e CHINK.
Caution. Many Asian Americans liken “Oriental” to “Negro,” a term of condescension. A vestige of European imperialism, the term, at minimum, is vague. In art, it may include countries such as China and Japan, but exclude Turkey. In rugs, it may mean India and China and include Turkey. In food, it may mean China or Japan, but not India, Vietnam or the Philippines. See also ASIAN; ASIATIC; CHARLIE CHAN; CHINA DOLL; COLONIALISM; DRAGON LADY; EXOTIC; FU MANCHU; IMPERIALISM; INSCRUTABLE; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
U.S. Census term, referring to one of eight groups — Fijian, Guamanian, Hawaiian, Northern Mariana Islander, Palauan, Samoan, Tahitian, and Tongan. See ETHNIC GROUP; HAPA; HAWAIIAN; ASIAN, U.S. Census definition of.
Avoid. A slur, referring to Pakistanis. Sometimes used in Britain as an epithet against all South Asians.
Twice the size of California. Created in 1947 from the partition of British India. Pakistan initially consisted of West Pakistan and East Pakistan, supported by India. After a civil war in 1971, East Pakistan broke away and became the independent nation of Bangladesh. In the region, the clash between Hindus and Muslims is one of the bloodiest in the world. Majority-Muslim Pakistan became a nuclear power in 1998 following nuclear tests by majority-Hindu India. Attackers from Pakistan conducted a terrorist raid in Mumbai on Nov. 26, 2008, which is remembered in India as the equivalent of Sept. 11, 2001, in the United States. Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, was found to be hiding in Pakistan, where he was killed. Capital: Islamabad. Commercial center is Karachi. Population: 190 million (2012 estimate). Proportion of population younger than 15: more than one-third. Faith: Sunni Muslim (75 percent), Shia Muslim (20 percent) and others, including Christianity. Literacy: 50 percent. (Source: World Factbook.) See also COLONIALISM; HINDUISM; IMPERIALISM; INDIA; ISLAM; KASHMIR; PAKI.
See SOUTH ASIAN NAMES.
Use sparingly as metaphor or analogy because it may invite stereotypes. See INTERNMENT; MOSQUE “AT” GROUND ZERO; SEPTEMBER 11, 2001; SRI LANKA; SUICIDE BOMBING.
Became an American colony after the Spanish-American War (1898). Independent from the United States in 1946. Archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. Slightly larger than Arizona. Form the adjective for the country with a “Ph,” but the adjective for the ethnic group with an “F.” Prolonged political instability following the toppling of the Marcos family in 1986. Continuing controversies over corruption in the administrations that succeeded Corazon Aquino, widow of the assassinated Benigno Aquino, Jr. Long-simmering Muslim separatist movement. Capital: Manila. Population: 104 million (2012 estimate). Proportion of population younger than 15: more than one-third, Languages: Filipino (official, based on Tagalog), English (official) and regional dialects. Faith: Roman Catholic (83 percent), Muslim (5 percent) and others. Ethnic groups: Tagalog (28 percent), Cebuano (13 percent), Ilocano (9 percent) and others (2000 estimate). Literacy: 93 percent. (Source: World Factbook.) See also COLONIALISM; FILIPINO/PILIPINO; “FLIP”; IMPERIALISM; ISLAM; ISLAMIST; JIHAD; MANONG/MANANG; PINOY/PINAY; TAGALOG; “WHITE MAN’S BURDEN.”
Typically follows Western name order. Spanish names common as vestige of Spanish imperialism. Use of nicknames common. Muslims may follow special naming rules. See COLONIALISM; “FLIP”; IMPERIALISM; “WHITE MAN’S BURDEN.”
Also FILIPINO, PINOY (pee-noy)/ PINAY (pee-nai).
Tagalog, meaning a Filipino man; pinay means woman. The Philippines, claimed by Spanish explorers, was named after King Philip II of Spain (1527-1598). See “FLIP”; PHILIPPINES; TAGALOG.
Historical place names with offensive racial elements (“Chinaman Bayou”) should have a brief discussion of their historical context (e.g., “named in 1849 during California Gold Rush when many Chinese workers were present”).
POLLING, exclusion of Asians:
In many local polls as well as in national surveys, Asians are routinely excluded because of 