Which is more politically correct - "Asian" or "Oriental"?

[dexter]

I think New York City dwellers perfected the solution to this quandary long ago.

Just don’t speak.

To anyone.

Ever.

[RWonder777]

I was asked by a co-worker what was I. I simply replied American. She asked me again and I again replied American. she then asked what ethnicity I was and I told her. I then asked what she was and she gave me a look and did not speak to me the rest of the day. Why would she be upset or offended when I am asking her the same question? She was white (German/Irish ethnicity). Did she consider herself more American than I was?

[Acsenray]

Where are you from? — Where are you From? - YouTube

[Dorjan]

@Johanna

The last time I heard anyone use the term “Asiatic,” it was by the Moorish Science Temple and the Nation of Islam in reference to African-Americans.

That’s how I’m used to hearing the term.

According the the 5% Nation of Gods and Earths (an even kookier offshoot of the NOI, but i ain’t mad at em);

According to the 120 Lessons, the Original Man is “the Asiatic Blackman, the founder, the cream of the Planet Earth, the father of Civilization.”

The term “Asiatic” comes from ancient Egypt, and was used to refer to Egypt’s neighbors to the east — what we now refer to as the Middle East or Western Asia and home to Arab, Turkish, Persian, Jewish, or other Near Eastern people.

[ISiddiqui]

@Acsenray

Where are you from? — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crAv5ttax2I

Sometimes when I finally answer Asian (if I don’t feel like saying I’m from Pakistan because I’m feeling snarky), I sometimes get a strange look. Every once in a while someone will say “That’s not Asian”, to which I’ll respond which continent is South Asia on?

[Isamu]

You can use the term ‘oriental’ to talk about rugs, or lamps, or pussy fetishes. I think it would be strange to be offended by its use in any of those contexts.

[Terminus_Est]

Are zombies persons or objects? Is OK if I describe Chinese undead to be Oriental zombies?

[wolfman]

@Terminus_Est

Is OK if I describe Chinese undead to be Oriental zombies?

Of course not. Zombie is a totally occidentocentric term. You should use “jiangshi” if my 2 second google search is right.

[Siam_Sam]

@Isamu

You can use the term ‘oriental’ to talk about … pussy fetishes.

Like a Burmese?

[Lamia]

@wolfman

Of course not. Zombie is a totally occidentocentric term. You should use “jiangshi” if my 2 second google search is right.

I’ve more commonly seen this term (and the Japanese equivalent, kyonshi) translated as “vampire”, but to the best of my (limited) knowledge their appearance and behavior is closer to what modern English speakers think of as a zombie.

[Atomic_Alex]

I found a cache of old computer game magazines in PDF format online a while ago which I’ve been browsing through occasionally. I’ve just read one published as a mainstream magazine in the United Kingdom in 1986, its review of Kung-Fu Master is eye-opening in its casual racism, referring to the main character as ‘our slanty-eyed hero’ etc

It was a bit taken aback to be honest, they’d never get away with stuff like that these days…which is a good thing.