"Asian"

[ShadownINja]

What do Americans call people from the Indian subcontinent then? By Asian, Americans mean people from the Far East/Orientals/Chinese/etc. Whereas when British refer to Asians eg http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/asian-m... you know they don't mean Oriental. Just something that bugs me, that's all.

[Vixpy1]

ShadownINja said:

What do Americans call people from the Indian subcontinent then?

um.. Indians?

[ShadownINja]

Vixpy1 said:

ShadownINja said:

What do Americans call people from the Indian subcontinent then?

um.. Indians?

Even the pakistanis? What about them as a group?

Chinese/Japanese/Korean = Asian
Indians/pakistanis/Sri Lankan = ?

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 17th April 00:48

[350GT]

Asia is pretty much from the Middle east all the way over to Japan. 'Oriental' is specific to China, japan, Taiwan, etc, but is still Asia.

[ShadownINja]

350GT said:

Asia is pretty much from the Middle east all the way over to Japan. 'Oriental' is specific to China, japan, Taiwan, etc, but is still Asia.

Yes, except you KNOW they mean Oriental. Use google.com and search for "asian man".

Whereas if someone says someone is Asian over here, they mean Indian/pakistani/etc.

And what do you call people from the Indian subcontinent, then? Asian?

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 17th April 00:52

[350GT]

But maybe they just don't use that term, I know I haven't called someone an 'oriental' person. They are always asian. They ARE asian.

[ShadownINja]

And the rest?

I never call Chinese etc asian. Asian means indian etc to me.

[350GT]

ShadownINja said:

And the rest?

I never call Chinese etc asian. Asian means indian etc to me.

Well I suppose that is the wonder of folks being different.

[ShadownINja]

350GT said:

ShadownINja said:

And the rest?

I never call Chinese etc asian. Asian means indian etc to me.

Well I suppose that is the wonder of folks being different.

You still haven't answered the other part about non-oriental "asians".

[350GT]

They are asian... As they come from the Asian continent, in the same way that Africans are African, because they come from the continent of Africa.

[ShadownINja]

350GT said:

They are asian... As they come from the Asian continent, in the same way that Africans are African, because they come from the continent of Africa.

Tis a bit vague, though. And as above, when you say asian you know you don't mean Indian/pakistani etc.

[ShadownINja]

It is a bit strange generally. I mean, we have South East Asia, which includes the likes of Thailand and Malaysia. But we don't refer to China and Japan as being East Asia but the Far East, being East of everything. And then there's the Middle East which isn't West Asia, right?

On that note, I'm going to bed in the Western part of the bed, just to be safe.

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 17th April 01:05

[Colonial]

To us Asian is Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian etc etc etc

Someone from India is Indian, someone from pakistan is pakistani.

[Nobody You Know]

Generally Americans can be heard shouting...

"Hey you, we don't take kindly to your type round these parts"

at Asian people.

Bit of a mouthful to say though.

[XJSJohn]

well, living in Asia, the locals here refer to people from India, pakistan, Bangladesh etc at South Asians,

Those from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore etc are South East Asians

Those from China seem to be referred to as China people or Mainland Chinese, and the Japs are just Japanese.

[XJSJohn]

PW said:

ShadownINja said:

Far East... Middle East

Whatever happened to the Near East?

Thats the East End isn't it?

[drivin_me_nuts]

XJSJohn said:

PW said:

ShadownINja said:

Far East... Middle East

Whatever happened to the Near East?

Thats the East End isn't it?

France, definately France.. No wait, that's down a bit and hangs to the right... Must be Belgium then. Yup, definately Belgium.

[Nobody You Know]

PW said:

ShadownINja said:

Far East... Middle East

Whatever happened to the Near East?

You mean the West East

[Colonial]

PW said:

ShadownINja said:

Far East... Middle East

Whatever happened to the Near East?

Terms such as middle east, far east and the like are purely a societal construct which reinforces the patriachal, capitalist, western hierarchy, a relic and a throwback to our colonial desires and merely serves to subjugate those who have previously been unfairly targetted by the so called "civillised" or "western" nations.

[tim the pool man]

ShadownINja said:

And the rest?

I never call Chinese etc asian. Asian means indian etc to me.

I think you will find that is an English quirk only. I find it very odd to think that by "Asian" you actually mean Indian...

Colonial said:

To us Asian is Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian etc etc etc

Someone from India is Indian, someone from pakistan is pakistani.

Spot on my Colonial cobber