เชื้อชาติ

[nakriian]

Can I say คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ to mean "What ethnicity are you?"

Or should I drop the เชื้อชาติ altogether and just say คุณเป็นคนอะไรครับ

Is it an acceptable practice to ask someone their ethnicity? Can it be perceived as being rude and if so, in what context?

In the United States, you generally would not ask someone about their race/ethnicity. The acceptions would be if you were in some place like China Town in New York City. The asians would consider a white man to be acceptable to them and non-threatening and generally would not be offended if you ask them about their ethnicity. This is my experience only though, my perception will be different than someone else. I do know that if you are speaking to an asian and you are in a conservative environment (an environment where interracial interaction is limited to work relations), it is best not to ask them about race. But if that asian invites you to their home for dinner, then the situation changes and I think at that point, it is okay to inquire about ethnicity/race in my opinion.

Edited December 23, 2007 by nakriian

[chinnotes]

Can I say คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ to mean "What ethnicity are you?"

Or should I drop the เชื้อชาติ altogether and just say คุณเป็นคนอะไรครับ

Is it an acceptable practice to ask someone their ethnicity? Can it be perceived as being rude and if so, in what context?

In the United States, you generally would not ask someone about their race/ethnicity. The acceptions would be if you were in some place like China Town in New York City. The asians would consider a white man to be acceptable to them and non-threatening and generally would not be offended if you ask them about their ethnicity. This is my experience only though, my perception will be different than someone else. I do know that if you are speaking to an asian and you are in a conservative environment (an environment where interracial interaction is limited to work relations), it is best not to ask them about race. But if that asian invites you to their home for dinner, then the situation changes and I think at that point, it is okay to inquire about ethnicity/race in my opinion.

As far as I know the question คุณเป็นคนอะไรครับ would be an almost insulting question: "What kind of person are you?" You may ask this question, if somebody has done something you strongly dislike...

While the question คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ is a neutral question. You simply ask somebody which nationality (not race) he has.

Erwin (อัศวิน)

[Richard W]

While the question คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ is a neutral question. You simply ask somebody which nationality (not race) he has.

Nationality = citizenship is สันชาติ.

์Nationality = ethnicity is เชื้อชาติ. (I have a Thai-English dictionary which does translate เชื้อชาติ as 'race'.) I suspect the meaning is more genetic than cultural.

I don't know if it's current practice, but some Thai forms record both ethnicity and nationality. I am curious, though, as to what ethnicities other than Thai actually do (did?) get recorded for Thai citizens.

[chinnotes]

While the question คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ is a neutral question. You simply ask somebody which nationality (not race) he has.

Nationality = citizenship is สันชาติ.

์Nationality = ethnicity is เชื้อชาติ. (I have a Thai-English dictionary which does translate เชื้อชาติ as 'race'.) I suspect the meaning is more genetic than cultural.

I don't know if it's current practice, but some Thai forms record both ethnicity and nationality. I am curious, though, as to what ethnicities other than Thai actually do (did?) get recorded for Thai citizens.

Yes, you are right...I see now.

I just called a Thai women and asked her. She told me about her father "เชื้อชาติจิน", but "สันชาติไทย" (her grandfather came from China, her father is of Chinese origin, but has Thai nationality).

Sorry, my first answer was incorrect...

Erwin

[nakriian]

Thanks Richard, I was pretty sure เชื้อชาติ made reference to race/ethnicity. I just wanted to post this question just to get some feedback.

I just asked a woman in Bangkok "คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ" and she said she was คนไทย. She said the question is not offensive and it just inquires about the race/ethnicity of the individual you are talking to.

[Richard W]

I just asked a woman in Bangkok "คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ" and she said she was คนไทย. She said the question is not offensive and it just inquires about the race/ethnicity of the individual you are talking to.

But asking someone if they are of Chinese origin can elicit an indignant response!

[nakriian]

Richard, this is true as any response is possible with such a question, but I would not ask, for example "คุณเป็นคนจีนอะไรครับ"

I would just ask "คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ" and even then, I would think before I asked that question so as not to use it in the wrong context.

[stateman]

์เชื้อชาติ is what Thais use, in the same way as Americans use 'race' for ethnicity.

[stateman]

"คุณเป็นคนเชื้อชาติอะไรครับ"

But asking someone if they are of Chinese origin can elicit an indignant response!

In general, I think asking' origin/race cay be offensive if the origin/race is being discriminated against. Such was true about the Chinese origin in Thailand several decades ago. Back then Thais generally held all the military and political positions worth anything. Chinese then were mostly a merchant group.

But with the next generation of these Chinese merchants who entered both military and politics big time, the stigma is no longer there. During Thaksin's admin, majority of power cabinet posts were held by Chinese descendants. They didn't mind letting people know their Chinese origin. Thaksin, at his peak, even went to China to his ancestor's village with no shame.

Today, the top 14 wealthiest families in Thailand are mostly Chinese, who enjoy the wealth, the political power, the prestige that being Chinese is just part of their character. No shame whatsoever.