Quote:
Originally Posted by P1et
When you're talking to an American as a European and they tell you they're from Ireland. Or from the UK. Or from Germany. Or they're a quarter Irish, a quarter French, 1/8th Norwegian, 7/45ths Polish and 3/545ths Italian.
"Oh really, where in Ireland were you born"
"Well, I was wasn't born in Ireland"
"So you're not Irish then?"
"Well, my father is Irish and my mother is Polish"
"Oh, so where in Ireland was your father born"?
"Well, he was born here in Lincoln, Nebraska"
"Oh, so where in Poland was your mother born?"
"Well, she was born here in Atlanta, GA"
"So you're American and so are both of your parents"
"Welllllllllllllllllllll my father's father's mother's aun't sister's nephew's dad once visited Ireland"
"SHUT UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP"
Cannot stand it.
|
I agree and disagree, depending on the situation. I always joke with my buddy who is of Italian descent (has an Italian flag on his car, talks like he's on the Sopranos, and has never been to Italy) that he's only Italian when he's in the US, because the second he steps off the plane in Italy he'll realize how not-Italian he is.
That being said, there's a difference between being from a place and being born in a place and it depends on the context of the conversation. People often hear my last name and ask if I'm Irish - is the correct response that I'm American? They would look at me like I'm some asshole because most people in this country are "American" by your definition.
On the flip side, if I run into Dutch people, I might tell them that my mother was born there but I would never say "I'm Dutch" as that would sound pretty silly, so I do agree on that front.
This country is somewhat unique in that nearly everyone here is from somewhere else. Brasil and Argentina are similar in that they had a large European influx around WWII. Like Gisele Bundchen... she's famous as a Brazilian model but her ancestry is 100% German.