Why do most Americans can't distinguish between Ethnicity, Race, Nationality and Linguistic groups?

Question

I guess Educational Reforms are needed in USA.

Answer 1

I don't think it's so much that we can't make the distinctions, but it's probably more so out of laziness that  prompts people to refer to race when speaking of ethnicity, nationality, etc. It's a "well, you know what I meant" type of mentality.

Answer 2

Many of us do not read much. I count this as the reason that after sever years of Bush, people are still willing to elect a Republican to national office.

The water is right there; now, how do we get them to drink?

Additionally...ignorance is more addictive than nicotine.

Answer 3

I think you are asking why is that most Americans can't distinguish between ethnicity, race, nationality and linguistic groups...

And the simple answer is Isolationism. America is huge country. I mean massive. Only a handfull of cities have the cosmopolitan nature and has a heterogenous population.

But only through interaction could you develop the ability to distinguish. You can't teach that in schools, not to mention its pointless. What good does it do a kid in Idaho to be able to tell the difference between Korean and Chinese speech?

Answer 4

Because there is little point in learning a skill that is worthless in their common life.  

Most Americans are and will continue to be a mixture of races, nationalities, and ethnicity.  To some extent, this is true of most western nations (My grandparents sorted Germans into more than a half dozen categories, none of which are in existence anymore) as well as many other nations.

So why waste time learning to distinguish between the stereotypes of people that they rarely encounter?

Answer 5

Is this a joke? Read your own question out loud, and then talk down to us about the education system.

Answer 6

cuz americans are fat and we are all equal.

i like provolone.

Answer 7

We need Educational Reforms in the U.S.? Did you check the formulation of your sentence? LOL!

Answer 8

Why? Our survival has never before depended upon it.

Answer 9

ignorance.

hmm a guess a good example would be a mexican and a spaniard.

A mexican is of native american and/or hispanic ethnicity, they're race is usually mixed or native american, they are mexican and they speak spanish.

a spaniard is of hispanic ethnicity BUT of the white (caucasoid) race, their nationality is spaniard and their language is spanish...

Answer 10

you have terrible grammar,  your question should have read. "Why is it that most Americans have the inability to distinguish between..." , or you could have said, "why are most americans unable to distinguish between..." , or, "why don't most americans possess the ability...".  maybe you should move to america and learn how to speak english properly.

Answer 11

Well, hardly anyone disagrees about the need for educational reform.

But since you don't explain at all what you're talking about, it's hard to say much.

What do you mean "can't distinguish between tehnicity, race, nationality and linguistic groups" exactly?

You mean, like thinking Arab is a race, rather than linguistic group, and that sort of thing?

Yes, geographical ignorance is a huge problem; mostly due to the approach of drowning students in mountains of trivia, rather than having them learn how to understand the world better. (See my 360 blog for my views on education and educational reform.)

Answer 12

what the h**l are you talking about?

Answer 13

Because they don't usually teach anthropology in public schools. If they do mention it is only in passing.

Answer 14

excuse me? i can tell the difference between an indo-european language, a dravidian language, a afro-semitic language, an amerindian language, shall i go on?

Answer 15

They can't tell English and Australian accents apart to save their lives.

Answer 16

Perhaps because America was founded on the principles that all men (and women) are created equal.

Perhaps because we are supposed to be a 'melting pot', where people are expected to look beyond the limitations of ethnicity, race, nationality and linguistics groups, and accept each other for their character and abilities.

I know these are pretty outdated ideas in this "everyone owes me something because I'm special" society, but I happen to LOVE the idea of everyone starting out with a clean slate and having to make their own way based on their motivation and character.

I do agree....we desperately need Educational reforms so  people don't start questions with "Why do most Americans can't....".

Answer 17

Maybe because we are already all so mixed that it's hard to tell anymore.

Answer 18

I dont understand  this question, I think there are meny rasists.

Answer 19

Maybe we're not as smart as we look?

Answer 20

Linquistic is good, I had it the other day in an Italian Restuarant w/ clam sauce.