why Oriental is offensive

[Natalie Maynor]

Indigo Som wrote:

> If non-Asians use the word "Oriental" to/at me, I do more than grimace. At
> bare minimum, I *glare*. Unless they have a really, really, really good
> excuse (such as being over 70, or being non-native English speakers, &c.)

Your posting makes some good points, but I'm bothered by this one --
because I'm thinking of all kinds of innocent people who might be subject
to your glare or worse.  You seem to be assuming that all native English
speakers under seventy are aware that "oriental" has become a questionable
term.  I'm aware of it because I teach linguistics courses, read writers
like Said, and hang around online in language discussions like this one.
Not everybody lives in those contexts, though.  I've sometimes asked
classes whether they were aware that "oriental" was unPC.  Almost a hundred
percent of the students I've asked were unaware of it.  A colleague I
was talking with about this subject one time said, "That's a west coast
thing."  In other words, it may be common knowledge in California that
"oriental" is unPC, but it's not common knowledge yet everywhere.
   --Natalie Maynor (maynor at ra.msstate.edu)