A Case of Mistaken (National) Identity

[Zoaric]

When meeting someone from another country, or just travelling
in another country, do you ever get mistaken for being from
somewhere you are not? If so, where do you get mistaken as
being from, and from where do you truly hail?

My story: Once while traveling in New Zealand, my group and
I were asked if we were from Canada. Upon hearing otherwise,
those who had asked seemed shocked and said "You can't be
from the US; you're all too nice and not being loud."

Actual Location: I am from southwest Missouri, USA.

Perceived Location: Canada, the Great White North

[Deleted]

All the time, i come from Ireland so i get mistaken when i go over as an Englishman.

The accent doesn't help... Failed to pick up an Irish one, i also blame my lack of success with the wimminfolk on that too.

[draugril]

I'm Canadian. My first year of university, I applied late to residence and I was stuck on the international floor. Given my ever-so-slightly-darker-than-white skin colour (half Ojibwe), my facial hair, and my residence neighbor Salvador, people assumed I was Mexican.

[Revi]

Norwegian, when i speak in my native tongue in foreign countries people usually think I'm Swedish. Pretty close though, I guess Sweden is just the most well-know of the Scandinavian countries, and to an outside the languages are very similar.

Oh, was once approached by an American girl in Rome with the phrase "Oh, blue eyes, you must be German!". That was pretty absurd.

[Deleted]

Never been mistaken for being from somewhere am not.

[Deleted]

Not really. I'm half Norwegian, half Swedish and that's often one of the two things people believe I am.

[grimsanta]

People often think I'm from the South (US) because of my accent. But in reality, that accent is just a rural american accent, not really a southern thing (unless you count the carolinas, which have a very distinct accent).

But nope, I'm from the midwest. My accent isn't as pronounced as it used to be after living in the city for several years.

[Wilian]

People often say I sound like Russian pirate even though I'm about as finnish as finnish can be.

[MerinPally]

Spoke french to someone and they asked if I was spanish because apparently I speak french in a spanish accent.

Context - was at a really quiet train station and on the line was Luton airport and a tourist asked me about which platform she needed for the train. I barely speak any French and my Spanish wasn't that good at the time, no idea how that happened. Talk about major confusion. My mum is from the north of England and my dad is Irish...

[Catta]

People always believe im Dutch...

Im not Dutch.

[Reeve]

I've had people assume I'm from Canada before, since I don't fit in with their preconception of what an American is like, but generally people get it right. I did once have someone who wasn't good at accents ask me if I'm from Australia. That was weird.

I also regularly get "You're not a typical American," like ALL THE TIME. Which just tells me they don't know enough Americans to have made an impression based on reality.

[Shadowmelded]

When I speak Dutch I don't have an accent so I get confused for a native until they hear my name and even then it sometimes takes some convincing that I'm not a second generation immigrant.

Been confused for English as well, my Scottish accent isn't as thick as it could be (the guy was Scottish too :c )

I do tend to lead with "So are you Canadian" if I hear an accent that I'd attribute to North America, there's no real risk of offence since if the person is American you can just be like "lol America's hat" and laugh it off. If they are actually Canadian they'll be mildly flattered you didn't automatically assume they're American. From personal experience some Canadians take offence to being called American.

[Gheld]

I've had people assume I'm from Canada before, since I don't fit in with their preconception of what an American is like, but generally people get it right. I did once have someone who wasn't good at accents ask me if I'm from Australia. That was weird.

I also regularly get "You're not a typical American," like ALL THE TIME. Which just tells me they don't know enough Americans to have made an impression based on reality.

Most Americans I've met are pretty nice people. I think people project their frustrations with US Foreign policy onto their perception of the citizens.

Although at the same time I've noticed out in public most mature adults that I've encountered in the US (30+) have a very rigid demeanour; as though people are afraid to interact with each other.

[Deleted]

Nobody can confuse my accent for anything but English, I am more Irish/Scottish than English though.

[Ghostpanther]

I've had people assume I'm from Canada before, since I don't fit in with their preconception of what an American is like, but generally people get it right. I did once have someone who wasn't good at accents ask me if I'm from Australia. That was weird.

I also regularly get "You're not a typical American," like ALL THE TIME. Which just tells me they don't know enough Americans to have made an impression based on reality.

Good point. Which explains the impact media can have on people's perception of others. Which may be totally misleading.

[aoussar123]

I have Moroccan parents, but I was born and raised in Denmark. My danish accent is flawless, and I look danish too, but as soon I tell people of my ancestry they start guessing and it's always Spain, Italy or Greece for some reason. Same thing happens when i'm abroad. That, or American, Canadian lol

I've had people assume I'm from Canada before, since I don't fit in with their preconception of what an American is like, but generally people get it right. I did once have someone who wasn't good at accents ask me if I'm from Australia. That was weird.

I also regularly get "You're not a typical American," like ALL THE TIME. Which just tells me they don't know enough Americans to have made an impression based on reality.

Also, this. When people hear i'm half arab, they also say I look nothing like it, because I have no beard and i'm not hairy with bushy eyebrows. Shows the influence the media has on people.

[Elegiac]

Australian, but I get mistaken for British constantly.

[Kalis]

Maltese, Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Italian, Spanish, and just about anywhere else where people usually have olive skin and dark hair, due to inheriting my father's colouring.

...until I open my mouth and, regardless of what language I am speaking (or butchering), they know I'm English.


My accent is Middle Class London/Home Counties - Daniel Craig's Bond (with a touch of Michael Caine) is probably the closest that I can think non-British people would get. Even though Daniel Craig isn't from the South, his Bond accent is fairly typical.

[Cybran]

Some people assumed I was Romanian, because apparently I sound like the Count from sesame street.

[mickybrighteyes]

I've been mistaken for Hawaiian/Samoan, Japanese, israeli.... German and english (at different times)... I'm not entirely sure why. Well everything except the German I can almost understand.