The
Orient is a term which means "the East". It is a traditional designation for anything belonging to the
Orient or
Far East. In English it is a
metonym describing
Eastern Asia. It was also used to indicate the eastern direction in
historical astronomy as the adjective
Oriental.
Derivation
The term "Orient" is derived from the Latin word
oriens meaning "east" (lit. "rising" <
orior "rise"). The use of the word for "rising" to refer to the east (where the sun rises) has analogs from many languages: compare the terms "
Levant" (< French
levant "rising"), "
Anatolia" (< Greek
anatole), "
mizrahi" in Hebrew ("zriha" meaning sunrise), "sharq" (< Arabic
yashruq "rise",
shurooq "rising") and "
The Land of the Rising Sun" to refer to
Japan.
The opposite term "
Occident" is derived from the Latin word
occidens meaning "west" (lit. "setting" < "occido" "fall/set"). This term was once used to describe the West (where the sun sets) but is falling into disuse in English.
Usage of term
In time, the common understanding of 'the Orient' has continually shifted eastwards; as Europe learned of countries farther East, the defined limit of 'the Orient' shifted eastwards, until it reached the Pacific Ocean, in what Westerners came to call 'the
Far East'.
The term
Orient particularly included regions that used to be known as
Persia,
Mesopotamia,
Asia Minor, and
Egypt. As
awareness of other Asian countries grew in European consciousness, the term often came to mean
South Asia,
Southeast Asia or
East Asia. By the late 19th century, the term usually referred to
China,
Japan,
Korea and surrounding nations while the British colonists frequently used it when speaking of
India. Remnants of the older conception of the Orient still exist in the English language in such collocations as
Oriental studies (now largely replaced by
Asian studies),
Oriental rug and
Oriental harem. It has taken on a specific usage since the publication of
Edward Said's influential book, "
Orientalism" (1980).
The adjectival term
Oriental has been used by
the West as a term to describe cultures, countries, peoples and goods from the Orient. "Oriental" means generally "
eastern". It is a traditional designation (especially when capitalized) for anything belonging to the
Orient or "East" (for
Asia), and especially of its
Eastern culture. It was also used to indicate the eastern direction in historical astronomy, often abbreviated "Ori". Oriental is also used as an adjective akin to "eastern", especially in the Spanish-speaking world. For example, the
Philippine islands of
Mindoro and
Negros are each divided into two provinces whose titles include the words "oriental" and "occidental" respectively. The official name of
Uruguay is the República Oriental del Uruguay or Oriental Republic of Uruguay because it is east of the
Uruguay River.
Perceptions and connotations
An important factor in the usage of 'Oriental', regardless of perceptions of pejorativeness, is that it collectively refers to cultural, ethnic and national groupings of people who do not necessarily identify themselves as associated, and hence can lead to inaccurate assumptions about similarity.
American English
While a small number of reference works used in the United States describe
Oriental as pejorative, antiquated or offensive in some instances, the
American Heritage Book of English Usage notes that
It is worth remembering, though, that Oriental is not an ethnic slur to be avoided in all situations. It is most objectionable in contemporary contexts and when used as a noun, as in the appointment of an Oriental to head the commission. In these cases Asian (or a more specific term such as Vietnamese, Korean, or Asian American, if appropriate) is the only acceptable term. But in certain historical contexts, or when its exotic connotations are integral to the topic, Oriental remains a useful term.
Random House's
Guide to Sensitive Language states "Other words (e.g., Oriental, colored) are outdated or inaccurate." This
Guide to Sensitive Language suggests the use of "Asian or more specific designation such as Pacific Islander, Chinese American, [or] Korean." Merriam-Webster describes the term as "sometimes offensive," Encarta states when the term is used as a noun it is considered "a highly offensive term for somebody from East Asia."
British English
In
British English, the term
Oriental is usually used to describe Eastern Asian people of
Chinese/
Japanese/
Korean descent and some Southeastern Asian groups such as
Vietnamese, whereas the term
Asian generally describes the people or descendants of people from the
Middle East or the
Indian Subcontinent and its surrounding countries. (These latter people are called
South Asians in the United States.)
Australian English
In
Australian English, the term "Asian" is generally used in reference to people of Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans and Japanese ethnicity. However, the term is sometimes expanded to include South Asians and other Asians of darker skin tone, also. Usage of the term is chiefly regional and often varies according to personal preference.
For example: Australians generally refer to people of: Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese or Chinese descent as Asian(s) and persons of Indian or Sri Lankan descent by their respective demonym(s).
The word Oriental, in place of Asian, is seldom used in colloquial conversation in Australia.
Canadian English
In
Canadian English, like
Australian English, the term "Asian" is used most often to refer to people of eastern Asian descent and other similar southeastern groups. It can be expanded, however, such as in colonial times, to include the more southern Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka , which is quite common, especially in use by South Asians themselves. In modern Canadian usage, according to the
Canadian Oxford Dictionary, the term "Oriental" is considered offensive when applied to a person of East Asian ancestry.
See also
