How often can people accurately guess where you're from?

**Philanthropist** · 03-15-2012, 09:53 AM

Directed at people who live in a country they didn't grow up in. Or have traveled abroad extensively.

I haven't had one person accurately guess where I'm from. Everyone thinks I'm Russian (really, wtf
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) or English. Otherwise I get 'Europe, somewhere .........'.

None of these are true. I find it funny, who knew it would be so hard to guess where someone is from?

**Lydia** · 03-15-2012, 11:09 AM

I lived in China for two years and ever since (it's been about a year) I have been frequently asked where I'm from. They say I have an accent.

Even before then I was asked a lot. People tend to think I am what they are. It's funny: I'm not mixed-race, but am rather generic-looking.

**paulm** · 03-15-2012, 11:18 AM

Once talked about where I was from with some people who knew me only through text chat and forum posts. They didn't believe me when I revealed my nationality. They didn't think a second language English speaker would be capable of writing like I did at my age. On another forum, where some have heard my voice through voice chat, they all thought I was about twice as old, compared to my real age.

**koakuma** · 03-15-2012, 07:19 PM

I'm Swedish.

"Yey, blond hair and blue eyes". Nope, brown hair, brown eyes, easily tanned in summer.

People guess anything from Greece, Italy, Spain, to Croatia or even Bulgaria. People from those countries say "no way, you're not from my country". My brother say "you're from Pluto".

Once a Swedish person asked me, after I answered her I was from Sweden and that my parents were from Sweden as well, the question "are you sure?"

**PRBori** · 03-15-2012, 07:33 PM

Most individuals think I'm Arab which I am in a sense or Indian which I could be too, but hardly anyone links me to being Latino unless I talk in Spanish which I tend to limit.
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But on my end I can't blame them because I'm almost 80% Arab descent from moorish Spain, 10% Spaniard, and probably 10% taino Indian. Plus I was raised Arab style so I tend to act differently, closer to Arab/Indian side anyway.

**MusicalINTJ** · 03-15-2012, 07:48 PM

I've spent most of my life in Upstate NY, and part of it in Western mass. I've always lived in suburbs or cities, never rural areas.

If I were to meet someone in the midwestern US, or California, they would probably spot an east coast accent.

Also I use "mad" and "wicked" as descriptors, which makes sense given my geographical position between NYC and Boston.

**Philanthropist** · 03-15-2012, 08:01 PM

	Originally Posted by koakuma To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Once a Swedish person asked me, after I answered her I was from Sweden and that my parents were from Sweden as well, the question "are you sure?"

That's kind of weird; the prince of Sweden looks quite Mediterranean.

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**MissionPossible** · 03-16-2012, 01:05 PM

	Originally Posted by Philanthropist To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	That's kind of weird; the prince of Sweden looks quite Mediterranean.[/IMG]

Not all that weird, as royals do marry outside of their nationality and ethnicity. The Prince's mother is half German/half Brazilian. One of his grandparents is also a descendent of Portugese royalty.

**g20** · 03-16-2012, 03:33 PM

I'm American so that tends to be obvious internationally. As to what part of the u.s. I'm from, I don't recall anyone ever getting it right. Grew up in the Pacific NW. Lived on the east coast for awhile and now the mid west so my accent is a jumble that doesn't quiet fit in anywhere.

**Eye on Earth** · 03-16-2012, 03:38 PM

My accent gives me away everytime and people still think I'm from a different place. There is a big difference between the UK and Australia.

**Zodd** · 03-16-2012, 04:20 PM

Most people guess it right, that I'm Indonesian or something. Well part Indonesian, I'm half dutch, a quarter chinese and a quarter indonesian. Some people think I'm Morrocan, though, haha, might come in handy one day.

**sehnsucht** · 03-16-2012, 04:59 PM

I live in the South....and most of my acquaintance say I talk like a "Yankee" - too fast.

I have never asked anyone outside the south....how does that work? "Excuse me, but do I talk funny?"
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**ModernLit** · 03-16-2012, 05:00 PM

	Originally Posted by Philanthropist To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	That's kind of weird; the prince of Sweden looks quite Mediterranean. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

oh wow, i like the prince of sweden...
no one ever guesses my background correctly. i just say i'm a person.

**Philanthropist** · 03-16-2012, 05:22 PM

	Originally Posted by Eye on Earth To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	There is a big difference between the UK and Australia.

To be honest, I can understand why Americans confuse English accents with Australian accents. I've been living in California for eight months, and sometimes I have to listen to someone speak for a few seconds before I can figure out whether they're Australian or English. I'm starting to forget how my own accent sounds, it seems.

I still can't figure out why people often think I'm Russian though....

**Subtle** · 03-16-2012, 05:26 PM

	Originally Posted by ModernLit To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	oh wow, i like the prince of sweden...

I've never met him in person, but trust me when I say that he can't walk and chew gum at the same time. You wouldn't like that.

About the OP: I've heard people say that I look Scandinavian. And that's quite right.

**ModernLit** · 03-16-2012, 05:31 PM

	Originally Posted by Subtle To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I've never met him in person, but trust me when I say that he can't walk and chew gum at the same time. You wouldn't like that. About the OP: I've heard people say that I look Scandinavian. And that's quite right.

blond? in scandinavia, the non-blonds feel like poor black sheep. aw.

he cant walk and chew gum? lol. but... i could laugh at him? i think i still like him. since william is taken i need a new princess fantasy target.

**Subtle** · 03-16-2012, 05:40 PM

	Originally Posted by ModernLit To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	blond? in scandinavia, the non-blonds feel like poor black sheep. aw.

There are plenty of non blondes these days. But many of us ethnic Scandinavians are blond.

	Originally Posted by ModernLit To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	he cant walk and chew gum? lol. but... i could laugh at him? i think i still like him. since william is taken i need a new princess fantasy target.

Indulge yourself. I sure don't want to ruin your fantasy.
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**Malkavia** · 03-16-2012, 07:44 PM

My Southern accent comes out when I want it to, when I'm not paying attention, when I'm sleepy, or drunk. But even then people can't specifically locate it to Texas. Its obviously a generic American accent when I speak "diplomatically" but I've noticed non-native English speakers cannot tell the difference between English speaking countries anymore than I could tell the different between West Chinese and East Chinese.

**vampyroteuthis** · 03-16-2012, 09:35 PM

Seldom.

**DrCiao** · 03-16-2012, 09:46 PM

Most of the time. Like Malkavia, my southern accent comes out when I'm in Texas or talking to my family/ friends etc.

Currently I'm abroad on a research project with my ENTJ girlfriend, and I stick out like a sore thumb
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Everyone can basically tell I'm an American.

**12357** · 03-23-2012, 12:16 PM

	Originally Posted by Lydia To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	... People tend to think I am what they are...

^^

---------- Post added 03-23-2012 at 11:24 AM ----------

	Originally Posted by Malkavia To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	My Southern accent comes out when I want it to, when I'm not paying attention, when I'm sleepy, or drunk. But even then people can't specifically locate it to Texas...

hello pretty...

**kittencuddler** · 03-24-2012, 09:11 AM

I'm from the Southern US, but in the US people ask me if I'm from various parts of Britain, and in Britain people ask me if I'm from Germany or the Netherlands.

I dunno man. I don't have a Southern accent, just a not-quite-General American one.

**silicon212** · 03-24-2012, 09:21 AM

I have a small tinge of 'Canadian raise' in my speech, that makes people think I'm from up north somewhere (Canada/Michigan/Wisconsin/etc). Strange as I am an Arizona native.

**Uriel** · 03-24-2012, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by koakuma
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I'm Swedish.

"Yey, blond hair and blue eyes". Nope, brown hair, brown eyes, easily tanned in summer.

People guess anything from Greece, Italy, Spain, to Croatia or even Bulgaria. People from those countries say "no way, you're not from my country". My brother say "you're from Pluto".

Once a Swedish person asked me, after I answered her I was from Sweden and that my parents were from Sweden as well, the question "are you sure?"

You're adopted. Your parents just haven't told you.

**namaste** · 03-25-2012, 03:24 AM

people think i am born and brought in village because i am slow, shy, withdrawn etc
but i have been born and brought up in a very big cosmopolitan city but without any social interaction

03-15-2012, 09:53 AM	#1
Philanthropist Member [34%] MBTI: ENTJ Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,366	Directed at people who live in a country they didn't grow up in. Or have traveled abroad extensively. I haven't had one person accurately guess where I'm from. Everyone thinks I'm Russian (really, wtf To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ) or English. Otherwise I get 'Europe, somewhere .........'. None of these are true. I find it funny, who knew it would be so hard to guess where someone is from?
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03-15-2012, 11:09 AM	#2
Lydia New Member [01%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 13	I lived in China for two years and ever since (it's been about a year) I have been frequently asked where I'm from. They say I have an accent. Even before then I was asked a lot. People tend to think I am what they are. It's funny: I'm not mixed-race, but am rather generic-looking.
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03-15-2012, 11:18 AM	#3
paulm Member [07%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 297	Once talked about where I was from with some people who knew me only through text chat and forum posts. They didn't believe me when I revealed my nationality. They didn't think a second language English speaker would be capable of writing like I did at my age. On another forum, where some have heard my voice through voice chat, they all thought I was about twice as old, compared to my real age.
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03-15-2012, 07:19 PM	#4
koakuma Member [46%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 1,841	I'm Swedish. "Yey, blond hair and blue eyes". Nope, brown hair, brown eyes, easily tanned in summer. People guess anything from Greece, Italy, Spain, to Croatia or even Bulgaria. People from those countries say "no way, you're not from my country". My brother say "you're from Pluto". Once a Swedish person asked me, after I answered her I was from Sweden and that my parents were from Sweden as well, the question "are you sure?"
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03-15-2012, 07:33 PM	#5
PRBori Core Member [108%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 4,355	Most individuals think I'm Arab which I am in a sense or Indian which I could be too, but hardly anyone links me to being Latino unless I talk in Spanish which I tend to limit. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. But on my end I can't blame them because I'm almost 80% Arab descent from moorish Spain, 10% Spaniard, and probably 10% taino Indian. Plus I was raised Arab style so I tend to act differently, closer to Arab/Indian side anyway.
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03-15-2012, 07:48 PM	#6
MusicalINTJ Member [16%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 666	I've spent most of my life in Upstate NY, and part of it in Western mass. I've always lived in suburbs or cities, never rural areas. If I were to meet someone in the midwestern US, or California, they would probably spot an east coast accent. Also I use "mad" and "wicked" as descriptors, which makes sense given my geographical position between NYC and Boston.
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03-16-2012, 03:33 PM	#9
g20 Member [11%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 447	I'm American so that tends to be obvious internationally. As to what part of the u.s. I'm from, I don't recall anyone ever getting it right. Grew up in the Pacific NW. Lived on the east coast for awhile and now the mid west so my accent is a jumble that doesn't quiet fit in anywhere.
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03-16-2012, 03:38 PM	#10
Eye on Earth Core Member [333%] MBTI: XNTX Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 13,349	My accent gives me away everytime and people still think I'm from a different place. There is a big difference between the UK and Australia.
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03-16-2012, 04:20 PM	#11
Zodd Core Member [168%] MBTI: xxxx Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 6,732	Most people guess it right, that I'm Indonesian or something. Well part Indonesian, I'm half dutch, a quarter chinese and a quarter indonesian. Some people think I'm Morrocan, though, haha, might come in handy one day.
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03-16-2012, 04:59 PM	#12
sehnsucht Member [08%] MBTI: INFP Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 346	I live in the South....and most of my acquaintance say I talk like a "Yankee" - too fast. I have never asked anyone outside the south....how does that work? "Excuse me, but do I talk funny?" To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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03-16-2012, 07:44 PM	#18
Malkavia Core Member [235%] MBTI: ENXP Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 9,427	My Southern accent comes out when I want it to, when I'm not paying attention, when I'm sleepy, or drunk. But even then people can't specifically locate it to Texas. Its obviously a generic American accent when I speak "diplomatically" but I've noticed non-native English speakers cannot tell the difference between English speaking countries anymore than I could tell the different between West Chinese and East Chinese.
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03-16-2012, 09:35 PM	#19
vampyroteuthis Core Member [179%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 7,174	Seldom.
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03-16-2012, 09:46 PM	#20
DrCiao Member [33%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,344	Most of the time. Like Malkavia, my southern accent comes out when I'm in Texas or talking to my family/ friends etc. Currently I'm abroad on a research project with my ENTJ girlfriend, and I stick out like a sore thumb To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Everyone can basically tell I'm an American.
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03-24-2012, 09:11 AM	#22
kittencuddler New Member [01%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 30	I'm from the Southern US, but in the US people ask me if I'm from various parts of Britain, and in Britain people ask me if I'm from Germany or the Netherlands. I dunno man. I don't have a Southern accent, just a not-quite-General American one.
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03-24-2012, 09:21 AM	#23
silicon212 Member [23%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 938	I have a small tinge of 'Canadian raise' in my speech, that makes people think I'm from up north somewhere (Canada/Michigan/Wisconsin/etc). Strange as I am an Arizona native.
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03-25-2012, 03:24 AM	#25
namaste New Member [01%] MBTI: ISFP Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 73	people think i am born and brought in village because i am slow, shy, withdrawn etc but i have been born and brought up in a very big cosmopolitan city but without any social interaction
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