Is "Oriental" a racist word??

[ladygrey]

Yes, it is.

You only use that term to describe objects, not people.

It's not semantics, it's the wonder of the english language and word meanings.

 

[slobone]

So what's the PC term to describe somebody who looks Chinese/Japanese/Korean but you don't know which?

 

[G-Lexington]

Depends on the area, actually. "Asian" is the preferred term in America. However, in the UK, that term is reserved for people from India. So I believe, there, they are referred to as "Oriental".

Any Brits - feel free to correct me on that one.

Lex

 

[FlyingCheeseSteak]

Ha, ha.
A few months ago, during a lecture, my chemistry professor referred to Asians as "The Orientals." I remember looking at one of the Asian students at the time (ahem, ahem) and saw that he was slightly taken aback but seemed to laugh it off.
In his defense, the prof was a really old guy.

 

[ladygrey]

How about just calling them "Asian"?

It's not PC, because Oriential is an art/historical term that can only used to describe objects. It's not inherently wrong, but mistakenly used. Unless of course, you know that it means "object" and are delibrately labeling a human being as a "object" of race.

You know, why do you even need to make a racial distinction?

 

[belamy]

How about just calling them "Asian"?

It's not PC, because Oriential is an art/historical term that can only used to describe objects. It's not inherently wrong, but mistakenly used. Unless of course, you know that it means "object" and are delibrately labeling a human being as a "object" of race.

You know, why do you even need to make a racial distinction?

Wow, I knew about not using the "o" word, at least in the US, but I had never been given some apparently reasonable explanation until I read that.
So where does racial end and cultural start? I remember addressing to some "Asian-American" girl as (Saxon)American and she was puzzled to say the least.

Anyway, that big chunk of planet Earth extending from the East Mediterranean to the Pacific having his identity somehow decided by a different part of the world with that "Asian" term seems rather problematic.

 

[slobone]

How about just calling them "Asian"?

It's not PC, because Oriential is an art/historical term that can only used to describe objects. It's not inherently wrong, but mistakenly used. Unless of course, you know that it means "object" and are delibrately labeling a human being as a "object" of race.

You know, why do you even need to make a racial distinction?

In case one of them mugs me and I need to describe him to the police?

I had a feeling you were going to say Asian -- that's one of my pet peeves. Asia covers a lot of territory -- Israelis are Asian, for example. Can't you guys come up with something more helpful?

 

[G-Lexington]

>>>Can't you guys come up with something more helpful?

Well, at the last huge meeting of CJKUTMLDFWs (Chinese Japanese and Koreans United to Make Life Difficult for Whites), "Asian" was the best thing they could come up with. Maybe at the next meeting, they'll run it by you for approval before they put it to a vote.

I don't have any trouble with someone saying I'm "Caucasian" even though I doubt any of my ancestors went everywhere near those mountains. It's just a word - a sound or collection of letters to indicate something. So it's not 100% clear or accurate - that makes it similar to, oh, another thousand words in the English language.

Lex

 

[ladygrey]

Why don't ask your goverment to tag them all? That way you'll never get them confused at all. Or maybe, why not have each nationality wear some sort of a visible marker that implies ethinic orgin.

You know, I guess you may not have any relationships with people of other ethnic origins, but you could just ask.

Most people appreicaite being asked what the term they perfer is.

Of course, if a ethinic minority is robbing you, well then just point and shout incoherently at the next "colored" person you see. I'm sure the police will sort it out later.

 

[NightDancer]

I would not consider it a racist word when describing food. However, I would consider it a broad term when calling a person "an oriental" and not very culturally sensitive. The Orient is a very big place.

According to Miriam Webster dictionary:
Main Entry: ori·en·tal
Pronunciation: \ˌȯr-ē-ˈen-təl\
Function: adjective
Date: 14th century
1often capitalized : of, relating to, or situated in Asia
2 a: of superior grade, luster, or value b: being corundum or sapphire but simulating another gem in color
3often capitalized sometimes offensive : Asian
4capitalized : of, relating to, or constituting the biogeographic region that includes Asia south and southeast of the Himalayas and the Malay Archipelago west of Wallace's line

 

[belamy]

Why don't ask your goverment to tag them all? That way you'll never get them confused at all. Or maybe, why not have each nationality wear some sort of a visible marker that implies ethinic orgin.

Well, they already do, you only need to have eyes to be aware...

 

[J-23]

I thought it was considered offensive because the etymology of the word is Eurocentric.

 

[jonty71]

interesting blog, I personally would never have thought oriental was racist, but i have had some education tonight. thanks guys. I'm scottish, and don't mind being called anything except scotch, which i hate.

 

[tze100]

As a British-born Chinese I had no idea that calling somebody 'Oriental' was considered racist until I heard 'Everyone's A Little Bit Racist' from 'Avenue Q'. I personally wouldn't take offence to being described as Oriental, although the issue has never come up.

Apparently one of my good friends from Lincolnshire would clump me under the 'coloured' category, and he couldn't understand why I found that offensive.

 

[Beezer]

When I was in the military a hundred years ago (LOL) I became friendly with a Japanese family. I was always introduced as "our Occidental friend" although it should have been apparent. I wasn't offended then and wouldn't be now. Maybe we need to get over labels.

 

[ashonfire]

i've heard many a brit use "orientals", it sounds like something from the '50s.

 

[Jeimuzu]

I've used the term before. Nobody I know considers it offensive, and I do know a guy who is completely chinese.

I used it because frankly, Asia is such a big place. There's a lot of culture exclusive to the Chinese/Japanese/Thai/etc corner of Asia.

 

[AaronG]

"Asian" works, but when speaking to/about Americans, it's preferable to use "Asian-American," because of the common misconception that despite their long history in this country, Asians are all immigrants, and not fully American. Likewise, "Chinese-American" rather than simply "Chinese." Unless, of course, the person is actually from the PRC.

"Oriental" is for rugs.

 

[NYtiger6]

This thread is interesting to me because I recently learned in a class on the Middle East that the word "Oriental" was coined by English and French scholars in the 19th century and referred to the now-called Middle East. (Hence, orientalism is the study of the Middle East and orientalists are those who study it.) "Orient" meant the lands to the east of Europe (the Occident) but has since come to mean anything (or even person) coming out of Eastern Asia. Calling somebody from Eastern Asia "oriental" is not only not PC but it is also wrong.

 

[WRITERPAUL]

I have an adopted niece from South Korea and when we refer to her ethnic background, we say Asian as my family has been taught that "oriental" has negative connotations. Rugs are oriental, people are Asian, and so forth.