Lucky guy. /s
Posted on 11/11/2017 7:45:43 PM PST by Olog-hai
Ed
Whenever I meet someone from Ireland, I always ask, "From Northern Ireland? Or Southern Ireland?"
It really gets their goat!
Regards,
And you might be a knowing that "The Troubles" happened in Northern Ireland which is still part of the United Kingdom, praise be.
Ireland has been independent of the United Kingdom for a hundred years.
And you might be a knowing that “The Troubles” happened in Northern Ireland which is still part of the United Kingdom, praise be.
She was just being polite to the stupid Gaijin. (She would otherwise be fired in a New York minute.) Believe me: She was actually from, e.g., Okinawa.
I find it actually rather boorish to ask a total stranger such a personal question. What if they were to smilingly answer, "I wonder about that myself sometimes. You see, I was abandoned as an infant, raised by gypsies, and then sold into prostitution at the age of 13. So I really don't know."
When I bump into an English-speaker abroad, and they comment, e.g., "It's mighty cold here!" I might respond with "So where abouts are you from?" - But to speculate openly about their genetic make-up as a conversation-breaker?!
Regards,
Well, I know that the IRA would hide in the Irish Republic and make raids into the Northern Ireland. You're so right though, the Catholic - Protestant Troubles to us had the quality of the Hatfield–McCoy feud across the Big Sandy River.
I don't want to make light of it because I suspect my English ancestor might have been involved in the start of the troubles three or four hundred years ago.
So funny, I've done it quite a bit. Russian, Turkish, Romanian, it's very much appreciated when I get it right and engage in a conversation about their mother country.
Funny & sadly so true.
Of course, if you're a really good judge of character and able to make a brilliant on-the-spot judgement of the situation, depending upon the context, you can ask about (in a round-about way, giving the other person an "out" to save face, if necessary) the other person's genetic make-up without it appearing tactless / without stepping on anyone's toes. But most people lack those skills.
Likewise, a lot of people are so oblivious that they won't mind your asking.
Americans, for instance, are usually quite eager to share their ethnic roots with you.
But on the whole, I'd advise against doing so without a careful appraisal of the situation in advance - especially abroad, and especially with people belonging to an entirely different cultural and ethnic background.
It is very easy to give offense - though in many cases, the other party might not show that they are offended.
Regards,
That’ll teach her to have greater appreciation for the United States — all 57 of them.
Or 57 + 2.
The Irish HAND KATHY HER HEAD BACK..
What many don’t understand is that the “hearts blood” of Ireland immigrated here.
Now you’re confusing Ireland with Northern Ireland, just at Griffin did.
Oops, or maybe I am...I didn’t notice the 1920s reference.
lol
No I am not
youre the one who is confused about history...
and I didn’t notice you had corrected yourself
:)
ask them “Green Ireland or Orange Ireland?”
:)
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