Is Oriental considered offensive worldwide?

[GodlyBob]

Oriental is derived form the word Orient which was used to describe the countries of Asia, especially East Asia.
it has been pretty much been replaced by the word Asian
but I don't think Oriental generally meant it is referring ones race just the place you are from unlike Asian which is referring to ones race
kind of like being called an America which could be referring to north America central, south or even Latin American and it doesn't indicate ones race

Oriental implies a division between Oriental and Occidental cultures, more specifically that there are some presumed stereotypes about the differences between white people and Asian. It's more like calling anybody from Appalachia a redneck. A lot of people will not care, some will like it, but there are going to be a fair number of people who are not happy with the cultural implications.

[Pony Soldier]

No and I hope this isn't a new word that is being considered offensive. If you want to talk about offensive words to call the Chinese then that would be chinks or gooks. That's offensive, orientals are just what they are just like how white people are whites, black people are blacks, and Hispanic people are Latinos. We need to stop looking for words and putting some sort of offensive background to it. It's getting ridiculous now. Pretty soon we'll just have to call each other humans. I wouldn't even be surprised if people somehow found THAT offensive. What would we call each other then? Since every word we used to use was either racist, sexist, or offensive in some way.

[Reeve]

Calling someone "Oriental" feels like on the same level as calling a Chinese guy a "Chinaman."

[turboether]

Calling someone "Oriental" feels like on the same level as calling a Chinese guy a "Chinaman."

More akin to calling a white person a "Westerner."

[Kalis]

Calling someone "Oriental" feels like on the same level as calling a Chinese guy a "Chinaman."

That must be an American thing, it's not regarded as the least bit offensive in the UK and is interchangeable with Far Eastern when describing people from the Far East/Orient.

It just means Eastern, it's no different than calling people Northern Europeans or whatever.

[GodlyBob]

That must be an American thing, it's not regarded as the least bit offensive in the UK and is interchangeable with Far Eastern when describing people from the Far East/Orient.

It just means Eastern, it's no different than calling people Northern Europeans or whatever.

But Northern-Europe or South-Asia are regions, China is a specific country.

[Kalis]

But Northern-Europe or South-Asia are regions, China is a specific country.

Oriental doesn't just refer to the Chinese, so I'm not really sure what your point is.

[GodlyBob]

Oriental doesn't just refer to the Chinese, so I'm not really sure what your point is.

The way your post was written, it sounded like you were saying that "Chinaman" just meant somebody from the Far East.

[Deleted]

It's not "offensive", in that it's used as a slur, but it's way outdated. When was the last time you referred to anything/anyone as "Occidental"? Same difference, really, since they're related terms.

People get referred in the news as 'western' or "westerners" all the time.

I think the problem, in general, is that some people will, while referring to another group in a derogatory context, use a name or label and then that label will get tarnished by association. When it eventually gets too socially unacceptable then another term will be adopted and the cycle will repeat. The original term may even eventually recycled into common use again...

The problem is not the word, it's the attitude behind it.

[Kalis]

The way your post was written, it sounded like you were saying that "Chinaman" just meant somebody from the Far East.

Chinaman isn't a common term in the UK, it sounds like the sort of thing you'd hear in Jackie Chan's Hollywood movies.

[Reeve]

More akin to calling a white person a "Westerner."

Maybe where you live. Not here.

[GodlyBob]

Chinaman isn't a common term in the UK, it sounds like the sort of thing you'd hear in Jackie Chan's Hollywood movies.

What was the last thing he was in anyway? I haven't seen him in forever.

[Deleted]

More akin to calling a white person a "Westerner."

What's wrong with Chinaman? We're called Englishmen

[GodlyBob]

What's wrong with Chinaman? We're called Englishmen

Frenchman, Chinaman, Norseman, all sound kind of strange. I don't think they're offensive at all, they're just kind of "wuh?" to me. It might just be because referring to ethnicity as a noun is off putting. "I am English" sounds less abrasive to me than "I am an Englishman."

[Kalis]

What was the last thing he was in anyway? I haven't seen him in forever.

He's in some film I've downloaded*, Dragon Blade, I haven't watched it yet so I have no idea if it is any good.



*Obviously I paid for it and nothing illegal occurred whatsoever.

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What's wrong with Chinaman? We're called Englishmen

Americans appear to have used every ethnic or national term as an insult at some point in their history, so they're reaching a stage where they'll have to give latitude and longitude when trying to describe where someone is from.

[Deleted]

Frenchman, Chinaman, Norseman, all sound kind of strange. I don't think they're offensive at all, they're just kind of "wuh?" to me. It might just be because referring to ethnicity as a noun is off putting. "I am English" sounds less abrasive to me than "I am an Englishman."

I don't really really see what's weird... Seems a perfectly sound sentenced to say "He's a quintessential Englishman" or "He's a traditional Frenchman"

[turboether]

What's wrong with Chinaman? We're called Englishmen

Nothing. Accurate definitions are accurate. Which was my point above.

[GodlyBob]

I don't really really see what's weird... Seems a perfectly sound sentenced to say "He's a quintessential Englishman" or "He's a traditional Frenchman"

I'm sure it's just a personal thing, like how I have a friend who hates when people use the word "emoji" because he thinks they should be saying "emoticon."

[Reeve]

What's wrong with Chinaman? We're called Englishmen

Because once upon a time it was used as a racial epithet, not just a descriptor. Sort of like saying someone is a "negro." Well, it's just a description of a person's skin color right? What makes it worse than saying "black?" It's worse because of the connotations that go with it, which stem from its usage as a word meant as an epithet.

[Tradewind]

I use Orientals in an ironic way when I am trying to be mindful of my audience who wouldn't appreciate more colourful terms.