Quote:
Originally Posted by V1.47fan
"Oriental" represents of a region, like "Chinese" can represent people or things.
Example: He's Chinese. I like Chinese food.
Nobody in his right mind thinks using "Chinese" is reducing people to food.
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*sigh*
you can refuse to accept it and possibly offend people if you like. you can then follow up with them and say "what? it's a region!" you can even pretend nobody ever told you. guess what... someone did tell you.
from Webster learner's dictionary:
old-fashioned
: of, relating to, or from Asia and especially eastern Asia
I like oriental food.
oriental art
◊ The adjective Oriental is now often considered offensive when it is used to describe a person. The adjective Asian should be used instead
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/oriental
if you would like to force the issue to justify your response you can apply number 4.
1 often capitalized : of, relating to, or situated in Asia
2
a : of superior grade, luster, or value
b : being corundum or sapphire but simulating another gem in color
3 often capitalized sometimes offensive : Asian
4 capitalized : of, relating to, or constituting the biogeographic region that includes Asia south and southeast of the Himalayas and the Malay Archipelago west of Wallace's line
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oriental
good luck, hillbilly. <-- that was suppose to be ironic so
with me.
really i'm just passing along information that i learned in very large corporations where everyone is hypersensitive, traveling, and marrying someone not from the usa.