Learning an oriental language - need help!

[ApatheticNoMore]

For me, what matters is intent and meaning. What does a person say when they use a term like "oriental?"

maybe that they are old, as I don't think the term has been in currency for awhile to refer to people (maybe not in anyone livings lifespan) although people still know what it means. But maybe it was at one point, I don't know. So maybe it's all about age. But languages are not even people so it seems a stretch.

[Alan]

For me, what matters is intent and meaning. What does a person say when they use a term like "oriental?"

Does it matter? I think the perceived offense is in what a person hears when the term is used.

[LDAHL]

maybe that they are old, as I don't think the term has been in currency for awhile to refer to people (maybe not in anyone livings lifespan) although people still know what it means. But maybe it was at one point, I don't know. So maybe it's all about age. But languages are not even people.

My grandfather used to say “colored” all the time, often in reference to ball players he admired. I don’t think any offense was intended. Of course he also often referred to people as “gay”. The only group he ever referred to hatefully were “Huns”; who in fairness handled him pretty roughly in France in 1918.

[Yppej]

I suppose it doesn't surprise me that people in the straight white majority fail to understand why minorities might not want to be described with outdated terms that were used to describe them in the past. But sure, feel free to describe me as homosexual. The reason for my annoyance will be the same as the Asian American you call Oriental or the African American you call negro after you've been asked not to. And if you do it it will say more about you than it does about us.

I thought the preferred term is black again. Isn't that what the Black Lives Matter activist who took Bernie Sanders's mike told him, and the woman who had the cops called on her for trying to use a coupon told the store clerk?

What's with this term African-American jp1?

[ApatheticNoMore]

I use black, I think it is the preferred term, I don't think African American is considered offensive though, certainly it used to be the preferred term. Of course I didn't know homosexual was offensive.

[jp1]

I had thought including negro in my examples would enable people to connect the dots but apparently not. Homosexual was the term of choice imposed on gay people by straight people during the 50’s/60’s/70’s when the majority of straight people considered gay people to be deviant and sick. Negro was the term chosen by whitw people at a time when black people were believed by many white people to be inferior. Oriental was the term chosen by white people at a time when Asian Americans were viewed by many white people to be strange/inferior. Is it really that hard to understand why the people in these minorities would rather not use a term that was originally used to describe them negatively? I get that non-gay, non-black, non-asian people may not be aware of this but to get pissy about it when asked not to use a certain term is obnoxious.

As i said before feel free to call me homosexual. But know that when you do it will bring to my mind all the times i heard that word used as a slur when i was a closeted teenager trying to figure out what to do about what I, at the time, perceived to be a shameful problem with myself. That’s why i’d rather you use gay or LGBT.

Oriental has probably not been used negatively as recently as himosexual but for Asian Americans the word has just as mych crappy baggage.

[Ultralight]

Is white trash acceptable? What about redneck?

When I talk about someone half-assed fixing something I say: "They redneck rigged it."

[Ultralight]

I had thought including negro in my examples would enable people to connect the dots but apparently not. Homosexual was the term of choice imposed on gay people by straight people during the 50’s/60’s/70’s when the majority of straight people considered gay people to be deviant and sick. Negro was the term chosen by whitw people at a time when black people were believed by many white people to be inferior. Oriental was the term chosen by white people at a time when Asian Americans were viewed by many white people to be strange/inferior. Is it really that hard to understand why the people in these minorities would rather not use a term that was originally used to describe them negatively? I get that non-gay, non-black, non-asian people may not be aware of this but to get pissy about it when asked not to use a certain term is obnoxious.

As i said before feel free to call me homosexual. But know that when you do it will bring to my mind all the times i heard that word used as a slur when i was a closeted teenager trying to figure out what to do about what I, at the time, perceived to be a shameful problem with myself. That’s why i’d rather you use gay or LGBT.

Oriental has probably not been used negatively as recently as himosexual but for Asian Americans the word has just as mych crappy baggage.

Would you be offended if someone referred to you as a "gay homosexual?"

[jp1]

Would you be offended if someone referred to you as a "gay homosexual?"

I'd think they were redundant and repetitive.

[Alan]

I had thought including negro in my examples would enable people to connect the dots but apparently not. Homosexual was the term of choice imposed on gay people by straight people during the 50’s/60’s/70’s when the majority of straight people considered gay people to be deviant and sick. Negro was the term chosen by whitw people at a time when black people were believed by many white people to be inferior. Oriental was the term chosen by white people at a time when Asian Americans were viewed by many white people to be strange/inferior. Is it really that hard to understand why the people in these minorities would rather not use a term that was originally used to describe them negatively? I get that non-gay, non-black, non-asian people may not be aware of this but to get pissy about it when asked not to use a certain term is obnoxious.

You do know that the terms you've listed in modern times have a much longer history don't you? As an example, the term Oriental predates America by eons so it seems a little strange to me that Americans can decide that it may not be used to describe people from the Orient. I've heard my entire life about 'ugly Americans', I don't know why we must spend so much effort living up to the moniker.

It's OK with me if Asian Americans would rather not be referred to as Oriental even if I think the reasoning is off base. I think Asian or Asian American is more specific anyway, especially considering the vastly varying geography of "The East". What seems pissy to me is when people start making an issue of simple mistakes based on not being up-to-date on the outrage of the day, especially when no offense is intended. If a term is deemed to be acceptable by the rest of the world, without bias/ridicule or slander, who are we to declare victimization to the non-victimized, we appear to be full of ourselves.