"Gaijin" - take offence or not?

[aiki boy 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Ocean11:
There's nothing harmfully discriminatory about the word 'foreigner' itself. But if you make a point of raising somebody's foreigness where it's not necessary, or relevant, then it becomes discriminatory. Same with any of the alternatives floated here.

"Hey Chief, there's a foreigner/gaijin/non-Japanese/wigger got a problem here!"

Exactly!

But what brit-gob said: "Yeah, and I really like it when gaijin use the word as a derog word towards other gaijin," well, I must admit, I've done that...

Bad aiki boy, bad!

[Snowhaus 0]

Being half Japanese (growing up both in Australia and Japan), I really dont understand how gaijin could be construed as offensive in the normal course of conversation. Obviously, if someone doesnt like you, they could just as easily call you a moron, but gaijin is the most convenient label to hang on you. Yeah, there are occasionally some who may use it in a deliberately rude manner to decribe all foreigners, but their intent is to insult, and you get rednecks all over the world, right?

 

Telling someone that there is a gaijin waiting at reception is a way of describing you succinctly to whoever you're meeting, and allowing that person to draw a breath to prepare themselves - many Japanese still get nervous about having to deal with a foreigner who may or may not speak the language. Would you rather they said 'theres a fat blonde guy waiting to see you'?

 

And its absolutely laughable that gaijins use the word gaijin as an insult to other gaijins. Is this the expat equivalent of 'tourist' vs 'traveller'? I identify myself as a gaijin in Japan, because having spent the major part of my life in English speaking countries, I consider myself an 'outside person' . Cant see the big deal...

[Ocean11 0]

Sorry to hark on the same point, but how about asking the gaijin his name and saying '##-san is here to see you' as may very well be done for a Japanese person? Then Hysterical-Pants-san upstairs can still gird their loins for the coming traumatic encounter.

[miteyak 0]

I think, snowhaus, that you clarified the point rather succinctly. Would you rather 'gaijin', or 'fat blond guy'. Well, actually, I'd like to be accorded the introduction that affords the possibility that I'm educated, respectable and of some standing, all of which can be retracted later if it turns out not to be the case. Again, I think it reflects the stature of the individual doing the speaking. In Britain, I'd expect 'there's a gentleman in the ...' Here, I'd expect 'Gaikokunokata ...' assuming the foreign nature of my appearance was considered important to convey. Insult, in cases like this, is not along lines of disrespect, more a case of not deeming respect necessary.

 

[This message has been edited by miteyak (edited 29 March 2002).]

 

[This message has been edited by miteyak (edited 29 March 2002).]

[Guest]

Like others seem to have said, it really depends on how it is said, as with most words.

[Guest]

I'd like to try this in London: you work for a Japanese company, Japanese visitor comes to reception, you go and tell your Japanese colleague there's a gaijin to see him at reception.

 

(Actually I worked for a Japanese company in London but never thought of trying this then. I did find it a bit amusing being called a gaijin by Japanese colleagues there though)

[Guest]

Hey fogg

 

Tried that. Doesnt work. You (and all your colleagues in London) are STILL the gaijin, not the Japanese.

 

Just goes to show what the word REALLY means to most Japanese - white caucasian.

[thomasu 0]

what is the difference between "gaijin" and "gaikokujin" (sorry if I missed something, I know next to nothing about Japanese).

[Ocean11 0]

'Gaijin' literally means 'outside person', whereas 'gaikokujin' means 'someone from a foreign country' - that is, in theory. The difficulty is in assessing how 'outside' is meant in the first instance, and there is a problem with taking combinations of kanji at face value and translating them literally. People who take offense will claim that an unthinking sense of superiority, and an eternal claim to separateness are involved. They are also probably barely comfortable with 'gaikokujin' for the same reason, but will pretend that it is 'acceptable'.

 

If you translate either word though, you get 'foreigner', and we foreigners are foreign, however hard some may try to be assimilated. For these types, I suspect the spirit of 'vive la difference' is anathema.

 

I think a prickly insistence that Japanese use 'gaikokujin' shows ignorance of the way language is used, and is simply a means of trying to assert a completely absent moral superiority.

[cal 6]

Gaijin, gaikokujin, doesn't matter - it's the way and attitude behind it that does.

[frannyo 2]

Any of you guys like it when you get very politely called "gaijin-sama"?!

[Guest]

I actually enjoy my gaijin status and all the perks it brings. Don't you all find that there are lots of perks as well by being the gaijin?

[brit-gob 9]

The "gaijin hooligans are gonna come and rape our daughters and sisters, loot our shops and generally be bad" mantra that is going on right now on a TV near you is not going to help matters.

 

Let's just hope there is NO bother - not even from Brit-yobs. Otherwise, it's gonna be a "yappari...." response from the Japanese.

[frannyo 2]

Just looking back over a few older threads on here this morning

 

- gregory, what perks do you get then?

[durst 0]

nope

[IceEiji 0]

You shouldnt for normal, it is usually not meant for bad meaning. IT can be sometimes, but usually not that intention.

[Crab 0]

No.

[so-desu-ne 0]

so desu ne