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Why do people keep asking where I'm from? (lemmy.ca)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by Shampoo_Bottle@lemmy.ca to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Up until I started working, I didn't really encounter that question. When I did start working, people started asking me that question.

Them: Where are you from?

Me: Canada.

Them: Where are your grandparents from?

Me: Canada.

Them: Ok, where are your great grandparents from?

Me: Canada.

It's irritating sometimes. I just want to exist, do my job and go home, like anyone else. Once is ok, twice is odd, three times is weird, and the fourth time is a pattern.

The only accent that I might have would probably be from Newfoundland, Canada, as I grew up with a lot of people from there. I also talk too fast sometimes.

Have you had similar experiences, and if so, how did you handle it? Can fast speech patterns cause this? Why do random people care so much?

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[–] Thalion@lemmy.ca 39 points 2 years ago (6 children)

They're either making conversation or racist, depending on context. Answering the country you're from if you're currently in that country is pretty odd.

[–] stembolts@programming.dev 22 points 2 years ago (5 children)

But that is the answer to the question. I'm not understanding the alternative. If the person wants to ask, "What race are you?" They should ask using those words.

I can't recall a time ever needing to know anyone's race. So I've never asked this question in 50 years, but perhaps one day? Idk, seems like a potentially insensitive question.

[–] M500@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 years ago

I think asking where someone is from is a pretty universal way to mean, “What ethnicity are you?”.

Usually, you can understand someone’s question based on the context. Your question, for example, “What race are you?” Is not specific enough. I could answer, “I’m not a race, I’m a person, but I enjoy competing in races.”

So just use context clues to understand a persons question and answer the question if you feel like it.

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