Why do people from the Caribbean hate being asked if they're "from the islands"?

Question

Why do people from the Caribbean hate being asked if they're "from the islands"?

Answer 1

or the guy above lol you lot all sound the same.

i never heard of that phrase maybe its an American thing over your either generalized into being called a Jamaican, or your called West Indian then least likely called a Caribbean. Its easy to generalize a small area which doesn't even have more than 25 people so thats why.

Answer 2

Beats me. I would think "from the islands" would mean Hawaii.

Answer 3

im from haiti

nobod'ys asked me that. when they hear my accent, because im black they've alreaduy made up their minds that im from Africa.

sometimes some people say Jamaica. ive only heard a couple of people say the islands, and those are grown people

Answer 4

its cuz "di islands" can refer to ANY group of islands, not just the caribbean. you wouldnt like it if we asked you if we were "from di cold"? lol

haha just kiddin....some of us get irritated, most dont. the main issue is that you dont walk away with the impression that we all tourism-affiliated people who are always smilin and eager to please you hand and foot with no worries.

what we DO hate is when you lump us all into the same group as di jamaicans dem......we ALL ARE NOT JAMAICANS. There are over 3000 islands in the caribbean, so stop assuming when you hear di accent that we jamaican.  

Answer 5

I've never heard of this either, and I'm from the Caribbean. Maybe you're in Britain, or some other foreign place

Answer 6

Well, I am Trinidadian and I would not get mad or upset if people asked me if I am from the islands

and I have lots of friends that are from the caribbean and none of them would get mad if someone has asked that

for a matter of fact, most people don't refer to it as the islands

Answer 7

I didn't know that they did. My mother's family is Caribbean (my mom is 1/2 Bahamian and 1/2 Dominican). I'm first generation on her side born in the states and I've never heard this.