Need Help!! can you tell difference b/w foreign and american

[ladislav]

If a person is a US citizen, that person is not foreign unless you disagree with the US Constitution. Such is the law of the land.
You may ask them about their citizenship. On the other hand, while the nationality question may seem innocent to you, some "nationalities" may have suffered from bullying and ostracism or had to listen to bs coming from well meaning but ignorant people. So, not everyone is willing to give out such info to strangers. People can make some idiotic ( but innocent) comment and ruin that person's mood for the rest of the day. Such as " where is your spear?" or "where did you tie your camel at" or " do you have electricity in your country"? Or worse- "where the hell is that? "After having been asked such insulting ( innocent) questions, people clam up.
In some places revealing your nationality may invite insults, verbal abuse and violence. And even get you killed. Particularly if the country you are in is at war or on unpleasant terms with the one you are in. Or gets bad news in mass media.
Anywhere in the world I go, for one, I only try to give my nationality to the immigration or the police. If pressed and it is the people I don't know well, I pick some neutral land and let it go at that.

[Jackal]

And her accent was a very strong american accent. not a spanish accent.

You have the answer to your question right there.

...Not neccessarily!

I have met some Germans who spoke English so well that I thought they were Brits or fellow Americans. It seems that those from Germanic countries (Germany, Holland, etc.) often speak excellent English, perhaps because English is a Germanic language.

Also, some people are multi-lingual and have had an international life story. For example, a man may have lived in Sweden until he was 7 and then moved to Quebec and learned to speak French and English perfectly in addition to Swedish.

So don't be rude to someone just because they have what sounds like an American accent. They may be more than you think they are!

...And just having a foreign accent doesn't automatically make a person pure and trustworthy! There are all kinds of crooks, liars, and scumbags abroad as well.

[momopi]

I have met some Germans who spoke English so well that I thought they were Brits or fellow Americans. It seems that those from Germanic countries (Germany, Holland, etc.) often speak excellent English, perhaps because English is a Germanic language.

This is what I was told -- many universities in Netherlands have classes that are taught in English, and some programs are taught exclusively in English instead of Dutch. I've not attended school there so cannot verify this. There are some very similiar words between English and Dutch. i.e. sign on Dutch trains read "Welkom in de trein".

[E_Irizarry]

If I detect an accent, I ask them "what country are you from?". If they are truly a foreigner, they are usually proud of it, and will tell you. If they have no accent, or try to dodge the question, then you know immediately that they are too Americanized and not worth another moment of your time. Time consumed: 10 seconds.

+1 LOL I know right.

[ssjparris]

I've always found it interesting how foreign women tend to lose their accents whilst in America. It doesn't occur in Australia; you can always pick out foreigners here. My mother still retains her Malaysian accent, as well.

Could it be because American culture is more powerful than Australia's (which is but a facsimile of American and British culture due to the country's relative youthfulness) and so there is a greater subconscious pressure to conform (although that is very much present here too)?

BTW, The Arab, men in the Anglosphere are demonised to the extent where people freak out if they hug little children, etc. My Sundanese lecturer found this out for himself. So no, if SSJParris is being truthful, it is not altogether surprising that people would have epileptic fits when he interacts with children.

A foreign lady from the U.K. changed her accent to american acccent. She said she felt ackward with her U.K. acccent so she changed it. she DID tell me she was from the U.K. instead of dodging it. which was a plus actually.

I am being honest. The Arab constantly gives attacks and i am tired of it. he is really strange guy to me.

[ssjparris]

And her accent was a very strong american accent. not a spanish accent.

You have the answer to your question right there.

...Not neccessarily!

I have met some Germans who spoke English so well that I thought they were Brits or fellow Americans. It seems that those from Germanic countries (Germany, Holland, etc.) often speak excellent English, perhaps because English is a Germanic language.

Also, some people are multi-lingual and have had an international life story. For example, a man may have lived in Sweden until he was 7 and then moved to Quebec and learned to speak French and English perfectly in addition to Swedish.

So don't be rude to someone just because they have what sounds like an American accent. They may be more than you think they are!

...And just having a foreign accent doesn't automatically make a person pure and trustworthy! There are all kinds of crooks, liars, and scumbags abroad as well.

first off that lady walked away from ME. i did not do it myself. they are rude to me not the other way around. so when i know they are american i am walking awat. i AM sick of this b.s. just to find a foreign lady.

[ssjparris]

If a person is a US citizen, that person is not foreign unless you disagree with the US Constitution. Such is the law of the land.
You may ask them about their citizenship. On the other hand, while the nationality question may seem innocent to you, some "nationalities" may have suffered from bullying and ostracism or had to listen to bs coming from well meaning but ignorant people. So, not everyone is willing to give out such info to strangers. People can make some idiotic ( but innocent) comment and ruin that person's mood for the rest of the day. Such as " where is your spear?" or "where did you tie your camel at" or " do you have electricity in your country"? Or worse- "where the hell is that? "After having been asked such insulting ( innocent) questions, people clam up.
In some places revealing your nationality may invite insults, verbal abuse and violence. And even get you killed. Particularly if the country you are in is at war or on unpleasant terms with the one you are in. Or gets bad news in mass media.
Anywhere in the world I go, for one, I only try to give my nationality to the immigration or the police. If pressed and it is the people I don't know well, I pick some neutral land and let it go at that.

hmmm mixed answers I am getting from everybody. but um yeah makes sense. my best friend from iran tells people she is from persia. when really she is from iran. persia is long gone now.

so the best i can do is hear an american accent or not. if i here a foreign accent or they tell me they are from armenia. i will continue there after with them. but again if I hear the american accent i will opt out and leave.

[ssjparris]

If I detect an accent, I ask them "what country are you from?". If they are truly a foreigner, they are usually proud of it, and will tell you. If they have no accent, or try to dodge the question, then you know immediately that they are too Americanized and not worth another moment of your time. Time consumed: 10 seconds.

THANK YOU. this is perfect for me. i will use this knowledge starting NOW !!!.