is it wrong to ask someones Nationality...?

thank you each and everyone,,,,,

Cool thing abt being mixed is u get to bluff your way thro ^_* coz nobody really can tell where you really form!

Sometimes like in weekends I like to wear my Qatari attire and go out to the old Soquk or wherever ‘n funny thing is ppl on the road start giving me way others d let me go first at Mall cashiers or in the movies looool! And I’m like maan they better not start talking to me now! loool! Aaah! The power of the Qatari attire!

I get asked a lot,it doesn't me..Although people assume i'm French or Spanish most of the time..

It's not what u ask....it's the way u ask it....

there are really people who feel offended when asked about it. but for me, i am proud to say im a Filipino.

I get this question ALL the time! "Where are you from? I am from .....Where are your parents from ? Also from..... And then it gets funny :Really, are you sure? Yes, my family dates back to .......in..... OK, but BOTH sides of your family? Yes. But you don't look like....... Are you sure you are not Arab? Yes. Not a drop of Arab blood in me. BUT, maybe somewhere in your family somebody was Arab? ....lololol

Not that I would mind having Arab roots...thing is, I just don't !

thanks alot,the reason behind this question is "one gentle man shout to me and saying he will compalint to the autority against me that 'I asked his Nationality' (poor man maybe he don't have his own nation and he is homeless and came to Qatar from sea by floting without passpoert and visa)"

What do you mean you are proud being an Indian?

How can you be proud of something you had absolutely no control on?

It's not like you achieved this. Pride is a feeling people should get as a result of something they achieved.

Proud to be Indian, proud to be Arab...I think this is silly.

be proud of your actions and achievements not of what is written on your passport!!!

To each his / her own. Some people may get offended, some not.. It depends on the person / situation really. The common annoyance is people tend to typecast based on nationality, which is a total NO.

Like, while I am proud to be an INDIAN, I feel offended if people assume that I am from Kerala and it is a crime not knowing Malayalam being an INDIAN.

But then again, why waste time frowning at a person you may not even meet again in your lifetime.

I'm visiting a different state in the US today, I've been asked about a dozen times so far where I'm from.

Mandi

Well, we are in Qatar so I would expect that some people don't know where we came from. It is their right to ask and it is our right too not to answer. But you'll surely feel insulted if someone asks you that question when you are in your home country.

I was shopping in Muscat with a friend who wears hijab. The clerk asked us, "where you from?" We said, "America!" He pointed at me and said, "you look American," and at my friend and said, "You don't." We said, "THIS is what America looks like!"

Mandi

Another aspect : When a person would tell about her / his nationality she / he would be remembering his country, family members, relatives, home, town, friends, & all those memories etc. what were on her / his mind at that time or just before or a day before.

I think most people here say this because they have nothing else say and could be because their English verbal skills are poor and limited to few phrases.

What people in Qatar fail to understand is

------------------------------------------

Where are you from means : Where is it that you call home?

It has nothing to do with where your grandparents or father or ancestors are. I am not sure about all the fuss in this question and what it brings to any discussion, especially when being asked as an opening phrase. It is like meeting someone and asking him/her what is your shoe size?... Not comparing shoes to the race of a person.. I'm just saying they both bring nothing valuable to the discussion.

At times yes when people know you are from India and the first thing they want to know is whether you are from kerala

Its a Fact that Some People do Judge Person by His/Her Nationality....

I don't judge People by their Nationality, nor i ask where are you from... After all we all are Humans, and not Aliens...

This is not a matter to be so serious or strict, my sister. I respect your views & principles.

I am taking it very lightly, please read all my comments from start above.

I agree, it is so simple for you. Very Nice.

...if you'll be in a place where you rarely see a person with a different attribute, surely you would be curious, and ask. But have to do it in a manner, not offensive, and not direct. I don't get offended myself, because many times they ask me if I'm from either Japan, Korea, or China or Malaysia or Thailand - and I wonder why they didn't include my own country so I have to be proud and say it.

I have no idea what you're banging on about in your last post MM...

Yes!

I believe, we should not bind ourselves in too rigid rules.

We come across with too many different people, just deal that as a one off case and move on.

Even my own race/kabayan thinks I'm not a Filipina. Why is that? I dont know either....can't really be bothered or take offense. Life is short, I'm old...got so much too do with little time I have.

But seriously, the question of asking one's nationality depends on how the other person asks it. So, my answer to the OP's question: IT DEPENDS on:

- manner/intent why the question is asked

- interpretation of the receiver of the question.

I hear ya Marco :-)

Molten Metal: Nationality and ethnicity are two different things. I think you're confusing the two. If I have already said I'm British, I should be questioned on my ethnicity not my nationality.

I am of the view , if a person is in good mood she / he would not mind answering a question about her / his nationality.

Familiarity brings humans closer.

I also get the same question shoved at my face all the time! lol

People would ask me where I'm from and when I tell them my nationality they all be like umm o, what I mean is what's your race? Or where are your parents from originally! Or even worse when they ask you stupid questions like are you a neggroid, or are you a mongoloid or Asian!!? This sounds dumb.

But then again, it really depends on the person. Likewise, some people are offended when asked about their race. Others love it and see it as a chance to share something important to them. Like for example I'm mixed....and people are genuinely curious to know if im mixed and of what kind of mix (like which parent is which). I personally like the opportunity to share my culture and learn about others'

MoltenMetal: If the person has already answered your question, who are you or anyone else to question them further just because you don't like their answer?

Whjen I go to my home country, I am asked

1) When did you come?

2) When will you go?

I get to say "not decided", every two months average. :-)

snessy, I have imagined total five reasons [ till now ] a person may be offened if asked about her / his nationality in our day to day life.

There definitely be more reasons to that.

Oh FFS! I was just about to respond to Jorjetka saying how could anyone bash this thread because the OP has asked a valid question but then I see the response from Molten Metal - I give up!!!

May be they are fed up with their countries' corrupt politicians' new scam.

Time to close the post.

Certainly it will slowly turn to bashing.

P.S. Why do people ask those kind of questions on the net anyways. Grow up and think for yourself.

P.P.S. Those questions depend on the situation. Usually you don't disturb/ask/approach people if they are total strangers. You can ask for: directions, lighter, time etc... but common sense is - no personal questions.

I knew exactly what you meant Fathima, I had it the whole time I was in Doha :-)

It could get annoying when everyone you meet anywhere asks you that same question as an ice breaker... it's like be original

Who cares where anyone is from..

And if you think it is a good pick up line... u got no clue..

Bingo...that's what I meant!

We live in such a multi cultural society, specially here in the middle east,that makes it hard to always tell a person's nationality just by outer appearance.I get asked this question all the time!And so does my hubby and daughter.We certainly don't feel either inferior/superior to anyone to get insulted at such a normal break the ice type query.

If anyone feels insulted that you asked them the commonly asked "where are you from?"(in Arabic "'ain bilad?") then it's obvious they have some complex and/or attitude problem or perhaps they are extremely private!

However there is an exception to this rule and I learned this the hard way! You should never ask a person who states their nationality to be from a Western state, but has an obviously Asian/Arab look, the question "where are you from originally?" or "where are your parents from?" Some(not all) get very very offended by such a questions due to certain discrimination and other issues they have faced, all though we maybe asking this very innocently since it's not considered a degrading/rude question where we come from.

I don't get offended when people ask me where I'm from, but because I'm not white, they will always follow up the question with "no, but where are you really from?" Now that is rude...

Dude just say it in a right manner and there's nothing wrong with it.

i dont know, but i never feel offended nor insulted when someone is asking me where i am from.... as they didnt know, thats why they're asking, there's nothing wrong about it, besides they wouldn't be asking if they know it, right?

Personally I am just pissed off with those 3 questions:

1) Where are you from?

2) What are you doing in Qatar (occupation)?

3) How long you've been here?

I understand if it's a meeting or social event or friend of a friend asking. Total strangers, like sales people, pizza hut delivery guy or whatever ask me those 3 same questions. I understand its some kind of friendly question but my answer very soon would be simple - mind your own business. I don't care where you are from so you shouldn't.

In My Humble Opinion

No but im pretty sure its wrong to judge them base on their nationality :D

No,, but im pretty sure its wrong to judge them base on their nationality :D

At the OP

No. But only if you do it in a polite an inquisitive way as part of a general conversation.

well simple.. jst ask urself y u r asking .. if it is for a good reason then go on nothing is wrong in it .. :P

you Can Ask. No One Can Stop you from asking others nationalities..I Am Nepali And i live here in Doha with proud and respect. Awkward people don't like to tell their nationalities.

(I Love Doha.)

boy dont ask if its so obious.. like me dont ask my nationality coz i look soo much pinoy.. even my car u can tell its pinoy owned.. so dont insult and ask me my nationality..

not unless they are white or black..

If that fellow you are going to ask is not getting a car license or loan is not being sanctioned or his wife didn't prepare any breakfast for him for the last five years or her husband lied to her seven times in the past week.

All depends on mood.

How dare you ask something like this??? so wrong.

Mandoops can ask, they have to, nothing wrong in it.

it doesn't matter...i am Pakistani and i am proud to say it =)