Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Main / NonSpecificallyForeign

Go To

OR

Added: 119

Removed: 118

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Aldolpho from ''Theatre/TheDrowsyChaperone'', who has an accent, but not a specific one.


Added DiffLines:

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Aldolpho from ''Theatre/TheDrowsyChaperone'', who has an accent, but not a specific one.
[[/folder]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None



to:

[/folder]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* Mr. Knack from ''Series/EureekasCastle'' has a nondescript European accent. His puppeteer, Brian Muehl, was instructed to perform him as though he came from a country called "Ethnia".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* In the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' AU "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/11014245/chapters/50936371 What if Elfangor and Loren raised Tobias?]], Elfangor (an alien in human ModeLock) claims he's from "a piece of Balkan territory that has changed hands so many times Alan himself doesn’t know what country it is today".

to:

* In the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' AU "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/11014245/chapters/50936371 What if Elfangor and Loren raised Tobias?]], Tobias?]]", Elfangor (an alien in human ModeLock) claims he's from "a piece of Balkan territory that has changed hands so many times Alan himself doesn’t know what country it is today".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* In the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' AU "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/11014245/chapters/50936371 What if Elfangor and Loren raised Tobias?]], Elfangor (an alien in human ModeLock) claims he's from "a piece of Balkan territory that has changed hands so many times Alan himself doesn’t know what country it is today".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ''Literature/CardsOnTheTable'': Nobody is actually sure where Mr Shaitana comes from -- apparently all Englishmen who know him regard him as a "dago" whom they want to kick, but they have no idea "whether [he] was an Argentine, or a Portuguese, or a Greek, or some nationality rightly despised by the insular Briton..." It's later stated that he has family in Syria, although whether he himself is actually from there isn't stated.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added My Life as a Teenage Robot example

Added DiffLines:

* The mice from the ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'' episode "Pest Control". Sure, the joke is that the group is a {{Dirty Commies}} {{Expy}}, but at one point Vladimir calls Jenny an "infidel" which is a stereotypical turn of phrase from a decidedly different region.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* Soma Cruz is introduced in ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow]]'' as a ForeignExchangeStudent currently studying in Japan. His ethnicity is anyone's guess: his first name suggests that he's Greek, his surname suggests that he's Spanish, a certain TomatoInTheMirror moment suggests that he's Romanian, etc...
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Dr. Nick Riviera in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. He also has a case of WhatTheHellIsThatAccent. The audio commentary for "Homer's Triple Bypass" states that his design is based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A1bor_Csup%C3%B3 Gabor Csupo]] while his accent is a bad imitation of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desi_Arnaz Desi Arnaz]]. "Vieira" is also a fairly common ethnic Portuguese name, while "Rivera" is common in Spanish.

to:

* Dr. Nick Riviera in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. He also has a case of WhatTheHellIsThatAccent. The audio commentary for "Homer's Triple Bypass" states that his design is based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A1bor_Csup%C3%B3 Gabor Csupo]] while his accent is a bad imitation of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desi_Arnaz Desi Arnaz]]. "Vieira" is also a fairly common ethnic Portuguese name, while "Rivera" is common in Spanish. Spanish, while The French Riviera is a place doctors retire to.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[folder: Videogames]]
* [[HotScientist Dr Vahlen]] from ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', whose accent is an odd hybrid of French and German. The fandom's best guess is that she's from somewhere near the border between the two countries and spent a lot of time travelling back and forth between them in her youth.

to:

[[folder: Videogames]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* [[HotScientist Dr Dr. Vahlen]] from ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', whose accent is an odd hybrid of French and German. The fandom's best guess is that she's from somewhere near the border between the two countries and spent a lot of time travelling back and forth between them in her youth.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* In ''Film/TheRoom'', Johnny has [[WhatTheHellIsThatAccent some sort of foreign accent]] and makes a single reference to arriving in the country years back, but never reveals where he's from. The actor, Tommy Wiseau, was known for going through great lengths to hiding his Polish origins until a lawsuit forced him to reveal it.

to:

* In ''Film/TheRoom'', Johnny has [[WhatTheHellIsThatAccent some sort of foreign accent]] and makes a single reference to arriving in the country years back, but never reveals where he's from. The actor, Tommy Wiseau, was himself this as he was known for going through great lengths to hiding hide his Polish origins until a lawsuit forced him to reveal it.

Changed: 113

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* In ''Film/TheRoom'', Johnny has [[WhatTheHellIsThatAccent some sort of foreign accent]] and makes a single reference to arriving in the country years back, but never reveals where he's from. The actor, Tommy Wiseau, is using his normal accent, and he refuses to reveal his nation of origin.

to:

* In ''Film/TheRoom'', Johnny has [[WhatTheHellIsThatAccent some sort of foreign accent]] and makes a single reference to arriving in the country years back, but never reveals where he's from. The actor, Tommy Wiseau, is using was known for going through great lengths to hiding his normal accent, and he refuses Polish origins until a lawsuit forced him to reveal his nation of origin.it.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

** Some of the [[WildMassGuessing Wild Mass Guesses]] include the West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Suriname, and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Virgin Islands, and the Falkland Islands.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Fez from ''Series/That70sShow'' is from some ambiguous foreign country (probably from [[SouthOfTheBorder somewhere in South or Central America]]). His real name [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname isn't even available]] as a clue to his origins. His nickname is actually a (quasi-)acronym, short for "Foreign Exchange Student."

to:

* Fez from ''Series/That70sShow'' is from some ambiguous foreign country (probably from [[SouthOfTheBorder somewhere in South or Central America]]). His real name [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname isn't even available]] as a clue to his origins. His nickname is actually a (quasi-)acronym, short for "Foreign Exchange Student." Complicating matters further, a fellow countryman visited in one episode, played by a white actor with an exaggerated English accent and when asked where they were from, they stated "It depends on whether you ask the British or the Dutch," which would imply it's somewhere in Europe.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Rolf in ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy''. Wherever he's from (let's call it [[{{Ruritania}} "Fictitioustan"]]), it's apparently a cultural mishmash of Western and Eastern European, with a little Eurasian and a sprinkle of Romani on top.

to:

* Rolf in ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy''. Wherever he's from (let's call it [[{{Ruritania}} "Fictitioustan"]]), it's apparently a cultural mishmash of Western and Eastern European, with a little Eurasian West Asia and a sprinkle of Romani on top.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Dr. Nick Riviera in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. He also has a case of WhatTheHellIsThatAccent. Word of God [[note]](The audio commentary for "Homer's Triple Bypass")[[/note]] states that his design is based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A1bor_Csup%C3%B3 Gabor Csupo]] while his accent is a bad imitation of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desi_Arnaz Desi Arnaz]]. "Vieira" is also a fairly common ethnic Portuguese name, while "Rivera" is common in Spanish.

to:

* Dr. Nick Riviera in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. He also has a case of WhatTheHellIsThatAccent. Word of God [[note]](The The audio commentary for "Homer's Triple Bypass")[[/note]] Bypass" states that his design is based on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A1bor_Csup%C3%B3 Gabor Csupo]] while his accent is a bad imitation of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desi_Arnaz Desi Arnaz]]. "Vieira" is also a fairly common ethnic Portuguese name, while "Rivera" is common in Spanish.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Trowa Barton in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing.'' Of the members of his MultinationalTeam, he's the only one without a listed ethnicity. The fandom presumes he's either Latino or European, but even that is pretty broad. The name doesn't indicate anything, as [[NeverGivenAName he was born without being given one (or at least doesn't know his real name)]] and assumed the name of "Trowa Barton" from someone else.

to:

* Trowa Barton in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing.'' Of the members of his MultinationalTeam, he's the only one without a listed ethnicity. The fandom presumes he's either Latino Latin American or European, but even that is pretty broad. The name doesn't indicate anything, as [[NeverGivenAName he was born without being given one (or at least doesn't know his real name)]] and assumed the name of "Trowa Barton" from someone else.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E68TheShelter The Shelter]]", after the crisis begins, Frank Henderson is continually racist towards the foreign-born Marty Weiss, describing him as a "pushy, grabby, semi-American" and later refers to "you and your kind." However, it is never stated what country Marty is from.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Trowa Barton in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing.'' Of the members of his MultinationalTeam, he's the only one without a listed ethnicity. The fandom presumes he's either Latino or European, but even that is pretty broad. The name doesn't indicate anything, as [[TheNameless he was born without one (or at least doesn't know his real name)]] and assumed the name of "Trowa Barton" from someone else.

to:

* Trowa Barton in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing.'' Of the members of his MultinationalTeam, he's the only one without a listed ethnicity. The fandom presumes he's either Latino or European, but even that is pretty broad. The name doesn't indicate anything, as [[TheNameless [[NeverGivenAName he was born without being given one (or at least doesn't know his real name)]] and assumed the name of "Trowa Barton" from someone else.

Changed: 46

Removed: 29

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


-->He's probably from Poland.



* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Tyrion asks what kind of accent Shae (played by German actress Creator/SibelKekilli) has, and she simply replies, "Foreign." Cersei suspects she's from the Free City of Lorath, but Shae doesn't directly confirm or deny this. (The fact that a different character with a German accent claims to be from Lorath does add some credibility to Cersei's deduction, however.)

to:

* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Tyrion asks what kind of accent Shae (played by German actress Creator/SibelKekilli) what kind of accent she has, and she simply replies, "Foreign." Cersei suspects she's from the Free City of Lorath, but Shae doesn't directly confirm or deny this. (The The fact that a different character with a German accent claims to be from Lorath does add some credibility to Cersei's deduction, however.)

Added: 235

Changed: 194

Removed: 119

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* The host characters of ''Series/VivaVariety'' were originally supposed to be generically European; however, most viewers perceived Mr. and the former Mrs. Laupin to be French, and eventually it was implied that they were. Johnny Bluejeans' origins were left vague. It's also suggested at other times that they hailed from somewhere on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall, such as Mr. Laupin's comment on a crappy "Beach Blanket" film he and Agatha starred in:
-->''To celebrate our success, we used the money from the film to buy some toilet paper and a cabbage... Good livin'.''

to:

* The host characters of ''Series/VivaVariety'' were originally supposed to be generically European; however, most viewers perceived Mr. and the former Mrs. Laupin to be French, and eventually it was implied that they were. Johnny Bluejeans' origins were left vague. It's also suggested at other times that they hailed from somewhere on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall, such as Mr. Laupin's comment on a crappy "Beach Blanket" film he and Agatha starred in:
-->''To
in: "To celebrate our success, we used the money from the film to buy some toilet paper and a cabbage... Good livin'.''" American blue jeans were also famously popular contraband in the Soviet Union.


Added DiffLines:

* ''Series/Daredevil2015'': Wilson Fisk's girlfriend Vanessa speaks with a foreign accent and is in the country on a visa, but she never speaks her native language and we never learn what country she hails from. The actress is Israeli.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

[[folder: Videogames]]
* [[HotScientist Dr Vahlen]] from ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', whose accent is an odd hybrid of French and German. The fandom's best guess is that she's from somewhere near the border between the two countries and spent a lot of time travelling back and forth between them in her youth.
[[/folder]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ''Manga/DeathNote'': The Wammy's kids. L is later said to be a mix of Japanese, English, Russian, and either Italian or French. Mello's real name, Mihael Keehl, suggests a mix of Croatian and German although this is not confirmed. Matt's real name, Mail Jeevas, is quite a bit harder to pin down in terms of an ethnic background or a country of origin. Near's ethnic background is also unconfirmed. (The LightNovel ''LightNovel/LChangeTheWorld'' ''does'' name a Thai boy as Near, but [[NamesTheSame he does not appear to be related in any way to the Near from the series proper]].) Beyond Birthday is a self-chosen nickname, and Rue Ryuuzaki is just an alias.[[note]] Though it ''is'' possible that that's a case of RealNameAsAlias.[[/note]]

to:

* ''Manga/DeathNote'': The Wammy's kids. L is later said to be a mix of Japanese, English, Russian, and either Italian or French. Mello's real name, Mihael Keehl, suggests a mix of Croatian and German although this is not confirmed. Matt's real name, Mail Jeevas, is quite a bit harder to pin down in terms of an ethnic background or a country of origin. Near's ethnic background is also unconfirmed. (The LightNovel ''LightNovel/LChangeTheWorld'' ''does'' name a Thai boy as Near, but [[NamesTheSame he does not appear to be related in any way to the Near from the series proper]].) Beyond Birthday is a self-chosen nickname, and Rue Ryuuzaki is just an alias.[[note]] Though it ''is'' possible that that's a case of RealNameAsAlias.RealNameAsAnAlias.[[/note]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


Compare AmbiguouslyBrown, which can overlap with this trope. Contrast ButNotTooForeign. See also WhereTheHellIsSpringfield, for when it's the setting of the show that's ambiguously located. The real life version as applied to versatile actors is PlaysGreatEthnics.

to:

Compare AmbiguouslyBrown, AmbiguouslyBrown and UndisclosedNative, which can overlap with this trope. Contrast ButNotTooForeign. See also WhereTheHellIsSpringfield, for when it's the setting of the show that's ambiguously located. The real life version as applied to versatile actors is PlaysGreatEthnics.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

-->He's probably from Poland.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* One of the Series/Danger5 is Pierre, from an unspecified European country.

Added: 173

Changed: 252

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[AC:{{Advertising}}]]

to:

[[AC:{{Advertising}}]][[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]




[[AC:AnimeAndManga]]

to:

\n[[AC:AnimeAndManga]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]




[[AC:FanFiction]]

to:

\n[[AC:FanFiction]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]




[[AC:{{Film}}]]

to:

\n[[AC:{{Film}}]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]




[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

to:

\n[[AC:{{Literature}}]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]




[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]]

to:

\n[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]




[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]

to:

\n[[AC:{{Theatre}}]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]




[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

to:

\n[[AC:WesternAnimation]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]




to:

[[/folder]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


->'''Fez:''' That Tomas is shady. But have you noticed he never says what country he's from?
->'''Hyde:''' ''(beat)'' What country are ''you'' from?
-->--- ''Series/That70sShow''

to:

->'''Fez:''' ->'''Fez''': That Tomas is shady. But have you noticed he never says what country he's from?
->'''Hyde:''' ''(beat)''
from?\\
'''Hyde''': ''[beat]''
What country are ''you'' from?
-->--- -->-- ''Series/That70sShow''



They're likely to talk about TheOldCountry a lot without ever telling you what it is. Can be played for drama to hint at a character having a MysteriousPast, but more common as a way to create the ultimate FunnyForeigner - you can use all the best stereotypes without offending ''anyone''! Of course, if a home country is ever revealed or [[{{Fanon}} deduced]], all of this becomes MisaimedStereotyping and will probably continue to happen because of how it's still funny.

to:

They're likely to talk about TheOldCountry a lot without ever telling you what it is. Can be played for drama to hint at a character having a MysteriousPast, but more common as a way to create the ultimate FunnyForeigner - you FunnyForeigner--you can use all the best stereotypes without offending ''anyone''! Of course, if a home country is ever revealed or [[{{Fanon}} deduced]], all of this becomes MisaimedStereotyping and will probably continue to happen because of how it's still funny.



A popular variant in the UK is the "Eurotrash" character, someone whose origin can be loosely classed as Central/Western Europe but no narrower than that, speaking fluent English with an accent that hopscotches between Swedish, French, German, Italian...

to:

A popular variant in the UK is the "Eurotrash" character, someone whose origin can be loosely classed as Central/Western Europe but no narrower than that, speaking fluent English with an accent that hopscotches between Swedish, French, German, Italian...
Italian…
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* The host characters of ''VivaVariety'' were originally supposed to be generically European; however, most viewers perceived Mr. and the former Mrs. Lapin to be French, and eventually it was implied that they were. Johnny Bluejeans' origins were left vague.

to:

* The host characters of ''VivaVariety'' ''Series/VivaVariety'' were originally supposed to be generically European; however, most viewers perceived Mr. and the former Mrs. Lapin Laupin to be French, and eventually it was implied that they were. Johnny Bluejeans' origins were left vague.
vague. It's also suggested at other times that they hailed from somewhere on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall, such as Mr. Laupin's comment on a crappy "Beach Blanket" film he and Agatha starred in:
-->''To celebrate our success, we used the money from the film to buy some toilet paper and a cabbage... Good livin'.''

Top