cters; as well as classical art, such as Hokusai’s “Great Wave” are emblematic of Asia. When used in context, such images are as essential as any other detail of reporting. When they are altered, however, problems can arise. When, for example, white political figures are dressed in a conical hat or depicted in a rickshaw in, say, an editorial cartoon criticizing U.S. dependence on China, they can suggest racial stereotypes. See FU MANCHU; DRAGON LADY; YELLOW PERIL.
Caution. A term as broad as “European.” In some usage, chiefly British, “Asian” refers to Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and others. In the United States, such ethnic groups would be known as South Asians, while Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and others would be known as East Asians. See ORIENTAL for other uses, and caution about certain uses. See ASIAN AMERICAN; SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA.
ASIAN, Accents and direct quotation of: see DIALECT.
ASIAN, U.S. Census definition of:
On their website, federal demographers define Asian as “those having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.” Pacific Islanders are “those having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.” They note that both Asians and Pacific Islanders are “not a homogeneous group; rather, it comprises many groups who differ in language, culture, and length of residence in the United States.” (Source, “The Asian and Pacific Islander Population in the United States: March 2002: Population Characteristics.”)
Form the noun without the hyphen, as in “French Canadian.” In compound phrases, where the term is used as an adjective, a hyphen may be used, as in “French-Canadian folklore.” So, too, with Japanese American and Pakistani American. A few Asian Americans see a pejorative connotation to “Asian-American” with a hyphen, in part because of Theodore Roosevelt’s denunciation early in the 20th century of “hyphenated Americans” who do not join the American mainstream. See FOREIGN-NESS; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
ASIAN AMERICAN, different emphasis of: See FOREIGN-NESS.
ASIAN EXCLUSION ACTS:
Laws in which Congress barred or sharply restricted the immigration of Asians to the United States. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 barred Chinese laborers and prohibited Chinese from applying for citizenship; it was repealed in 1943. The 1924 Oriental Exclusion Act banned immigration from Asia. The 1934 Tydings-McDuffie Act imposed an annual quota of 50 Filipino immigrants. Only after 1965, with immigration laws designed to encourage European immigration, did Asian immigration also expand. See also WALTER-MCCARRAN ACT.
Caution. Better to specify country or ethnicity, e.g., Vietnamese or Chinese or Filipino gangs, if relevant and the relevance can be explained to the news consumer. Some ethnic groups, notably Italian Americans with regard to the Mafia, say that gangs are criminals first and members of ethnic groups second, so ethnic identification is pejorative. As with any mention of ethnicity, the relevance of ethnicity should be explained (e.g., a recent upsurge of gang-related activity or ethnic turf wars).
More complex than European names. Direct clarify family and surname, as well as use of second reference, with the interview subject will help avoid error. See individual countries’ naming rules, e.g., Vietnamese names. When in doubt, ask the news subject, especially on rules for second reference (such as Mr. Mao, but not Mr. Zedong). Asian pronunciation and transliteration rules are also complex. For example, in Mandarin, Chen is pronounced “chuhn” (rhymes with “one”), Li is “lee” and Yang “yong” (rhymes with “song,” not “sang”). However, many second-generation or later Chinese Americans pronounce their names in an Americanized fashion. Consider including pronunciation explainers in the text, broadcast or graphic. See SOUTH ASIAN NAMES.
ASIAN RELIGIONS: Caution. Religion is an imprecise te