Thread: Oy, Britishers, help me out here!

I was wondering if British English differentiated East Asians(people from countries like China, Japan, Korea, etc.) and South Asians(people from countries like India, Bangladesh, etc.). In American English the term "Asian" seems to be applied to both of them, which is rather strange, since the only thing "Asian" they have in common is living in the geographical region "Asia."

Not really no, the term depends very much on context (or extra modifiers) here too.

The same applies for Europeans.

For many US Americans, the centre of the world is their country which they call (incorrectly) America.
I recently heard from a US-American girl that she had to learn most things she knows about geography and the world in general on her own, because it wasn't taught properly in school.

I live in the US too. I also agree that adleast in my school, they do not properly teach geography to us. Of course everyone knows what China, Japan, Australia, Spain, France and well known countries like that. But some of the Americans, in my school, don't know what Ukraine is, they don't know Lithuania, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Romania. Mind that I am talking about my school, I am not stereotyping all Americans so don't get mad.

I must say, Евгения, that it is only recently that Americans found out where Australia exists and that they speak the English language. I remember being asked by Americans.
"How did you learn to speak English so well?".
"If you're from Australiia, how come you're not black?"
"Did you come to America on a train?"

Siince "Baywatch", I no longer have to endure these questions.

I didn't know that. I have a friend from Moldova, a small country near my country Ukraine. She says she is Russian because nobody knows what Moldova is. A friend of mine doesn't know what Белоруссия is.

I had lunch yesterday with three Moldovian brothers. One of wich has only been in the US for four weeks and speaks no English . The other two brothers have been here for 8 and 11 months and speak ok English. But unforntunatly one brother who has attended 6 years of University in Moscow and received his degree there, can only get a job as a taxi driver here in the USA. I know of nurses from Russia who, in America can only work in the lab taking blood. (with my sister)

It reminds me a dialogue:

American: Where are you from?
Stranger: I'm from Argentina.
American: Oh! Argentina, kangaroos!

Exactly Propp.

In answer to your question Pravit. Perhaps things are changing, I don't know. But, when I was in school there was a distinct difference between countries like India and Ceylon and countries like China, Japan and Korea. In every day speech we never referred to some one from India as Asian just as we never referred to ourselves as Asian even though Australia is sometimes defined as part of S.E. Asia.

The humorous thing is that while browsing through an Asian-American forum, I noticed that the people there of East Asian descent seem to classify Indians as "Asian-Americans" as well. And they all seem to have the same misconceptions of Russia as your average American joe.

About teaching geography in American schools, I remember that they made them remember where each country was, but they didn't teach anything about the cultures and peoples of these countries. I also remember from "World History" class that most of it was focused around Western European history.

BTW, I thought Brits used the term "Oriental" to talk about East Asians, although the term is a bit derogatory in the US now. Not so much derogatory as out-of-date - it would be like calling a black man a "Negro."

When you say Indians do you mean those from India? I am having trouble understanding. Why would they be American? You mean the ones living in America? I'm a bit lost.

@Propp: that's funny

Yep, those from India or of Indian descent. Since I was talking about Asian-Americans, I was getting tired of tacking on "-American" to the end of everything. Indian-Americans to be specific.

Originally Posted by Pravit

BTW, I thought Brits used the term "Oriental" to talk about East Asians, although the term is a bit derogatory in the US now. Not so much derogatory as out-of-date - it would be like calling a black man a "Negro."

No difference it seems, out of date for us too.

I think the main problem with children not learning their stuff is because we have MTV...also most of the World Geography teachers at my school are football coaches and have to teach that class or else they couldnt coach football. Football coaches know nothing, but their classes are extremely easy.

Евгения, the Indians in the USA are called native Americans. The governmentt has an own office dealing with them, it's called "Bureau for Indian Affairs", if I remember correctly.

Originally Posted by Antono

Евгения, the Indians in the USA are called native Americans. The governmentt has an own office dealing with them, it's called "Bureau for Indian Affairs", if I remember correctly.

That's funny. If they are not "Indians", why is the agency called Bureau of Indian Affairs?

Well I'll tell ya. Because that is their name and has been so since Christopher Columbus mistakenly thought he was in the Indies when he landed in the new world. Recently, certain groups of do gooders have tried to get people to stop using the word "Indians" and use "Native Americans" instead. Well the problem for them is that most Indians don't want another "name" because they like the one they have been using. I have lived and worked with many Indians over the years and have never heard them call each other Native Americans yet. And whats more, if I were to meet an Indian and refer to him or her as a Native American, I am sure they would only thnk that I was trying to "suck up" to them in some fashion. And God forbid if I had to work with them every day after that, the jokes about me would never end. I don't know any Politicaly Correct Indians.
The term Native American applies to any person born in America. For you are native to where you are born. This, the early Americans knew. In their time those who had not come from England but had been born on American soil were called native Americans. So, if you want to differentiate, you can use "American Indian" and the meaning will be clear.

Antono, I know that Indians in the USA are called Native Americans. Many people I know call them Indians though, even though that's not the right name. DDT, I agree. American Indians is a good way to call them.

And on the other hand, I know a number of Native Americans who resent having the name "Indian" applied to them.

Anecdotal evidence is not the soundest base for generalizing.

Originally Posted by Линдзи

And on the other hand, I know a number of Native Americans who resent having the name "Indian" applied to them.

Oh I'm sure you do. There are a few around. But they are not real Indians. Just like the cowboys you know are not real cowboys.

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by Линдзи

And on the other hand, I know a number of Native Americans who resent having the name "Indian" applied to them.

Oh I'm sure you do. There are a few around. But they are not real Indians. Just like the cowboys you know are not real cowboys.

Uh, righto.

If I cared what your definition of "real Indian" was, your opinion might make some difference to me (or to my Native American coworkers and neighbors), but luckily I don't care a whit. But you can go ahead and post a big long poorly thought-out far right rant on the topic if it makes you feel like a man.