Ask a Yank of the Day

Out of context: Reply #11

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  • Nairn-1

    Also, is using the term 'Oriental' verboten over there?

    I've had flak for using it in the past on here - but in the UK it's a commonly-used descriptor.

    • I think it falls into the same 'no-go' category as saying 'eskimo' in Canada.Continuity
    • When referring to people, yes, typically not when referring to objectswhatthefunk
    • It also fucks up measuring out salt in a recipe, if you use antiquted spoons to measure a dry ingredient. So, then, one is forced to figure out ...Continuity
    • ... how much a tablespoon of kosher salt weighs, and then measure out the same weight in whatever other salt one typically uses.Continuity
    • *antiquated. Fuck me, I seem to have contracted whatever degenerative brain disease afflicts yurimon/deathboy.Continuity
    • Also, all three of the above notes belong to the post below. Fucking hell.Continuity
    • We have a lot of different asians, so we address them from where they come from.toemaas
    • hahaha, wonderful.

      @whatthefunk - makes sense! hadn't thought about it that way
      Nairn
    • Remember the scene in Peep Show where Mark makes a Nazi friend and he asks Jez if he fancies a Chinky? Oriental is not on.garbage
    • I'd not use it for a person. I hadn't otherwise thought about it much. I've only ever thought about it in vague cultural terms - food and generic articles &cNairn
    • Also, The Orient is a term for the East, traditionally comprising anything that belongs to the Eastern world, in relation to Europe.whatthefunk
    • It is the antonym of Occident, the Western World. So The Orient for the US is Europe I guess.whatthefunk
    • The term "Orient" derives from the Latin word oriens meaning "east". Do Aussies use the term? Seems geographically significant and not used there, idkwhatthefunk
    • To be fair, saying anything other than 'Oriental rug' would just sound weird.Continuity
    • In the UK, if you described someone as Asian you would probably be referring to someone from India or Pakistan.Chimp
    • Well they're not wrongpango
    • Only old people use "orient" in Canada. Or where I live at leastpango
    • Oriental doesn't even mean one place. It's China for UK speakers, Iran for rugs, Egypt for the Oriental Orthodox church. And it's racist in North America.monNom
    • @continuity Yeah, pretty much just rugs. I would say Americans generally think racist Asian jokes are ok. It happens on this site, ffs.garbage
    • ^pango

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