# Ask Eritrean Guy **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 28, 2001, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634 "2001-11-28T02:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/1 "2001-11-28T02:12:13Z")
Having been inspired by the “Ask The Catholic Guy”, “Ask the Gay Guy”, “Ask the Black Guy”, and the “Ask the Muslim Guy” threads, I have started an “Ask Eritrean Guy” one. Oh yes, thats right. Here you can ask all the questions that you wanted to about Eritreans but never had the guts too. I will now open the flood gates of questions that will arise from starting this thread. You can now ask Away! well… Start asking!! ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/2 "2001-11-28T02:20:47Z")
Eritrean, huh? I have two questions. Do you live in Eritrea now, or have you emigrated to another state? Given the history between Ethiopia and Eritrea, what do you think the chances of long term peace and cooperation between the two states are? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/3 "2001-11-28T02:32:50Z")
For anybody else who doesn’t know where Eritrea is. [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/er.html](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/er.html) > [@](#): > > Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia’s annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two and a half year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. > > Government type: transitional government > > note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections have now been scheduled to take place in December 2001 My question would be, “Is this going to work?” ---
**Author:** ![Animalmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Animalmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animalmother)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/4 "2001-11-28T02:49:29Z")
I met a gorgeous Eritrean bartender at a bar in Heidelberg during labor day. At first I asked her if she was Egyptian (she shook her head no), then I tried conversing with her in spanish but that didn’t work either. Her English was almost as good as my nonexistent German, but anyway to cut to the chase what are some good Eritrean phrases or I could use if I am so very fortunate to run into her again? ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/5 "2001-11-28T03:24:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > \*\*Eritrean, huh? I have two questions. Do you live in Eritrea now, or have you emigrated to another state? Given the history between Ethiopia and Eritrea, what do you think the chances of long term peace and cooperation between the two states are? \*\* 1. I live in Csnada. 2) I don’t know about chances for peace, but hopefully it will be good. ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/6 "2001-11-28T03:26:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*My question would be, “Is this going to work?” \*\* I think it will. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/7 "2001-11-28T03:37:59Z")
Do they not have definite articles in Eritria? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/8 "2001-11-28T03:46:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Animalmother \* > \*\*I met a gorgeous Eritrean bartender at a bar in Heidelberg during labor day. At first I asked her if she was Egyptian (she shook her head no), then I tried conversing with her in spanish but that didn’t work either. Her English was almost as good as my nonexistent German, but anyway to cut to the chase what are some good Eritrean phrases or I could use if I am so very fortunate to run into her again? \*\* Well in Eritrea we have about nine different langauges, so she could speak anything from Afari to Saho. But if she was Eritrean chances are that she would speak Tigrinya (almost all Eritreans can speak it) so here are a few helpful words when dating. Se-lam : Hello Shim-mey Animalmother E-yu : My name is Animalmother English tza-reb-do : Do you speak English? qwuz-ri silk-khi kin-dey’yu : What is your phone number?(to a female) qwuz-ri sil-key 555-6853 : My phone number is 555-6853 Chow : Bye ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/9 "2001-11-28T03:50:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by waterj2 \* > \*\*Do they not have definite articles in Eritria? > 🙂 \*\* To be honest… I started this thread as a joke, I mean how many questions can people possibly have for an Eritrean? :). But if someone does have a question I’ll be here twiddling my thumbs. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/10 "2001-11-28T04:28:32Z")
I was referring to the lack of the word “the” between “ask” and “Eritrean”. The word “the” is a definite article, while the words “a” and “an” are indefinite articles. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/11 "2001-11-28T05:07:57Z")
Why are you living in Canada and not in Eritrea? How long since you were last in Eritrea? What makes you think the new “government thing” will work? Do you still have relatives there? ---
**Author:** ![Major\_Feelgud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Major\_Feelgud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Feelgud)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/12 "2001-11-28T06:42:38Z")
Any ethnic (racial) differences between Ethiopians and Eritreans? Can you tell one from the other? I had the chance a few years ago to meet a lot of Ethiopians and Eritreans. The Eritreans I met told me they were Eritreans, but the Ethiopians said Ethiopians and Eritreans were the same. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Stewart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Dave\_Stewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Stewart)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/13 "2001-11-28T07:59:47Z")
That war with Ethiopia was terrible. Two really poor countries fighting a war like that… With the greatest of respect, could it have been worth it? Why is independence such a big issue for Eritreans? How is the Eritrean culture different from Ethiopia’s culture? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/14 "2001-11-28T08:09:48Z")
Why is the coffee so famous, and how can we get some? ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/15 "2001-11-28T13:48:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by waterj2 \* > \*\*I was referring to the lack of the word “the” between “ask” and “Eritrean”. The word “the” is a definite article, while the words “a” and “an” are indefinite articles. \*\* Oh. Alright ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/16 "2001-11-28T13:51:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*Why are you living in Canada and not in Eritrea? How long since you were last in Eritrea? What makes you think the new “government thing” will work? Do you still have relatives there? \*\* 1. My family left Eritrea during the mengistu era. (It was not safe) 2)Since the border war broke out. 3)It has worked with other countries why not Eritrea. 4)Yes, a lot of family. ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/17 "2001-11-28T13:57:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Major Feelgud \* > \*\*Any ethnic (racial) differences between Ethiopians and Eritreans? Can you tell one from the other? > > I had the chance a few years ago to meet a lot of Ethiopians and Eritreans. The Eritreans I met told me they were Eritreans, but the Ethiopians said Ethiopians and Eritreans were the same. \*\* 1. There is no visibly difference between Ethiopians or Eritreans. 2)Only when they talk in their native tounge (diffrent languages, or accents) and sometimes we can’t. 3)Eritreans will often bend over backwards to prove that they are not Ethiopians but Ethiopians will often say that both are the same. It is true that both are almost identical, but if you ever told that to an Eritrean… they would scold you for a hour:). ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/18 "2001-11-28T14:08:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dave Stewart \* > \*\*That war with Ethiopia was terrible. Two really poor countries fighting a war like that… > > With the greatest of respect, could it have been worth it? Why is independence such a big issue for Eritreans? How is the Eritrean culture different from Ethiopia’s culture? \*\* 1. In my veiw… HELL NO!!! This (border) war was not worth a damn. 2. With Eritreans, Independence is life, pure and simple. Few people can understand how horrible past Ethiopian governments were. That is why Eritreans don’t want want to be associated with anything that is Ethiopian. Independence was everything. 3. Eritrean culture does differ from Ethiopian culture slightly, but by very little. ---
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/19 "2001-11-28T14:19:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by China Guy \* > \*\*Why is the coffee so famous, and how can we get some? \*\* Coffee is famous because it is said to have been originated from the “Ethiopia”. In Eritrea & Ethiopia Coffee is a cult, a drinking coffee is a pastime. We have a very precise ceremony that goes along with drinking coffee. We don’t drink by the liter as with westreners, we make strong black coffe than drink it in little cups (called fen-gels). It is great (I want some right now). You can get Ethiopian (thats what it is called) coffee at specalty stores, but if you really want to experince the coffee go to an Ethiopian or Eritrean reserant. You won’t regret it. Maybe you can go to an Eritrean (or Ethiopian) friends house and experince the Coffee ceremony too. ---
**Author:** ![JDM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90db22/32.png) [@JDM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDM)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634/20 "2001-11-28T18:34:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by waterj2 \* > \*\*I was referring to the lack of the word “the” between “ask” and “Eritrean”. The word “the” is a definite article, while the words “a” and “an” are indefinite articles. \*\* It would be ok if his name was Guy. I knew a guy named Guy once, although he wasn’t Eritrean. He was gay, though, so he was Gay Guy. He was not, however, “the” gay guy, because there were several other gay guys working there. Nor was he The Gay Guy ™. But if that guy and the Eritrean guy were together and the Eritrean guy were named Guy and you said “Hey Guy” you’d have to specify which Guy you were talking to when you said “Hey, Guy” and you might say “Hey Eritrean Guy.” I had a boss last year who referred to a cow orker as Irish Joe, although the Joe she referred to was Scottish. She has moved to Switzerland though. And then there was Injun Joe, who was ticklish, per Sloppy Moe. But was Granny a Clampett or a Bodine? This is not to be taken lightly. After all, if you had two mandrills, and one mandrill said “Do you have a match?” and the other mandrill said “Your face and my ass,” it would be correct. But would it be an insult? I cannot say. JDM [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-eritrean-guy/95634.md?page=2)