this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2025
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AskUSA

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Be Honest: When you see someone that looks "foreign", do you subconciously assume they don't speak English? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 1 month ago by DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works to c/AskUSA@discuss.online
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Because I'm Asian and I can remember like at least 10 instances where people in the US (Including Both White and Black people) would assume I don't speak English before I had a chance to talk. I've lived in this country since 8, I speak on a native level. I wonder if there is just a subconcious "perpetual foreigner" stereotype engrained into people.

Because I sometimes feel uncomfortable. Like it just feels very awkward after I get asked that, then I speak English perfectly lol.

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[โ€“] m_f@discuss.online 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Maybe it's just from living in the Midwest, but that seems strange to me. I've certainly met plenty of people that don't speak English natively, but I wouldn't assume that by looks. Where did you have people making that assumption? It might be more of a rural thing?

[โ€“] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago

Tbh I can't quite remember the specific locations. But it's almost always adults making the assumption when I was a kid/teen/young-adult, my peers never made that assumption.

Like... once a teacher made the assumption. I guess perhaps I was doing introvert things so he made the assumption?