2006-07-25 09:05:05 · 14 answers · asked by max2u 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Should be ok
You can always say something off topic and then slowly move toward the main question. Like, talk about the language they speak, what kind of food they like etc.
2006-07-25 09:09:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do you care or need to know what someone's ethnicity is? As a person of mixed race myself (Asian), I feel somewhat offended when I am asked "where are you from" or "what are you?" I'm from New York. I'm an American. I was born and bred here. I went to a US high school. I have a degree from a US college. I work here in the US. Just because I'm not lily white, doesn't mean it's proper to question my ethnicity and I find the question offensive even though I know that the person asking is not trying to be rude. Look at it this way: would you ask an African American person "where in Africa are you from?"
2006-07-25 09:13:46 · answer #2 · answered by Paul in San Francisco 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many people don't even know what their ethnicity is. It's not the country that ancestors are from, as Italian, Irish, French,
etc. For instance, the original people of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, and Present day England, are all ethnic Germanics.
The other main ethnic groups of Europe are Slavic,Latin, and Ugric. Nope, I'm not going to list each country of each group.
2006-07-25 09:23:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should ask yourself why you want to know what their ethnicity is? Why do you feel the need to ask someone that? If you are asking because you are trying to categorize the person, as "this" or "that" then you are wrong. But if you are asking because you are curious, then that might be a better side to be on.
I think it's rude.
2006-07-25 09:13:41 · answer #4 · answered by alwaysbombed 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmm. It depends on the circumstance, of course. I don't see any problems with it as long as it's asked with tact and sensitivity. For instance, rather than ask a racial ambiguous person, "What are you?" as I've heard so many times while traveling on the bus or train, you should politely ask, "What is your cultural make-up?" I've heard the latter form of this question asked of a beautiful 30-something and she was very eager to answer the question. When someone was asked the former version of the question, they justifiably got upset and didn't answer.
2006-07-25 09:13:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not improper, so long as you're polite. After all, it isn't ovbious, and if you find it an interesting subject, why should the object?
2006-07-25 09:16:17 · answer #6 · answered by kaththea s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just ask politely, when people get it a lot, they're more likely to be nice about it. Better safe than sorry, but treat them with respect at all times.
2006-07-25 09:10:42 · answer #7 · answered by Lady Hurricane 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Someone's ethnicity doesn't matter. He or she is a person first. Why do you care what his or her ethnicity is?
2006-07-25 09:08:36 · answer #8 · answered by wpililli 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try "Where are you from?" It's good for conversation, and it's not potentially offensive, like "What race/ethnicity are you?" would be.
2006-07-25 09:09:33 · answer #9 · answered by Crys H. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most people don't care that much, just try not to ask some activist. They might get mad.
2006-07-25 09:09:18 · answer #10 · answered by jwbyrdman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋