Is it appropriate or acceptable to



I occasionally ask people with an indeterminate Irish or north eastern accent whereabouts in those areas they’re from because of my heritage and being interested but I wouldn’t randomly ask someone where they come from. It might be an innocent question but it’s fraught with potential other connotations.
 
I always like that. Because I've moved around the north a bit (Bishop, Hull, Manchester, Lancashire) my accent has probably moved and melted a bit with it. It always amazed me when someone asked if I was Irish.
I've no idea how they came to that conclusion. Put me next to anyone from Ireland and I doubt I'll sound similar.
I remember this lass from my course at uni. Really nice. She was black, so you may have anticipated (rightly or wrongly) maybe a London accent or some other before she spoke, but she had a thick Glaswegian accent.
She spoke like a thick Glaswegian?
 
When I worked darn sarf, I was asked on a regular basis where I came from...... or do you come from Newcastle?..... which was fuckin annoying. It's a common question to anyone that is a perceived stranger in a particular area.
At one time just walking into a North East pit village pub or club as a stranger, you were lucky if that question was even asked before you got a slap.!
I don't know if it would have been any different if I was a POC, but then would I put being questioned, down to my colour , depends how it's asked I suppose... ??...
When I worked in Glasgow an Icelandic lass asked if I was from Sunderland without mentioning Newcastle. She said you sound like a lad I worked with. Turned out to be my best man she was talking about
 
Approach a non white stranger in the UK and open with "so where do you come from?" , or a variation of this question?
Its a bit of a strange opening question and very inappropriate, a bit like walking up to a person and asking if they liked anal. If it's based on skin colour its racist full stop.

As said earlier, if the question is asked because someone has heard their accent, to open with that would show a lack of sensitivity and social skills, but not necessarily malicious.

I often ask where people are from (not as a conversation opener) because I'm interested in different people, places and cultures. They sometimes reply with London, Manchester, or Thorney Close etc, either because they've misunderstood the question, or because I look like i go on Britain First demos.
“What is your ethnicity?” would cut out most of the social confusion but still seems abrupt as an opening question like :lol:
What if its not their ethnicity you're interested in, but you want to know about their country of origin. culture, food etc. People can come from different countries and have the same ethnicity and also have different ethnicities within the same country.
 
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