British Couple Reacts to TABOO QUESTIONS YOU SHOULDN'T ASK IN AMERICA! 

This is a good video for you to ask me anything! Comment below and I’ll respond to everyone… any questions you have, things you may just want to know. I don’t get offended easily so ask away 😂🤍

The last time someone asked me if I was pregnant I laughed and said “no, I’m just fat”. The look on their face was priceless.

I was once in China wherein it was perfectly acceptable to ask me every variation of how much we earned to how much any item of personal apparel cost me. And you know what, I was not offended. It was their culture and their rules, and I tried to answer them graciously, albeit somewhat evasively. Everybody came away fine. No grudges, no hurt feelings, no "how dare theys." After all, life is not just about me and how well someone else takes care of my feelings. People don't all have the same cultural taboos and sometimes kind, well-meaning people make unintended faux pas, and sometimes people are just plain mean. Not my responsibility. My responsibility is to protect my feelings, without being a narcissistic baby and to graciously let them off the hook, if possible or to avoid them if necessary. For me, it's more about the intent behind a comment than the comment itself. Unless your question/comment is intentionally rude or mean, we're good.

I’m unable to have children and whenever anyone asks why I straight up explain to them why. They asked, if I make them really uncomfortable that’s on them lol

If I hear an accent and cannot recognize it, if I want to actually talk to the person then I would ask. No one has ever seemed offended by it. I am not rude about it. My ex is Russian, my fiance in Hungarian. Both have thick accents.

My sister and I are on the opposite ends of the voting spectrum. We literally cancel each others vote. We both know it and we both choose not to discuss it with each other. But, we both proudly wear our "I Voted" stickers on election day.

I love watching you two together... Your love and mutual respect for one another is obvious... We should all be as lucky as you James and Millie!! ❤️❤️

Most of these questions depend on the location where I live in the southeast United States majority of these questions would not be an issue and they are part of the everyday interaction with people. So it really depends on where you're at and also how you go about the conversation. There are ways to discuss politics without being offensive or demanding or argumentative. But that really depends on your level of communication skills. Have a good day

I've asked coworkers that I was training "so where is ur family from if you dont mind me asking?" And generally if you're polite, and are genuinely interested to learn about where they're from and asking questions about their culture, they'll receive you well and will conversation with you without being offended. But im the type I like to learn about others cultures

I think this video may be intended for non-English speakers who are learning the language. They may think bluntly may be the way to ask but not understand the nuances of the language.

“Ah, you’ve put on a bit of weight mate😊”. Good one James ! Hilarious ! LOL. I almost fell on the floor laughing.

As an American, I have learned to live with the belief that any question someone asks you, it is always fair game to turn the same question around and ask that person the same question. With that said with regard to the political question, "Who did you vote for in the last election?"" I usually just respond, ""I voted."

I love how you guys talk out the situations I am from America and I'm not easily offended but I was a bartender for 30 years and at my bar I had two rules you don't talk about politics or religion. I've seen grown men slap their wife over this conversation, I've seen best friends get into fist fights. So is a no-brainer if you talked about it you were gone. I didn't mind losing the tip it was better than having to call the cops

I was always taught that it's not necessarily what you say/ask but how you say it. Context and politeness go a long way.

The safest question to ask is, "So what do you think of this weather." We all experience the weather and it is a neutral subject. The sun shines or not, no argument there. If it is raining it is raining. If the person gives a short answer they may not want to talk. If they give a longer answer, they probably will converse with you or at least you can praise or complain about the weather together.

A question no one should ever HAVE to ask in the first place is: "Why are you putting catchup on that taco?" Just trust me on this.

I'm from the South & quite honestly I can't think of anyone I know that would be offended by any question. I don't associate with people who are constantly waiting to be offended, but the people I know are like open books. Within my own family, we have an expression : don't ask any question you really don't want to know the answer to!

I would never criticize the government of the UK to a Brit but people worldwide seem to think that it's ok to criticize the government of the USA to us. Sort of bothers me.

I was laughing every time you stopped the video. That lady's frozen faces were outstanding.

I NEVER ask questions about having kids. “Do you have kids” is fine. But “are you having kids” type questions are so Incredibly painful. My husband and I tried for 3 years before we got pregnant with our daughter, and we’ve been trying for 11 months for baby #2. Any questions about child plans, hurts my heart to talk about. It’s such a hard conversation and such a personal painful journey. For myself, I’m very open about our infertility journey, but many people aren’t.

One time when I was walking into a store a lady held the door for me and said something along the lines of "letting the pregnant lady going first." I was not pregnant. I have pcos which is a hormone imbalance that makes it really hard to loose weight and I'm just fat 🤦‍♀️🤰 I wasn't mad at her and I didn't say anything to her but it didn't make me feel very good

Our general rule is that politics and religion(I'll throw in question about people's love/sex life in there too) aren't to be talked about at the dinner table. Most other things are fair game.

Asking "where are you from?" Can be a pretty benign question. It only gets bad if you press after they've answered. "Where are you from?" in America can mostly be to inquire what part of America you've spent a good chunk of your life in. I live in Colorado, which is famous for having a lot of people living here that aren't "native", and I wasnt born and raised here either. Which worked out when I met my boyfriend. On our first date I asked him where he was from and there was no rudeness to that question. He told me he was born in Seoul and lived there until he was 10. Way cooler than my dumpy Midwestern farmtown backstory. 🤷‍♀️

I live in the south and honestly I feel like people see most of these questions as fair game. Ofc I work in a grocery store so people feel comfortable saying all sorts of stuff to the staff. People ask me about my race everyday. I look Hispanic, but I'm actually Arabic. People come up to me speaking Spanish multiple times a day and get confused when I tell them I don't understand.

In the US we don’t usually use the term “partner.” We use exact terms; husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, fiancé etc.

I feel like the word "partner" is used much more so in England and the UK as a more all-encompassing term for a significant other in a committed relationship. Here in the states, it can be used that way as well, but more often than not it's used to identify same-sex couples whereas most heterosexual couples are more open with just using the term boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife.

All of the south, southern Appalachia, and the southern parts of Midwest states that border the south is know as the Bible Belt. Almost ALL SOUTHERNS come from a Protestant Christian home no matter if they still are or not. This also has to do with a close knit relationships with family and our community most of this is focused on the Lord. Well speaking of religion God bless y’all from Kentucky ❤️😊

My philosophy is it's ok to ask any question as long as you are prepared to graciously accept any answer or none. Even if the answer is, "None of your business." Ok. Next topic...

6.5K Thumbs Up! 👍 You're welcome! Thanks! ☺️ Notes: She is even color coordinated with her cute baby! 👶 Cartman: "Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!" Villager: "Here's one for you!" To see out it ends, see the movie, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"! 😆

Its honestly 10% on the left and 10% on the right screaming at each other and the 80% in the middle are just tired of them, and want to take a nap or go fishing. Most people just don't care. Great videos I have recently found you two. Keep up the good work.

My circle of friends have a rude joke about weight loss we throw at each other "Did you loss wight? Ohh no, you found it. Thre it is" 😂😂😂 only amongst friends.

I believe people think that it's OK to ask you two if you are married because your videos create an intimacy with the viewer and make them feel like a friend. You are very good at speaking directly to the camera in a simple and honest way which can make us feel like we already know you.

Mark 29:33. Well, the reaction might be, "Are you implying that I've been ugly until now?!" 😁

In college, after a long weekend, I asked a classmate "what happened to your leg?" thinking he'd been in a minor skiing accident. He gave me a disgusted look and said "I lost it in a mining accident". I'd never noticed his limp previously. I just stood there with a stupid look on my face. 😳

Occasionally someone at work would say, "You look really good today!" I would, of course, thank them, while in my mind I'm thinking, "as opposed to how bad I look every other day?" I'd laugh to myself, but some people could take this as a back-handed compliment.

I was at the grocery store with my mom when I think I was about 13 or 14 and around that time, my mother had a hysterectomy and she was upset about it. Some woman approached my mom and asked when the baby was due and my mom was visibly shocked and upset. She was overweight, but just because someone is overweight, doesn't mean they are pregnant. I would never ask anyone even if they are pregnant because I don't know their circumstances and I don't want to upset anyone like that woman upset my mom.

I enjoy watching your reaction videos. Being an unmarried older white man, I think this video is SOOOO important. My situation has engendered many assumptions about my politics and sexuality. I've endured many "well-meaning" comments and questions. Once I had a woman of another race say to me after our most recent presidential election "you know how you people are...." I have never been so offended. My family's heritage is English and Scottish. My sensibilities run closely in line with GB. Thanks so much for your open-mindedness and sensitivity.

Where I live in the US (Minnesota) generally people don't talk about politics in public, but it definitely is way more common for people who support democrats to talk about politics in cities and republicans in rural areas. It makes for very awkward conversation because they always assume you agree with them.

Just started watching that watch maybe three or four videos I love you guys you are so respectful and I can feel your kind and loving hearts

A college friend had been married 4 or 5 years when a third person asked her when she and her husband were going to "get with it" and have children. I witnessed this interchange and was appalled! My friend and her husband had just buried their two year old son. Please keep those comments to yourself.

Awww “my misses” that’s so sweet An American translation would be “my better half”

My wife asked a lady at the store how many months along she was and she answered,”I’m not pregnant, dear!” Very embarrassed, she quickly exited the conversation and has never asked anyone ever again.

I live in the deep South. When a new person moves to the area, the question have you found a church home yet, it is not to be nosy and NO ONE forces anyone to go to church. Since so many people here go to church, people are asking to try to be helpful, friendly, and neighborly. If a new person moves to your neighborhood, you bring a pie, cookies, casserole, some kind of food to be welcoming. The conversation may include have you found a local vet? Have you found a local Dr? I know some great restaurants. I have found that there are some great deals at this store or that store. My favorite stylist/barber is at this salon. Oh BTW, have you found a church home? If they say yes, you say great. If they say no, you say I would love to welcome you to our church and show you around. We have great programs for all ages and VBS is in 2 weeks so I would be glad to help you sign your kids up if you would like. To which new neighbor would say either Wow, thank you that would be so helpful. OR maybe what was the name of your church again. Ok. We will be sure to think about it. OR if they don't go to church you would say Well if you ever decide you would like to try it, the people at our church are very warm and friendly just let me know if you ever have any questions and that is the end of it. The lady in the video doesn't understand because she, I am sorry, is a Yankee and doesn't understand Southern culture. The question is intended to help new people get settled into the area comfortably and to be helpful.

I would push back on some of this. People don't seem to have a problem saying their religion, they just don't want to get dragged into an argument on some theological point. Asking people where they're from is usually fine, as long as it's not in a weird context. I was asked about my last name once in a job interview and never thought it was weird, the guy just seemed interested in languages. I wouldn't think asking people if they have kids would be offensive either, although asking why is a different story. Everyone gets tired sometimes; how is noticing it offensive? I probably get less hung up with manners than most people, but some of this seems to me like you'd have to be trying to be offended.

In a society that promotes cultural diversity, I don't see an issue asking a person where they're from or what their heritage is. And the question can also identify the various cultures even within the USA. We may be Americans, but we don't have a single unified culture in the US.

In certain states in the US like mine (Nevada) it's perfectly legal to carry a gun unless it's posted not to or a federal building, bank, casino etc. I would never ask someone why. I was at the grocery just the other day and a gentleman had on a side arm and nobody thought twice about it.

When I was a wee lad, I asked my aunt if she were pregnant and she said, "No, Honey, I'm just fat."

We also say as a female, my girlfriend and I went such-and-such. That does not mean I'm gay it just means she's my friend and she's a girl. When someone says to me oh you look beautiful today or you look nice today the first thing I think is well what do I look like every other day chopped liver

Not sure of other countries, but here in America, most people nowadays CAN NOT MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS!!

I think asking if you have kids is a fair question. I do it. Asking why not is beyond stupid. When I ask them if they have kids and they say no I ask them if they want some of mine. (Coming from a Dad whose three grown children are still driving him batshit. You wouldn't believe what my youngest just..oh, never mind).

We aren't that up-tight here in the USA, well at least in most of the South, I can't speak for my Northern neighbors. You can generally ask us anything in a respectful way; if you're a foreigner, we will understand and be more forgiving. If it's a subject that we aren't comfortable with, we will most likely, kindly, tell you. The South, I feel, is more easy going and acceptable of deeper conversations with strangers as long as the conversation is carried in a respectful manner. I really enjoy your videos, you both seem to be kind and respectful young people. Thank you for being so polite towards the USA.

I talk to strangers a lot. Drives my kids nuts😂😂😂 But..it seems like strangers always come up to me and start telling me their life stories and all their problems. My hubby and I went to Florida and a woman came up and started talking to me about her boyfriend. Within ten minutes she was crying and I was hugging her😂😂

I’ve been asked “What are you?” usually by college age males. My answer (with a straight face) “The last time I checked, a woman.” Shuts them up every time.

I went to a water park with my cousin and his wife. His wife and I were standing in line for a ride and there was a fat lady in a bikini in front of us. My wife's cousin asks "are you pregnant? when are you due?". The lady turns around and says "I'm not pregnant!". 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

They’re wondering how a video about 10 questions is 15 minutes long. I was wondering how a video about 10 questions is 33 minutes long 😂

The questions about "are you married? why not?" and "do you have kids? why not?" really applies more to if you're talking to a woman. Because when those questions are asked to a woman there's often judgement implied there. The question asked with the implication that she should be married or should have kids, and thus if she isn't it means that the person asking thinks she's living her life wrong. A man is less likely to think much of a question like that.

Regarding the voting stickers- it’s in part because some people don’t realize even though it’s one singular vote, it’s a privilege to have that vote and it can still change things. That’s why a lot of people put up their stickers to motivate others to also vote. It was the same idea with the vaccination and a lot of influencers were telling others to make sure they get vaccinated whether it was through ads, stickers, or any other merchandise.

I am a straight woman and I have, on many occasions said, "Wow, you are beautiful" or " Wow, you look stunning in that dress*. I compliment both sexes and my kids always looked at me funny when I did. Oh well. I'm sure I brightened their day.

I was a Home Health Aide for 20 years and I was asked by family members for my opinion on how much time their lived one had left to live, and I was soooo uncomfortable because I can't predict how long someone lives. I understood why they asked but I only replied for a long time I hope.

Here in the US we use little sister/brother and baby sister/brother. I'm the oldest of three girls, I refer to the middle sister as my little sister and the youngest is my baby sister (to this day she is still a big baby!) The youngest is also referred to as the baby, no matter how old they are. Our elementary school is Pre-Kindergarten to 5th grade. Middle school is 6th, 7th & 8th grades, and high school is 9th thru 12th. Years ago they grade levels were different and they used Jr and Senior high.

I feel like talking about money has become a lot more acceptable in the US. Not necessarily with older generations (50+), but with people under the age of 50 it's more common. Especially with the recent craze of people living more moderately and not getting themselves into massive debt makes it easier for people to talk about money.

A lot of people I know here in nebraska apparently break these taboo topics. So I think it all depends on context

I absoltly love this video. Great job as usual guys!!!! I have a condition that keeps me from having children. I have no problem with someone such as a co-worker asking "Do you have kids" It's the follow-up questions that bother me. No matter how you ask "Why" My thought is "If you were close enough to deserve an answer to that you wouldn't have to ask". *LOL* Because then it puts the person in a weird position of figuring out how much to disclose about some pretty personal issues. Even if the answer is "We don't want them" or "We're not ready yet".

I would say the general theme of all of these is the same. The United States is a very extroverted culture, but when it comes to things culturally deemed as personal, we don't want to be asked about it. But we will probably tell you on our own if it's a subject we are willing to talk about, and if you volunteer information about yourself we'll probably volunteer similar information about ourselves in response, or politely deflect to another subject. Things that aren't considered rude to ask about is pretty much anything else, which honestly isn't a whole lot. Work, especially, what jobs we have, what tasks we do at work, that's usually fair game with anybody. Travel, or weekend plans, I think is also pretty open for conversation. If there's a major holiday coming up, or a school break, people will ask each other if they're going anywhere special. People will ask each other if they've ever been to places, as well, even if just local events or attractions. People will also ask about where people live, what city, town, neighborhood, that kind of thing. Some people may get touchy but not too many people would, I think. The people most likely to be touchy about it would be those in lower income brackets, if they perceive a socioeconomic disparity with you, and that you might be suggesting they live in some undesirable place if you ask about their living situation. Then there's the general small talk stuff. Sports is a big one, particularly local teams. Even if somebody doesn't follow sports much, they won't be offended if somebody tries talking to them about it. The weather, particularly in places where weather is a major event in people's lives, is also a big topic of conversation. Perhaps as a general rule, Americans don't mind asking each other about things they do, or might be doing, or want to be doing, but they do mind being asked about things they are, like their identities, and their status with respect to other people. There is a strong cultural emphasis in America that everyone is equal, and pointing out differences (and Americans have more differences than in most other countries) is definitely something that makes people uncomfortable.

If you were to ask me if I had kids, I'd say "No" and if you asked why, I'd answer "I find them way more annoying than cute."

Mark 25:30. Hmm. "Are you feeling tired?" That could be a safety issue. 🤔 Wouldn't you rather ask in time for the driver to safely pull over and stop, instead of during the crash? Actual bumper sticker and shirt! "I'd like to die comfortably in my sleep, rather than die screaming in terror, like the passengers in his car!"

I have a joke for you. A man was annoyed at his family because at every wedding, the older members of his family would say "You're next" and he wanted them to stop. So he would go to a funeral and if he would see them, he would say to them "You're next". Lol. If you want to find out if someone is from New York ask them to say coffee. New Yorkers say "Cawfee ".

I feel that these topics are not necessarily off limits. For her target audience (English learners), it makes sense to avoid them since it's harder to judge the nuances of communication in your non-native tongue. That being said, there is a big difference in culture in the different areas of the US (e.g. rural vs urban), so each one depends on all of those factors as well.

I live down South and we will ask Yankees where they are from once we hear their accent

The goal of rules like this is to keep people estranged from each other. It's presented as "not safe", but honestly, one of the best ways to overcome any hostility in such subjects is to talk to someone, openly and honestly, and listen to someone with interest. Even if you don't end up agreeing about something like politics, you will at least have learned someone's views on it.

I would consider these taboo subjects anywhere in the world. I share y’all with my friends here in the US and we all love British accents and dry humor

I am probably late for your video but I really enjoy your channel. I have been to parts of England 4-5 times and I love. You have a lot of bonuses we don’t and I just loved so much of it. So I am subscribing to hear the variances. I grew up in Minnesota, moved to Chicago, moved to Arizona and now reside in Virginia. I have seen 45 states so now countries. I am 72 so plenty of time to throw in the countries I missed.

As someone who can't have children, I always dread getting asked why I don't have children. It's amazing how many times people ask me and my husband that question.

I was training a new hire yesterday and she asked me “are you married? You have kids?” And I had to say “I am not, and I do not,” and that makes me feel like I have to explain how I just haven’t found the right lady, and that’s a very personal matter for me and I was bummed out having to talk about it. And to be clear, she’s married and has kids and had already told me that, so she was really just making conversation. But I’d have been just as happy if she hadn’t asked that.

Hey guys, great reaction. In regards to the "Appearance", I think she might be wrong; people liked to be told they look "Great", "Pretty", "Beautiful", because we dress how we feel and we want people to know without asking. If a man walks in with a $5,000 suit or a women in a well-fitted black dress, you really think they are doing it "just to wear it"? And on social media it is no difference; people on RU-vid, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, what their videos and pics "liked" or "❤️", right... Just in a different kind of way, but for the same purpose.

We had a coach ask another teacher when her baby was due. She said 6 months ago. He was mortified. He was a legendary coach and very proper. Luckily the teacher thought it was funny.

With regards to money, at least in the western U.S., it's long been considered rude to ask a farmer, "how many acres do you have?" or asking a rancher how many head of cattle they run. It's the same as asking how much money they have.

My husband and I both like to compliment people, especially if we can tell they are having a bad day. He has asked me how he can compliment a woman without being offensive. I tell him to compliment their outfit or the way they did their makeup instead of complimenting them directly. For example: "You look very good in that dress." is not ok, but"That dress looks very good on you." usually is ok. I have told men that their haircut or facial hair fits them very well. Basically, I have found that focusing a compliment on a choice they made in makeup, clothes, hair, etc. is usually safe. At the store the other day I said this: "Sir, I don't know if bald was a choice or not but it looks very good on you!" It was completely true, it fit him extremely well, but the compliment had the possibility of going very wrong. Thankfully it didn't. His face lit up and he had a huge smile when he thanked me. 😊

I've had people ask me before why I'm not married, and it's such a confusing weird question that doesn't have a simple answer. It's not like there's a store with women sitting on shelves and you can just pick one out that you like and bring her home. I'll usually respond with something like, "well, why aren't you a millionaire?"

I think the "Are you tired?" or "You don't look well" only becomes a problem when the person is NOT sick, NOT tired, and (up until that point) feeling good about how they look! But as the person asking the question, you usually DON'T KNOW for sure. If they're SUPER red (or SUPER white) in the face and sniffling and sneezing and coughing and visibly falling asleep, that's one thing. But for instance, I put on some new makeup one day and I REALLY liked how it looked (at least in my bathroom mirror at home). I thought I looked really good and I was feeling extra confident and happy about my appearance versus usual. Now maybe the shade of makeup I was wearing was a little off or maybe it was just different than my colleague was used to, but someone asked something like "You look sick. Are you feeling OK? You really don't look well." Up until that point my confidence level was through the roof and with a couple innocent questions, it dropped to the floor. Now I'm questioning myself, my appearance, why did I think I looked good, why was I so confident. I thought "I must look REALLY bad, certainly in comparison to what I thought, for this person to say I looked ill." Now I'm dejected, sad, embarrassed, felt the need to go to the bathroom and try to see what she was talking about. Pretty miserable, especially in comparison to how good I felt about myself just a few moments ago. So if you not REALLY REALLY TOTALLY sure that something is wrong, don't say it, don't ask. You may inadvertently sort of ruin someone's day if they are NOT ill, and especially if they liked the way they looked before you said something.

I was born in Jackson, MS to a Sicilian Italian immigrant mother (who I inherited Italian citizenship from) and an Anglo-French and Hispanic father (his family had been in the US since the 1800s). Growing up in Mississippi (where people were still fairly racist at the time) in the late 80s and early 90s I got asked, "What are you?", referring to my race (which is a variation on the where are you really from question), all the time. I mean I was a bilingual brown kid, I couldn't possibly have been a "real" American. It's actually one of the things that stands out the most to me about my childhood.

My sister got married when she was 18 and almost from the day they got married they started getting questions from people wanting to know when they were having a baby (My sister and her husband weren't even ready to start trying to have kids yet) and then at one point I had a couple women stop me in church and ask me when my sister and her husband were having a baby. I told them I had no idea that it wasn't a topic that my sister talked to me about.

This woman only represents herself and the things she is uncomfortable talking about. She in no way represents America 🇺🇸 She obviously is rather elitist in her thinking if she thinks she can make a video about what not to talk about in all of America 🇺🇸 She is one of the problems with America right now. People going around trying to control what people say. I say, use common sense, and ask what you want.

I used to be a higher education teacher. I once said to my class right before an election that they should all go and vote. A couple of them said “you just want us to vote for your guy!” I said “Absolutely not. I don’t care who you vote for. But if you don’t vote, you’ve lost the right to complain about the results. So, don’t come to me and bitch about the election.” 🙄

It does seem to me that, in a lot of her examples, she is more sensitive than most people I know in middle America. For example, “Are you married?” would not make most people I know uncomfortable. The same for questions about whether you have children or if you go to church. The rude part, to be sure, would be in any challenging follow-up questions as to why or why not. But the initial question, it seems to me, would be unlikely to give offense to many Americans.

Okay, I'm going to say this, all of this depends on where you are and the age of the person you are talking to: if you are in the Western states and talking to anyone under the age of 60, ask away...we are friendly and sooooooo chill. The exception are new immigrants and the buttoned up types.

I am in a grief support group because my dad passed away and a lot of the people in my group are women whose child died! If someone asks them if they have kids, then it hits a nerve! So I would never ask someone who I don't know if they have kids. I would wait for them to mention it.

For this entire Taboo issue of asking questions...the MOST IMPORTANT things to remember are: Be courteous and polite in your quarry and if they avoid answering... DONT PUMP FOR INFORMATION...let it be...you can ask any questions here as long as you remember those 2 very important unspoken unwritten rules...

You guy's are right it's all about "context" a lot of these questions are ok depending on who you're asking and how you ask them, most Americans will feel alright if you ask out of concern, feeling you're actually interested in them

Since the video is geared toward non-native English speakers, I think it might create a certain angst among English learners to get to know Americans or Brits. It makes people too afraid of offending. Worse than taking risks and offending would be to keep quiet, not learn the language well, and not build relationships. I have learned six languages, two to almost native-speaker fluency. Part of learning a language is understanding how people think. I have found that if I couch my questions in a way that shows that I want to learn, offence is rarely taken. "I have noticed that..." "I was wondering why here...", people are happy to explain and appreciate your interest - most people. Non-natives must be and can be given a pass if they show that they want to learn and are genuinely interested in getting to know others. Now, as a native speaker, it is a whole different ballgame because one is expected to behave according to the norms of the culture. To do otherwise is to be downright rude.

Yea, this video is for living an extremely sanitized existence. None of these are taboo just possibly causing a volatile response. These are NOT taboo topics in the US. This is a list this lady put out of those she doesn’t want to talk to people about.

lol at the co workers "your kids an asshole" comment. I can see it now Me to co-worker: "Your kid's an asshole" co-worker: "Oh are you planning to have any anytime soon?" Me to co-worker: "Hell no, Im learning from YOUR mistakes, yours are a wonderful example of why I shouldn't, so thanks for helping me dodge a bullet, buddy!" lol

When it comes to politics, you can talk to a Conservative generally without issue but definitely don't want to talk to a Progressive. A conservative will typically just assume you are confused about the subject if you have a different opinion. The progressive will typically think you are a mortal enemy or Nazi if you have an opposing position. So never talk politics unless you know which one you are talking to. Most of the taboo things seem to be universal to all people. And others seem to be more specific to herself and what she feels is taboo.

Well done with the guess on politics!

As someone from the south she is wrong somewhat on the religion one for the south. Down here it is very common to ask someone "Do you go to church? Have you found a church? Are you Christian? What denomination do you go to?" It is part of the everyday language down here. The south is where the Bible Belt is and many people in this region are Christians, so it is not uncommon to ask someone what church they go to. I had a professor in college who was originally from the north and had moved to the south. He told how he was kinda taken aback by people asking him these questions when he first moved here. But as he says it is just part of the southern culture.

I was in the Philippines years ago and got into a conversation with my Administrative Assistant's mother ..she asked me "where are you REALLY from" i was a bit shocked but i just rolled with it and told her USA...when she repeated the question i said ahhh my heritage is America ..this lead to lots of confusion...after a few more tries she just gave up LOL One side of my family tree is really screwed up so i don't know for sure...but the other side of my family tree is very clear Cherokee ..hence America..

You'll be surprised that Chinese people and Latinos/Hispanics are not afraid to ask others about how much they earn. When I lived in Mexico, people asked me that question a lot. This was especially true because I am from the US. Politics, money, sexual topics and religion are off limits 99% of the time. These topics can only be discussed with very close friends and family in limited situations. Personally, I have do not have problem with the question, Are you married? But I guess some people do. As a guy, I think is also ok to tell a woman she looks good in a certain outfit. But he must be very careful how he says it. In my previous office, I would say "I like that dress or blouse" to some of the ladies I had known for sometime working there. Tone is very important.

There are definitely parts of the United States where you will absolutely get asked about what church you go to, and even with the assumption that you do go to a church (and not some other religious institution, or no institution at all). A lot of the rest of the country does find that rude, but strangers do ask that in some places, often as one of the first things they ask. It's one culture shock that does happen even within the United States as Americans travel. If somebody does ask, they will probably have follow-ups and may even try to convert you if they don't like the answer you give them. If you're not interested in a deep theological debate, it's usually a good idea to try and deflect this question early on, perhaps by saying directly you don't like to discuss your religion with strangers. Personally, while the question does bother me, I don't actually mind the theological debate that follows, so I often will lean into the conversation and really get into it with the other person if that's their objective. It doesn't have to be hostile. It can be much more of a finding common ground type thing, and agreeing to disagree on other matters. But, I'd say chances are, unless you really feel equipped for it, best to avoid such conversations with the kinds of people who ask this question directly as an icebreaker. They do it all the time, they have a lot of experience (and even literal training in some cases at religious retreats and workshops), and it will probably be an unpleasant experience for you where you might feel very personally attacked. But I actually find it kind of fun, knowing some rhetorical tricks to quickly gain the other person's respect and even tripping them up a bit on some things, and I'm frankly always eager to debate anybody about anything. I just don't like to start those debates, and I'm usually annoyed when somebody comes out of nowhere and tries to start one with me when I'm going about my life. But, once it begins through no fault of my own, I'm game. Your mileage may vary.

Politics has unfortunately divided my family. It should never be talked about during family get-togethers. I feel bad that my aunts are crazy divided and now we never have a full family meetup because of it. Also the race one... omg. I've heard people ask "No, I mean where are your ancestors from?" - gives me shivers how terrible that is. I was a little worried because my old work as a nurse, I was the only male filled with a female cast of co-workers. I frequently complimented their outfits/hair etc. Just being a kind, objective observer. So I am glad it didn't, as she said, come off "flirty" (Even though they all knew I was married lol)

You two are such a joy and you bring joy to the world with who you are. Thank you!!!