no_es_linda
Lately I've been hearing the term Asian used with people and Oriental being used with inanimate objects...but only some things. Like:
Those Asians...
Oriental rug...
Oriental food, but Asian cuisine
So...I don't know. I think it just depends on the person's preference, although I get highly offended when someone calls Asian people Orientals.
...and I'm as white and cornfed as they come!
Those Asians...
Oriental rug...
Oriental food, but Asian cuisine
So...I don't know. I think it just depends on the person's preference, although I get highly offended when someone calls Asian people Orientals.
...and I'm as white and cornfed as they come!
Interesting point, yet it has a contradiction. Because from what I am reading, is that you dislike Oriental people being called "Orientals" because there are items that are referred to as "oriental" yet, being American myself, I see no issue with this, because aren't hamburgers referred to as "American food" and we have "American cars" and there are also "European cars" and "Italian food" yet we still call Europeans Europeans, Italians Italians, and Americans Americans.
The word "Orientals" derives from that in which their people are located, in the Orient, whereas we are (in America) referred to as living in the "Occident" therefore being, "Occidentals" (also known as westerners). Yet, that is not a term used much or at all even in casual conversation, because our cultures clash so much with that of neighboring countries that we aren't referred to as one unit of people. Instead we specify who we are speaking about, such as "Americans" or "Brazilians" or even "Mexicans". Which is why "Asians" also separate themselves from other places of the Orient, such as in India. Because the "Asian" countries, such as Japan, China, Korea, Phillipines, and so forth may share differences in culture, but those cultures are far more closely related than what may be of say America and Mexico. But those countries cultures are extremely separate from that of say India, and Afghanistan, so they don't refer to these said countries as "Asians" because they aren't enough like them to have that title. Instead they are either "Indians" or "Afghanistanians", which, in thinking this way, using the term Asian may be more derogatory than that of the term "Oriental" because it is singling one group out from that of an entire continent and pinpointing one or two aspects on that one "group" because of said stereotypes that consider one to be "Asian"
So, in looking at this, the term "Asian" refers to a group of specific people from the area of the Orient. While the term "Orientals" refers to everyone in that location. Therefore, in being "Asian" you are "Oriental" and thus, these terms are the same yet different, depending on where or where not you may be from. So, if you are offended by the term "Oriental" would that not, in fact, be saying that you are also offended by the term "Asian", or do you not consider yourself Oriental? Even though that is where your ancestors may have came from. But, if you do not consider yourself "Oriental" you would be also denying yourself of being an "Asian" therefore, what are you? Whatever you please, I suppose.
(Side note: The word Orientals means "Of or relating to the countries of the Orient or their peoples or cultures; eastern"
Whilist Occidentals means "Of or relating to the countries of the Occident or their peoples or cultures; western"
Thus "Oriental rugs" because they hail from that of the Orient.)
The word "Orientals" derives from that in which their people are located, in the Orient, whereas we are (in America) referred to as living in the "Occident" therefore being, "Occidentals" (also known as westerners). Yet, that is not a term used much or at all even in casual conversation, because our cultures clash so much with that of neighboring countries that we aren't referred to as one unit of people. Instead we specify who we are speaking about, such as "Americans" or "Brazilians" or even "Mexicans". Which is why "Asians" also separate themselves from other places of the Orient, such as in India. Because the "Asian" countries, such as Japan, China, Korea, Phillipines, and so forth may share differences in culture, but those cultures are far more closely related than what may be of say America and Mexico. But those countries cultures are extremely separate from that of say India, and Afghanistan, so they don't refer to these said countries as "Asians" because they aren't enough like them to have that title. Instead they are either "Indians" or "Afghanistanians", which, in thinking this way, using the term Asian may be more derogatory than that of the term "Oriental" because it is singling one group out from that of an entire continent and pinpointing one or two aspects on that one "group" because of said stereotypes that consider one to be "Asian"
So, in looking at this, the term "Asian" refers to a group of specific people from the area of the Orient. While the term "Orientals" refers to everyone in that location. Therefore, in being "Asian" you are "Oriental" and thus, these terms are the same yet different, depending on where or where not you may be from. So, if you are offended by the term "Oriental" would that not, in fact, be saying that you are also offended by the term "Asian", or do you not consider yourself Oriental? Even though that is where your ancestors may have came from. But, if you do not consider yourself "Oriental" you would be also denying yourself of being an "Asian" therefore, what are you? Whatever you please, I suppose.
(Side note: The word Orientals means "Of or relating to the countries of the Orient or their peoples or cultures; eastern"
Whilist Occidentals means "Of or relating to the countries of the Occident or their peoples or cultures; western"
Thus "Oriental rugs" because they hail from that of the Orient.)
