Upon first look...

[Miulang]

Re: Upon first look...

How about a degree in Romance linguistics and literature? You'll have to be more specific about what's bugging you. Nothing sinister there, honest, just a general observation for which I did not believe I needed a qualification or a major accreditation. Brazilians often have to explain how they don't speak Spanish, Portuguese is often neglected in schools etc. and generally speaking to most people these two won't spring first to mind when discussing the subject.

It's probably the Romanian reference that looks so odd. I did some checking, and indeed, the ethnic Romanians do speak a language that evolved from Latin (as do the "gypsies"). However, Romania also has lots of Slavic people too, even though they are a minority population. Brazilian is easier to explain (the Portuguese explorers and settlers who claimed Brazil as a territory at one time). Mozambique and Angola are two of the other major Portuguese language anomalies.

Miulang

[reineke]

Re: Upon first look...

In the past Romania was heavily influenced by Slavs. There are still some Slavic minorities there. Hungarians however outnumber all other minorities. Most of the population consider themselves Romanian (Rumanian) and their name speaks volumes as to where they belong.

Italians (and others) speak a language that evolved from Vulgar Latin and the resulting nations are mixtures of all sorts of different peoples.

I would not consider the former Portuguese colonies as anomalies. The Portuguese were a major trading and naval force and had outposts as far as Goa, East Timor and Macao. What is somewhat surprising is Portuguese presence in Hawaii.

[Miulang]

Re: Upon first look...

The Portuguese were a major trading and naval force and had outposts as far as Goa, East Timor and Macao. What is somewhat surprising is Portuguese presence in Hawaii.

The Portuguese sailors apparently stopped off in Hawai'i, too. A later immigration of Portuguese nationals occurred when workers from the Azores and Madeira were brought in (the majority of local Portuguese can probably trace their lineages through the Azores). And if it were not for the Portuguese, Hawai'i would not have many things which are now considered "local": the ukulele, the steel guitar, pao doce, and linguica among others. One thing I didn't know is that the famous baseball player/manager Billy Martin came from a Portuguese family who settled in Hawai'i.

Miulang

[Hellbent]

Re: Upon first look...

I am not sure what people on CONUS think I am, but I have been called a bunch of things in an insultory fashion (traffic incidents)
I have been called Japanese, Filipino, and Hapa.
I am 100% Chinese, 6' and 225 lbs.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Upon first look...

When all things Latin are considered, Portuguese and Romanians are unfortunately usually at the bottom of the list or not mentioned at all.

I don't have my finger on it yet, but something about this paragraph bugs me. What experience do you have that qualifies you to speak on consideration for all things Latin?

How about a degree in Romance linguistics and literature? ... generally speaking to most people these two won't spring first to mind when discussing the subject.

It's probably the Romanian reference that looks so odd. I did some checking, and indeed, the ethnic Romanians do speak a language that evolved from Latin (as do the "gypsies").

Italians (and others) speak a language that evolved from Vulgar Latin and the resulting nations are mixtures of all sorts of different peoples.

Not sure I get what the link between the Romanian language and Latin has to do with speculation on someone's ethnic ancestry based on visual appearance...

[Ms_Aloha_Nui]

Re: Upon first look...

Wow! I just read through this whole thread again because I couldn't believe the comments that were being made....so here's what I think, could it possible be worth 2 pennies?????????

I am 1/2 Filipino (1/2 because Dad is from Ilocos Norte) - this is the only part that I am sure of...here's why - Grandpa on Mom's side is Irish, Hawaiian (his Dad was a pure Irish sailor from Connecticut who 'jumped-shipped' in Makawao and married a 'pure' Hawaiian princess whose (I'm told) bloodline is more 'pure and royal' than the Kamehameha line.....Grandma's side on Mom's side is Chinese and Hawaiian (I think) but just found genealogy records that trace the Hawaiian side to Tahiti.....so, in a nutshell, I think I am of Filipino, Hawaiian, Irish and Chinese extractions.....

I won't even get into my sons' extractions because that's a whole different thread......

Malama kekahi i kekahi!

[Bard]

Re: Upon first look...

Well, since Leo chimed in...

No one really asks me what I am, which is kind of a bummer, listening to all you guys talk about it. Only when I go to events for specific European backgrounds (my wife loves her Scandenavian fairs).

My family is mostly Irish and Scottish with a recent (1800s) infusion of Bohemian, of all things, before it became part of the Czech Republic. It really comes out in one of my sisters -- darker brown hair and brown eyes. I think the only place it really comes out in me is a little in the eyes.

We all got the stereotypical Celtic temper and stubbornness.. It's taken me a long time to tame the former and I somehow doubt I'll ever have much luck with the latter.

I think it's awesome that people in Hawai`i feel so free to love and marry as they will. Back in Texas it would've been a major Gossip Event(tm) if, say, someone in my family married someone of African descent. Not as much as it used to be, but still kinda sad.

[Kelly0040]

Re: Upon first look...

It really depends where I am...I'm an ethnic chameleon (I'm No. 1 on google! haha).

I'm half Japanese, half Assyrian. My mom is white, my dad is brown. I have the facial features of my mom and the skin tone of my dad. Because I still have a Japanese lastname, some folks figure out that I'm half Japanese fairly quickly. The majority, however, don't.

In California, I'm Mexican. I don't really correct them tho unless I'm feeling frisky or something - people ask me questions all the time in Spanish, and being the tard I am, I answer in English (I can understand Spanish, I just have a hard time putting sentences together). But the fact that people think I'm Mexican has caused me quite a lot of drama - I got lower grades in one of my Spanish classes (one teacher went so far as to say that I should be ashamed that I don't speak my family's language...when he figured out I was half Japanese, he made a big deal about it, and then, pointed out to the entire class that the reason I was brown was because my mom was Assyrian, which made me and my friends chuckle). I've had several people yell random things at me like "go back to Mexico" or a random slur, to which I normally replied with, "Mis pescados son muy caliente pero yo tengo ir al bano." Other things I was mistaken for while growing up: Inuit, Hawaiian, Puerto Rican, Colombian, Cajun and Samoan.

In college, it became an ongoing joke - anytime we'd go out, someone would always come up and ask me what I was and my friends would come up with some random nationality for an answer. So, every day I was something different. It also became a fun way to pick up guys.

In New Zealand, a guy was really happy to see me and then asked what tribe I was from (I said "California"). I don't think I look Maori, but I was unusually tan for their wintertime.

In Mexico, I'm...Mexican. Two years ago, while traveling home from a family trip to Cancun, the guy checking passports at the airport looks at my passport, me, and then my name and says, "You're not Japanese - you're so Mexican. Pshaw." and jokingly threw my passport back to me. It was then that my husband realized that all of my stories weren't really exaggerations (he doesn't think I look Mexican).

In Oregon, I was definitely Mexican. But, no one was mean to me, except for the cop who pulled me over and was puzzled by my lastname - he thought I had a fake ID, so I showed him a picture of my family. In western Wisconsin, I stuck out like a sore thumb and people assumed I was Native American.

In Ohio, I was Greek for a while. In (southern) Illinois, they knew I wasn't white and I wasn't black, so I confused lots of people and, surprisingly, it was a topic of conversation many times (in a good way). We lived in a very German community, so I was like, new to them. I remember one woman commenting on how I was the first Asian person she'd ever spoken to. However, Illinois also brings me my favorite Asian-related moment: I walked into an Asian market and the little Korean lady, who I assumed owned it, stopped me and stared me down for about 20 seconds and then pushed this tinyish shopping cart in my direction and said "You Japanese. I buy this cart for you." It was the perfect cart for a short person like me. It was great.

I'd say...oh about 15% of the time people guess that I'm half Asian and then they go on to explain that they had a half Asian roommate that looks just like me. 70% of the time they guess I'm Mexican, then the other 15% is something random that I agree to.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Upon first look...

Oddly on Hawaiians/pt. Hawaiians think I got Hawaiian.

Everyone else (in Hawaii and on the mainland) think I'm either 100% or a mixture of different denominations of Hispanic/Latino/Chicano and or Black. I get an occasional Native American.

I'm actually 100% Filipino. I think being 6'1", 215 is misleading.

[Keith H.]

Re: Upon first look...

Well, neither are assumptions based on the way you look, but... I get mistaken for a katonk all the time, too. Either that or a Punahou grad, or a lawyer. Eep! Definitely due to my parents' strict rules on language and (sadly shunning) pidgin.

Hey, hey, what's wrong with Punahou grads, huh, bro?! Well, as a friend of mine put it...I was raised in Kailua, I went to Punahou and then to the big rock for school...I MUST be haole, right?

Seriously, I'm half-Okinawan on my dad's side, half-naichi on my mom's. My Okinawan side is only evident when I wear shorts. I never experienced much prejudice when I was on the mainland, but then again Lewis & Clark was probably more ethnically diverse than Hawaii (if that's possible). I even had an Arab roommate for one quarter (an English language student).

[makepagirl]

Re: Upon first look...

aloha all..i know exactly what you mean..i'm hawaiian & filipino on my dad's side &, german, irish & cherokee indian(indian from early 1800s) on mom's side..in georgia, mistaken for being 1/2 black, def. mexican and occasionally samoan...either way,i'm proud of my brown heritage and have thoroughly enjoyed learning about our culture in the last 6 yrs.now that i have a granddaughter who's mom is english,irish & japanese we really want her to know all her heritages..my hubby says he's "just white"..i found his whole genealogy back to 1400s..english,irish,german & scottish..either way..i love learning about all the cultures...much peace..kimmi

[tikiyaki]

Re: Upon first look...

I think the lady made a very good guess Perhaps you're surprised because of what you think Italians should look like. Americans have long been conditioned to think of Italians as a pretty homogeneous looking group, to the extreme of expecting all Italians to look Southern or Sicilian. In that context it would be somewhat surprising that someone would think you have Italian ancestry.

Ture dat....Lei kaina, you COULD pass as Italian, tho' those of us who are Italian know of the not so obvious things that makes someone look distinctively southern Italian or Sicilian.

Alot of people would be surprised to know that most Italians were light haired and blue eyed until the Moors invaded Sicily ( as very colorfully told in the movie "True Romance")

Me? I look like someone right out of the Sopranos, and tho' I don't style myself the same way, I have all those recognizeable Sicilian traits.

[Kungpao]

Re: Upon first look...

CONUS: people think I'm Hawaiian
HI: I've been told i look chinese

reality: Filipino

My Frosh year of HS, I moved from CA to Indiana and someone asked me "Are you white?" ... no "Are you black?" ... no "Are you both?!?" I just laughed.