally is fine, but not several times every time I am out.

I can't speak for everyone, but I do know some people are offended by being asked if they are from the opposite place of the one they are from.
“It's practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.” Joe Moore

“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”
― Dr. Seuss


Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2011, 11:59:11 AM »
I think it all comes down to being proud of where you are from. I know hubby hated it when someone would ask him if he was Australian, during the five years he lived in the States. He got it as frequently as I get asked if I am Canadian.

I can't speak for everyone, but I do know some people are offended by being asked if they are from the opposite place of the one they are from.

Again, so what? It's not offensive if others have a hard time determining a nationality. Pride shouldn't play into it. It's not like Americans have a distinct look that sets us apart from Canadiens. Some people have a hard time detecting certain tones, pitches, pronunciations, whatever that can distinguish an accent- especially if they don't hear it as often. I've had a hard time determining if someone is Irish (unless it's a thick accent), American or Canadien, and would have to strain my ears to catch those 'r's' to see if they were Irish. But it's almost next to impossible to figure out if someone is American or Canadien, unless that person happens to be somewhere with extreme accents (such as the Southern accent, Boston, Brooklyn, etc). People need to get over themselves. The person asking the question is generally curious and it is an innocent question.

I can understand how annoying it can get if people keep asking where you're from or even staring. I don't normally get that as often now that I'm not working, since I'm quiet and have a soft voice, and therefore, people don't normally hear me out in public [which I quite like because it generally keeps me safe from being pestered].
« Last Edit: August 23, 2011, 12:09:28 PM by onemorecupofjoe »


  • *
  • Posts: 6665

    • York Interweb
  • Liked: 8
  • Joined: Sep 2004
  • Location: York
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2011, 01:25:34 PM »
Sometimes I just want to be out with hubby/friends/MIL.. whoever, and just be able to talk without so many people stopping my conversation to ask if I am American or Canadian, or blatantly stare at me while I am talking.

Where do you live that people just stop you and interrupt you to ask you where your accent is from?

If I meet someone for the first time and we are talking they might say, "That's an interesting accent, where are you from?" as part of getting to know me, but I have never had anybody just walk up to me and ask me if I am American or Irish or Canadian or whatever.

I assume that people who I don't know are interested in their own conversations and aren't paying any attention to what I'm saying or what I sound like. Most people wouldn't be rude enough to listen in on my conversations no matter what I accent I had.

By the way, people I meet often ask me if I am Italian or Spanish (I am neither) because of my appearance, despite the fact that I clearly have an American (New York) accent.  It doesn't really matter.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2011, 01:30:25 PM by sweetpeach »


  • *
  • Posts: 3427

  • Liked: 3
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Location: Barnsley, UK
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2011, 01:54:50 PM »
Where do you live that people just stop you and interrupt you to ask you where your accent is from?

If I meet someone for the first time and we are talking they might say, "That's an interesting accent, where are you from?" as part of getting to know me, but I have never had anybody just walk up to me and ask me if I am American or Irish or Canadian or whatever.

DW usually gets "That's not a Yorkshire accent you have there", which then prompts her to say where she's from.
We were at a party at the weekend and she'd been talking to this one guy for a while, I'd spoken to him a bit but not for long and he said to me "So when are you going back to the States?" and I said we'd probably go in November for a couple of weeks, and he said "Oh, you don't live there then?"
"We don't want our chocolate to get cheesy!"


  • *
  • Posts: 6678

  • On an Irish adventure, on the West coast of Clare!
  • Liked: 1
  • Joined: Apr 2007
  • Location: Leeds
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2011, 01:58:55 PM »
DW usually gets "That's not a Yorkshire accent you have there", which then prompts her to say where she's from.

That's what I get frequently.  I don't mind, they are usually nice friendly people.




By the way, people I meet often ask me if I am Italian or Spanish (I am neither) because of my appearance, despite the fact that I clearly have an American (New York) accent.  It doesn't really matter.
He he!  I used to get people asking me if I was Native American.  Back in the US I used to get people asking if I was of Puerto Rican decent.  At least I did when I worked in one of the hispanic neighborhoods.
Met husband-to-be in Ireland July 2006
Married October 2007
Became a British citizen 21 July 2011
Separated from husband August 2014
Off on an Irish adventure October 2014


  • *
  • Posts: 2442

  • Liked: 2
  • Joined: Mar 2006
  • Location: Sussex
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2011, 02:10:31 PM »
I get a little tired of being asked where I'm from but, honestly, most people are so excited to tell me about their vacation in Vegas or Florida or whatever, it's actually kind of endearing.


  • *
  • Posts: 3358

  • Liked: 9
  • Joined: Mar 2011
  • Location: IN to Blackburn to IN to KY
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #10 on: August 23, 2011, 03:05:31 PM »
I too, have a soft voice and quiet manner of speaking, but if I am walking along with someone, at the grocery store, or in a pub talking with friends on hubby's pool league night, I can still be heard. The original point I was making was in reference to the statement that Canadians being upset if they are asked if they are American, but Americans 'don't mind' being asked if they are Canadian.

I live in Blackburn, which I realize makes me more of a novelty than if I lived somewhere bigger like London or Manchester that gets more Americans through there or living there. I've been stopped mid sentence at the grocery store numerous times while talking to MIL (we go at the same time and share a cab home since they are just a couple streets over) to be asked where I am from. I suppose it bothers me because I was raised to not interrupt people while they are talking. I've also had it when walking down the street or at the pub. I never really think about people listening in, because I figure they are busy with who they are talking to, but apparently people do listen in sometimes, no matter how low your voice is. I have had to learn to speak louder than I am used to, to be heard in pubs or at the gocery store, or even walking down the road. I suppose that is why people can hear me.

It isn't that I mind people telling me about their trips to America, and I enjoy hearing about how they enjoyed my country. What bothers me is if I am interrrupted when I am talking to someone and the conversation steers completely away from what was being talked about, by someone who interrupted us.

I am truly sorry if my thoughts on this subject are offending some people and from now on I will just keep quiet. I didn't realize I'd be causing chaos by mentioning it can be a two way street on the whole American/Canadian being offended point. I never was trying to say I was offended but it seems to be read that way.
“It's practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.” Joe Moore

“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”
― Dr. Seuss


Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #11 on: August 23, 2011, 05:32:55 PM »
I too, have a soft voice and quiet manner of speaking, but if I am walking along with someone, at the grocery store, or in a pub talking with friends on hubby's pool league night, I can still be heard. The original point I was making was in reference to the statement that Canadians being upset if they are asked if they are American, but Americans 'don't mind' being asked if they are Canadian.

I live in Blackburn, which I realize makes me more of a novelty than if I lived somewhere bigger like London or Manchester that gets more Americans through there or living there. I've been stopped mid sentence at the grocery store numerous times while talking to MIL (we go at the same time and share a cab home since they are just a couple streets over) to be asked where I am from. I suppose it bothers me because I was raised to not interrupt people while they are talking. I've also had it when walking down the street or at the pub. I never really think about people listening in, because I figure they are busy with who they are talking to, but apparently people do listen in sometimes, no matter how low your voice is. I have had to learn to speak louder than I am used to, to be heard in pubs or at the gocery store, or even walking down the road. I suppose that is why people can hear me.

It isn't that I mind people telling me about their trips to America, and I enjoy hearing about how they enjoyed my country. What bothers me is if I am interrrupted when I am talking to someone and the conversation steers completely away from what was being talked about, by someone who interrupted us.

I am truly sorry if my thoughts on this subject are offending some people and from now on I will just keep quiet. I didn't realize I'd be causing chaos by mentioning it can be a two way street on the whole American/Canadian being offended point. I never was trying to say I was offended but it seems to be read that way.

Sorry, I wasn't meaning to sound snippy or anything with you, and what you said never offended me. I was trying to list reasons why I don't think anyone should be offended for being asked if they're a different nationality- it is trivial of them when you think about it.

It must just be the town you live in (I'm sure there are some others maybe); that is awful that you get badgered and interrupted so often by curious people. People don't seem to be that bad in Gosport. When I'm out, I'm usually by myself so the only people I'll talk to are sometimes cashiers, and they never ask me where I'm from. And when I'm with my husband, again, people don't pay much attention to me. I know there are a couple of Americans living here, but I have never met them. There's also something called The Clipper that trains people from all over the world to do a yacht race around the world, and some Americans tend to come for that. Soo, Gosport could be use to Americans and that's why they leave me alone. :)

Sorry, again! :)
« Last Edit: August 23, 2011, 05:35:54 PM by onemorecupofjoe »


  • *
  • Posts: 3427

  • Liked: 3
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Location: Barnsley, UK
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2011, 11:20:57 AM »

I live in Blackburn, which I realize makes me more of a novelty than if I lived somewhere bigger like London or Manchester that gets more Americans through there or living there.

Same for DW in Barnsley. We often get quizzing looks in Morrison's when she asks me, for example, if we need to-mah-toes. The best was when she couldn't remember coriander and was asking an assistant if they had cilantro, his look was priceless until I translated!
But generally when people do ask it's in a nice way.
"We don't want our chocolate to get cheesy!"


  • *
  • Posts: 6665

    • York Interweb
  • Liked: 8
  • Joined: Sep 2004
  • Location: York
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #13 on: August 24, 2011, 01:52:25 PM »
Same for DW in Barnsley. We often get quizzing looks in Morrison's when she asks me, for example, if we need to-mah-toes. The best was when she couldn't remember coriander and was asking an assistant if they had cilantro, his look was priceless until I translated!
But generally when people do ask it's in a nice way.

I think it's normal for someone to ask you about your accent or where you are from when you are actually engaged in a conversation with them.

I think what TamaMoo is saying is that she will be having a private conversation, and a complete stranger will come over and butt in and ask her if she's American/Canadian.

That is extremely rude and, in my opinion, very strange.


  • *
  • Posts: 378

  • Patience is a virtue I do not have.
  • Liked: 1
  • Joined: Aug 2011
  • Location: Southern USA
Split: Mistaken for Canadian
« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2011, 03:58:16 PM »
That's also down to the individual person though on what they consider 'trivial'. For me as an American, I'm very proud of were I came from and in a way I guess if I dug deep enough yes, I wouldn't be happy with someone thinking I came from Canada right off the bat, the same way I'm MORE than sure my FH would be if someone State side asked him was he from Australia.

To some it's a trivial thing that people shouldn't get upset about - and while I wouldn't get upset with it, if someone came right out of the ball park and said, "Oh, your Canadian!" without ASKING me were I am from to begin with yes, I would take offence to it. Take the 30 bloody seconds to ask me were I am from before you peg me with a nationality.

Sorry, I wasn't meaning to sound snippy or anything with you, and what you said never offended me. I was trying to list reasons why I don't think anyone should be offended for being asked if they're a different nationality- it is trivial of them when you think about it.

It must just be the town you live in (I'm sure there are some others maybe); that is awful that you get badgered and interrupted so often by curious people. People don't seem to be that bad in Gosport. When I'm out, I'm usually by myself so the only people I'll talk to are sometimes cashiers, and they never ask me where I'm from. And when I'm with my husband, again, people don't pay much attention to me. I know there are a couple of Americans living here, but I have never met them. There's also something called The Clipper that trains people from all over the world to do a yacht race around the world, and some Americans tend to come for that. Soo, Gosport could be use to Americans and that's why they leave me alone. :)

Sorry, again! :)
Met Online: Jan 2010
Became a Couple: Feb 2010
Met in person: June 2010
Engaged: June 2010
Hubby's 2nd trip to the US: Oct 2010
Failed trip due to accident: Feb 2011
Married: 15th of October, 2011
Applying for Visa: Sept/Aug 2012


Sponsored Links