How do you ask?

[cabmandone]

I just come right out and ask "hey! where ya from?". I have never had a person get offended. It normally starts an interesting conversation.

[black73]

Just say, "What is your nationality?"

[legion]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I deal with many Japenese in my work (at a Japenese owned, American company). They do not (don't) use contractions in any speech scenario....it takes some getting used to.

I work with many Indians. Their English is pretty British. The ones who haven't been here long will use British idioms and terms. The first time I was told: "I need to go suck on a fag", I was very, very confused.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

I had a District Attorney from DC one time absolutely gob smacked that I had never heard of Washington, DC. I asked him if it was near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan... He thought he was pretty important.

Moose Jaw is pretty important. Some great NHL Players like Clark Gillies is from Moose Jaw.
Oh wait, the DC lawyer thought HE was important? Him and the 1000 other prostitutes that hang out it DC

[rusnak]

Yew onna dem Ornamenal people ain't chee? Ah never met me ah Ornamenal befo'.

I've actually had someone say that to me and I could not stop laughing.

I guess it's in how a person perceives the questioner. In my case, I didn't have to take offense, so I didn't.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

On the ski lift, when I hear a British accent I generally ask what part of Texas they are from. I then pretend to have never heard of England or the United Kingdom...

I've read it's best for traveling Americans to have a maple leaf pin on their lapel.
(keeps 'em from getting kilt)

[look 171]

Hey man, you you are ugly and you talk funny. Where you from?

[sc_rufctr]

My standard line for younger people... Were are you from Brother? (Or Sister?)

I stay away from older foreigners. You just can't trust them

[Tervuren]

The only thing I have to say, is don't include an assumption.

Especially if you assume someone from Korea was from China or Japan, or any of those three mixed up.

[aigel]

Depending on the part of the country you are in, people with an accent may get asked a lot where they are from. Almost everywhere they go, even in passing. It can get annoying for folks, so my recommendation is to not ask in passing (at the supermarket or in a phone call to a service provider for example).

In a social or work setting where you will spend time with someone, by all means ask straight out. And as mentioned above, it is good to ask with a positive comment, i.e. 'cool accent where is that from?'.

I never fault people for asking. But it is a bit like when we had a Great Dane. We'd be out and about with the dog a lot. People loved seeing him and generally it was fun. But everyone had the same couple jokes pertaining to its size, comparing it to horse and riding it, which we heard literally a thousand times over the course of the dog's life. ARGH!

G

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by black73

Just say, "What is your nationality?"

'murican.

[black73]

Most people are proud of their heritage and are eager to tell their story.

[Tobra]

I ask the same way people ask me. Whether it is an unusual last name or accent, I just ask

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

A couple of weeks ago there was a very pretty waitress with a light accent and it turned out she was German. I was slightly flirting with her and speaking everything in German to her for the rest of the evening. Then she laughed and said "I think you are going to have to read the book before you come back here next time."

Hahaha, that's funny.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

On the ski lift, when I hear a British accent I generally ask what part of Texas they are from. I then pretend to have never heard of England or the United Kingdom...

It a pretty fun game.

Not as fun a game as asking Canadians which part of the States they are from

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

The only thing I have to say, is don't include an assumption.

Especially if you assume someone from Korea was from China or Japan, or any of those three mixed up.

Or assume someone speaking Spanish is Mexican... I work with a bunch of South Americans, Peru, San Salvador, etc.

[CROWSC]

You ain't from around here are ya