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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2005-03 > 1111435900


From: Whitney Keen <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Re:"Slanted eyes"
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 15:11:40 -0500
References: <032120051914.16108.423F1D33000895B200003EEC2200745672CE050C0E9D080C9C0D@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To: <032120051914.16108.423F1D33000895B200003EEC2200745672CE050C0E9D080C9C0D@comcast.net>


Without anyone taking offence, please, my half- Romanian, half-English
sister-in-law has what would be considered "slanted eyes". These are not
the eyes typical of Asians, but rather eyes that appear to slant upward
on the outside ends. I have seen them also on several people of Russian
descent, and would suggest that maybe they are a feature of Slavic
people. My sister-in-law's mother also has these eyes.
Whitney Keen

wrote:

> Hmmm...there are a couple things here...
>
> One: there are, of course, as Charles points out, a lot of different groups who made up the "PA Dutch." But just for the record, the Amish and Mennonite people, who many tend to associate in their minds with PA Dutch, have their earlier roots in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland. Due to the persecution they faced in their homeland, many emigrated to the Palatinate, Alsace, Lorraine, and the Jura mountains, a few to Bavaria, and others to Galicia and Volhynia in Eastern Europe and Russia. After some generations in these lands, they came to America.
>
> Some may recall Bernard Burgey's history lesson about how the Palatinate landowners brought in Swiss folk and others from different nationalities to settle the lands that had been devastated by the 30 Years War. But since the Anabaptists were still not permitted to own property and so forth there, they moved on to the greener pastures of Pennsylvania and beyond.
>
> Two: I have not noticed, myself, any Europeans with "slanted eyes." This term usually refers to the presence of the epicanthal fold in the inner corner of the eyes. You either have it, or you don't -- I don't think it's a matter of degree. A biological anthropologist would tell you that (1) it is not found in Europeans outside of perhaps the Saami who may have some Asian ancestry -- and that is in question, and (2) the phrase "slanted eyes" (or slant-eyed) is nowadays considered rather disrespectful and impolite. I'm sorry, I know you didn't mean anything by it, especially since you were describing yourself, but I thought I would mention that in case it could save you from future embarrassment.
>
> Bonnie
>
>
> ==============================
> New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429
>


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