The Changing Nature of Cultural Terms (1 Viewer)

[x.christina]

Has anyone noticed the fact that the term "Asian" no longer refers to the culture but seems to serve a derogatory and racist purpose? These days, people tend to say "Asian" as a way to herd those cultures together and say it the same tone that you swear in. The term Asian should be referring to the collaboration of all the countries from that area, e.g. "This is Tom. He is Asian." as opposed to, "He can't drive, he's Asian." The latter sentence seems to be the norm in our society these days.

Where else can we go with this? What about the word "wog"? I myself use the term wog when referring to people of Southern European descent, when in actual fact the term wog stands for Worthy Oriental Gentleman. Click the link- look at number 1. Doesn't even mean Italians or Greeks, but rather, you guessed it, Asians. Click here, too and again you'll see it originally meant Africans and Asians. The changing meaning of the term makes it more derogatory and slanderous towards the Southern Europeans. I myself classify a "wog" as someone living in Australia of Southern European descent who live like they never left "the old country". This (I know) is seen as offensive slang but believe it or not, you can't say that word without it sounding that way- and that's the problem.

The way these words were intentionally used for have changed through the years from just a plain term referring to a culture to a derogatory and offensive word.

Discuss.

 

[Iron]

Language is not fixed. Words with a taboo meaning constantly shift, like wench, hag etc used to be respectable words for woman, but they were gradually corrupted until they meant the worst kind of women. This is because... men control language and speak poorly of certain women...

Toilet's a good one. Shitting and pissing is an inherently taboo subject, so you want to do whatever you can to mask these graphic and vivid acts when you communicate your need to do them with others. Thunderbox, watercloset, loo, bathroom, washroom etc etc. As soon as you settle on the meaning long enough, the clearer your intention becomes. If you keep changing the language to more vague and only vaguely relevant words, you spare yourself and others embarrassment. Soon we'll probably ask where the 'other room' is when we want to go.

Same principle applies to racial terms. Nigger was once acceptable (perhaps for slaves from the nation Niger? cbf looking up), coloured was once thought more enlightened, blacks is generally still ok, but is still open to the claim of inaccuracy, as theyre more 'brown', black invokes evil and darkness compared to the purity of white etc, african-american is the pc term in the us, but yeah, it's less of an issue today because being black is not as culturally taboo as once thought.

Ofc, it works in other ways, like when you just want to blur meanings in order to exploit less critical people - like declaring a war on terrorism, rather than a war on the middle-east/islam/any minor enemy - or refering to climate change to distract people from the more evocative global warming - collateral damage to refer to innocent civilian victims to military action - measures to protect children to refer to any oppressive law you want passed. As long as the meaning is doing its constant hit-and-run, politicians can get away with a lot of the unpleasant/unpopular aspects of governing...

Pwar could say something more intelligent if he wanted to

 

[loquasagacious]

50 views and 1 reply... my gut says deleted posts...

As for the issue, yes language is a fluid construct and the meaning of words changes over time. To me the most interesting example of this is how maligned groups reclaim words, insulting terms like 'wog' have been reclaimed e.g. the Wog Boy movie. Similarly nigga in urban black culture, etc etc.

 

[Iron]

Yeah, but theyre only 'reclaimed' by that specific group. For an outsider to refer to them in such terms, the meaning is still pretty toxic, I reckon...
Unless youre some hero like
Clint Eastwood

But I would say that, in the West at least, second+ generation immigrants (whose parents/grandparents were so alienated by society) simply have much less dignity and balls

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

points for trying but this thread is pretty hsc
the hsc
dominated by asians amirite!?!?!?!?!?

that poast wasnt racist mods plz dont delete

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but hey, you know, whenever a cultural niche enrages the majority of course it will become a derogatory term. hence the asian drivers comment i spose

 

[Graney]

Mate, you should have been here 1861
Lambing Flat riots - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Australian's don't really hate asians any more. Bogans like chinese food too much.

The sort of racism referred to in the OP is of a harmless sort. How often do you hear someone called a chink, slant, slap head, or worse to their face? It's a serious faux pa to be even mildly racist in polite circles nowadays.

I found it was common in high school, but kids in school are always going to be animals to one another. Schooling brings out the worst in people.

 

[loller]

i love mongolian beef

highly doubt mongolians actually eat it but whatevs they eat people i heard

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

curry chicken from chinese food shops is the best

 

[Iron]

I hate Asian food and think of them as a dirty, rude and barbaric people

 

[loquasagacious]

I hate Asian food and think of them as a dirty, rude and barbaric people

Must be awkward having a Chinese housemate then....

 

[loller]

i think it would make for an interesting tv show

 

[Iron]

Must be awkward having a Chinese housemate then....

im all like