I immigrated to the US at the age of 8. I’m Asian. I think I mastered the language at like probably 12 or 13.

I recall often in my life, people always assumed I didn’t speak English for some reason. Like before I had a chance to open my mouth, that question gets asked…

Not sure if it was because I was perhaps being quiet and unaware I was being quiet, so they made an assumption based on that, or if it had to do with how I look.

I kinda always felt a bit uncomfortable.

“Perpetual Foreigner” kind of.

I’m gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it was just maybe I was quiet. But still. A white kid could stay quiet and I doubt the first thing a person assumes is oh he must not speak english.

Um… sorry if this is a weird ask, but those of you who live in immigration countries, have you ever been asked “Do you speak [Language of the country]?” Have you ever made an assumption about someone?

  • WolfLink@sh.itjust.works
    2·
    8 days ago

    I’m white and born and raised in the US but I had a speech impediment as a kid that resulted in people asking me where I was from, assuming I was from another country.

    • 鳳凰院 凶真 (Hououin Kyouma)@sh.itjust.worksOP
      21·
      8 days ago

      Lol.

      Conversely, I’m ethnic Chinese but haven’t spoken mandarin for over a decade, if I ever visit China, I think they’ll probably think I have an intellectual disability or something, at least until I explain that I mostly grew up in America.