Is it better to ask, "What is your ethnic background?", or "What is your nationality?"?

Answer 1

Ethnic background would include all of our heritage. Nationality is just what nation we are connected to.

Answer 2

Ethnic background, because often, people have more than one nationality, and a given nationality may have many ethnic backgrounds. Also, some people would prefer not to be identified politically by claiming a particular nationality. You could just ask, "what parts of the world is your family from?" and it might seem friendlier and less prying than a direct question about ethnicity.

Answer 3

Nationality would not answer your question. Americans are of many different ethnic backgrounds. Besides, what difference does it make?

Answer 4

Depends on why, and who, you are asking... Many places, to many people, either question would be considered rude.
Where I live (Hawaii) people enjoy talking about their ethnic background-- so no problem. Those who are mixed sometimes laughingly call themselves "Chop Suey"
Given the mobility of people in today's world, ethnic background, or ancestry, is more accurate.

Answer 5

I guess you can ask, "What countries did your ancestors originally come from?" but it's kind of a weird question anyway. I'm always curious because I want to know if there's anyone with the same background as me. I never ask strangers or people I barely know. Just friends and they know I'm not being racist.

Answer 6

what's wrong with asking I think you should as long as your not more into what there mixed with then getting to know all there qualites. Take me for an example I'm black and mexican but most people cant tell I have a brown skin hair that needs a perm just to be straight I look fully black. So if you don't ask you want know all though most people dont believe me its TRUE that's Ms Gonzales to you kiss kiss

Answer 7

It depends on the nature of the conversation you're having, and how well you know the person. It may be totally inappropriate to ask either question, or it may be perfectly all right. But you shouldn't ask either of those questions to a brand new acquaintance. "Where are you from?" might be acceptable, just to get a conversation going.

Answer 8

What is your nationality? sounds better to me, it is easier to comprehendk, it is clear, concise and straight to the point.

If you were making out a form and asked "What is your nationality?"
people will find it easier to respond to that than "What is your ethnic background?"

Hope this helps,
Goodluck!

Answer 9

The word ethnic is racist it self.
You don't ask about a personality cause when you communicate to people you could see their personality

Answer 10

Either one would work, I just ask people where their from. People ask me that and considering my family have been in America since the beginning I tell them more than likely I'm English.