Talk:Oriental (word)

Article Checklist for "Oriental (word)"

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Checklist last edited by	-- Russell Potter 10:10, 3 July 2007 (CDT)

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Article moved

Given that the very good new lede for this entry uses the entry word "Orient," I have moved it to Orient and separated out the entry on the adjectival and substantive forms. The discussion will be found there.

PC silliness

Maybe I'm just too insensitive to understand it, but sentences like this one amuse me and leave me baffled:

The Orient is a term that traditionally used in European culture ...

Huh?

Like every other word in the English language, "Orient" was not a word used by European culture. English words are used by English speakers. French words are used by French speakers. Finnic words are used by Finnish speakers, and so on. European is not a language. Much like the word Oriental, European is an adjective describing a conglomeration of diverse cultures and peoples located in a specific part of Eurasia. Traditionally, Orient was not a European word. It was an English word.

In contemporary usage, Orient is still an English word. Although the euro may be currency across Europe, and although English may be spoke around the world, the English language is still ... well ... English. Will Nesbitt 11:14, 3 July 2007 (CDT)

Let's say "The "Orient" and its cognates" then -- since French uses "l'Orient," Italian "l'Oriente" and Spanish "el Oriente" -- a similar term is found in nearly all Romance languages (Germanic languages are an exception). Russell Potter 11:25, 3 July 2007 (CDT)

Is it now proper to refer to Europeans as "West Eurasians", thereby not lessening the vital distinctions between the cultures of say Holland from Germany or Norway? ;^) Will Nesbitt 12:42, 3 July 2007 (CDT)

Almost an outrage

A comment here was deleted by The Constabulary on grounds of making complaints about fellow Citizens. If you have a complaint about the behavior of another Citizen, e-mail constables@citizendium.org. It is contrary to Citizendium policy to air your complaints on the wiki. See also CZ:Professionalism.

The claim that oriental is an insult or derogatory is supported by the works of a narrow group supporting a certain political agenda. Diane Ravitch's work directly addresses the banishment of the term "oriental" and many related terms. Will Nesbitt 09:10, 5 July 2007 (CDT)

Whatever you think of the claim that "Oriental" is derogatory, Ravitch's work clearly has a strong political view as well (she's a fellow at the conservative Hoover Institute). But I don't think this claim necessitates expert opinion; if any people feel offended (and references already present make this a clear fact), then the most that Ravitch can claim is that such people shouldn't be offended. If, beyond the broader discussion of such terms by pre-eminent scholars such as Said (and Said's critics), there is a lingering controversy over the term's usage which aligns itself to a degree along political lines, then that can be stated, and the Neutrality policy followed, at the same time. Russell Potter 09:16, 5 July 2007 (CDT)

I would agree that Ravitch has a political perspective as well. (Ravitch by the way was a Clinton political appointee.) Ravitch, Bork and a good many other well-credentialed people hold the opinion that "sensitivity guides" represent a certain political perspective. I will grant that they may well be wrong. I will also concede that a good many people disagree with their point of view. What I will not concede is that their opinion should be deleted, ignored or not represented simply because their opinion "offends" others.

I would agree that it's a good time to step back from this topic. I would find it very helpful and less inflammatory if others would find a way to make their point without ad hoc deletion and by replying to perfectly reasonable counter-points and questions of logic. Will Nesbitt 11:24, 5 July 2007 (CDT)

Take a breather

May I suggest that everyone take a step back. We all have the same goal. --Matt Innis (Talk) 10:13, 5 July 2007 (CDT)

Misunderstanding

I've removed this quote:

It is a violation of Federal Fair Housing laws to use the word "Oriental" in housing advertisements.

Because it's not indicative that the term is considered a slur. The fact is ALL ethnic and religious descriptors are banned in Fair Housing Laws. For example, one cannot mention any of the following words in a housing advertisement: white, African American, Italian, German, Catholic, etc. None of these words are allowed and none of them are considered slurs. Thus this is not evidence of the word being a slur.

However, the word is used on a document which says, "Negro, Black, Causcasian, Oriental, African American" in the same phrase. These are examples of perfectly acceptable terminologies, which are inappropriate in a housing advertisement. In other words, this is evidence that the word is still in common usage and not considered a slur by many. Will Nesbitt 19:36, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

More evidence of non-pejorative evidence removed

It's not difficult to find or hear the term Oriental in common usage. This is perhaps best evidenced by it's usage on the District of Columbia |official website. The purpose of this document is to establish the racial make-up of contractors who are working for DC gov't. In other words, this is a "sensitivity" document. It's used as a choice alongside: "black, oriental, American Indian, Spanish surname". Are we only going to allow evidence which supports one opinion? Will Nesbitt 19:36, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

no that's not "common usage" -- it's a header in a statistical table. Nice folks don't call other people "orientals" to their face. Richard Jensen 20:02, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

the problem with the word is that for several decades now when talking about real people it's used as an insult, especially by conservatiuves who like to flaunt it in the name of free speech. Even Bork I suspect would not use it in ordinary conversation. CZ should not cater to this sort of insult. Richard Jensen 20:16, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

I dispute this. I not only dispute this, but I have and can dispute this with nearly countless sources. I don't deny that some people agree with you. I just don't think everyone agrees with you. Furthermore, I think you're confusing your opinions with facts. The fact is a good many orientals (my wife included) refer to themselves conversationally as orientals. Can you please find another way to present your case other than by deletion? Is this a politically correctness resource? Will Nesbitt 21:48, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

And with a bit less emotion, "oriental" is insulting but it's allowed in a government statistical table about equal opportunity? You're certainly entitled to believe the word is an insult, but it flies in the face of reality to say that everyone agrees with this assertion. You're cherry-picking your references and ignoring what they say. For example, HUD doesn't ban the word in advertising because it's an insult, as you claimed. Furthermore, I quoted the Alan Hu piece referenced. Your own reference says, "Some people grew up using "Oriental" and saw nothing wrong with the word." I'm not trying to prove that some people aren't offended by the word. I'm just trying to prove that there is no reason to be offended, that many people aren't offended and many people don't intend offense. I think all of these are very valid claims and I've yet to see you write anything to dispute this. Will Nesbitt 22:07, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

HUD bans the word. All dictionaries says it's insulting. It is rarely used in polite company but IS used in the world of pornography and criminal gangs BECAUSE of its illicit or naughty character. There are criminal usages,legacy usages and technical usages but I have not seen any common usages among normal people in recent decades, and neither has Will Nesbit. Richard Jensen 22:08, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

HUD does NOT ban the word. I worked at HUD. I know. I can reference and have referenced this on HUD documents. Richard, I don't know how to politely tell you that you don't know what you are talking about. It seems that you are intent on removing information which doesn't support your belief set:

No other state has regulated the usage of the word and it's commonly found on government documents describing race.

Please explain why it's news that one state bans the word, but we can't mention that 49 states do not have such prohibitions? Your reference' says, Some people grew up using "Oriental" and saw nothing wrong with the word. Do you disagree with your own reference? I'm not sure how you know what my wife and I say and what the orientals in our community say, but I can assure that it is not considered an impolite word. The DC gov't document does not list the N-word or a slang word for a hispanic on the form, but it has "Oriental"? Come on, Richard, you have be reasonable at some point. Will Nesbitt 22:22, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

Nesbitt has yet to demonstrate that normal people use the word in the 21st century. Does HE use it? How, when, where? Richard Jensen 22:24, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

I use it almost every day when I talk to my wife (so does she). Here's |her picture. She was born in Korea, raised in California and for the last 20 years has lived in the Washington metro area. But what exactly is the point? Why is this a personal argument?

A comment here was deleted by The Constabulary on grounds of making complaints about fellow Citizens. If you have a complaint about the behavior of another Citizen, e-mail constables@citizendium.org. It is contrary to Citizendium policy to air your complaints on the wiki. See also CZ:Professionalism. Will Nesbitt 22:38, 11 July 2007 (CDT)

Please let's try to lower the pressure here.

First, let me say that I really don't care about this (other than purely intellectual, and its impact on our little community here) and have no dog in this fight. But I just wanted to say that I find it interesting that Will's wife calls herself an oriental. That's fairly telling. As to the claim that all dictionaries say it's insulting, I was ready to believe this, but I decided to check it on dictionary.com, and I learned that it appears to be false. See [1] and this quotation in particular:

"Asian is now strongly preferred in place of Oriental for persons native to Asia or descended from an Asian people. The usual objection to Oriental—meaning "eastern"—is that it identifies Asian countries and peoples in terms of their location relative to Europe. However, this objection is not generally made of other Eurocentric terms such as Near and Middle Eastern. The real problem with Oriental is more likely its connotations stemming from an earlier era when Europeans viewed the regions east of the Mediterranean as exotic lands full of romance and intrigue, the home of despotic empires and inscrutable customs. At the least these associations can give Oriental a dated feel, and as a noun in contemporary contexts (as in the first Oriental to be elected from the district) it is now widely taken to be offensive. However, Oriental should not be thought of as an ethnic slur to be avoided in all situations. As with Asiatic, its use other than as an ethnonym, in phrases such as Oriental cuisine or Oriental medicine, is not usually considered objectionable." (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company)

Note the explicit note: "However, Oriental should not be thought of as an ethnic slur to be avoided in all situations."

But then note further down, from WordNet: "the term is regarded as offensive by Asians (especially by Asian Americans)". Will's wife and the American Heritage Dictionary appear to disagree!

I didn't know the complexity of the issue, actually, although I can't say I'm surprised. I think the way forward is to focus on representing that complexity; this is what Neutrality Policy requires, and which we are all committed. I have learned a great deal from working on these encyclopedia projects. When people sit down to work together on statements of their shared understandings, when those understandings come into conflict, all kinds of interesting insights can result. Knowledge deepened, vaguely grasped concepts laid bare, etc. So this sort of conflict can be a good thing, if we let it be, and we practice Professionalism. Thanks for listening...off to bed and soon after that, some travel... --Larry Sanger 22:45, 11 July 2007 (CDT)