Race descriptions in English
 

This has been bothering me for a while... I want something that is mostly "politically correct" to describe certain races of certain characteristics.

We've all come to accept that "whites" refer to those of European descent who have lighter skin, rounder eyes, and so on... Blacks are from African descent and generally have darker skin, more pronounced lips and noses, etc. These are also what are used in police reports and such.

However, what do we call the people of Asian descent that have the light-dark yellowish skin, almond shaped eyes, and relatively flat faces. This includes the majority of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc. I hesitate to think that the term is "Asian" since there are many native Asians that certainly do not fit the stereotypical "Asian".

This is similar to the even more encompassing "Latino". This term can describe literally any race who calls most of South-Central America, Spain, and some other countries "home". This includes those of European, African, and Asian descent. Although the stereotypical "Latin" people are those of the darker skinned native South-Central descent (like Mexicans).

Would appreciate feedback.

Sorry, to disappoint you, but the generic race term would be Asian, though like Latino or Hispanic, it would often be too vague or even possibly misleading.

In the absence of definitive knowledge of what a person's heritage is, it would seem less offensive to refer to them as Asian, than to mistakenly use something more specific and be wrong. I would not welcome the response if I referred to a Korean as Japanese, or someone Japanese as Chinese. And in any case "Asian" is FAR more acceptable than the generic term used previously - Oriental.

I think if you are looking to be sensitive racially I would stop describing blacks as having "more pronounced lips and noses" and Asians as having "relatively flat faces".

Why would he do that?...I don't know about asians...but every single black person I've seen has larger noses and lips than white people....is there a problem with that?

I guess it easily offends people?

Where my mom lives, one of the managers got offended, simply cause I said my sister has a black person's nose, kinda smooshed.
I wasn't being insulting, just descriptive, and yet.... she got offended.

Descriptions such as "big nose" and "flat face" are insults in the respective communities.

It's racial stereotyping, and historically these kinds of indicators are often tools to make other races appear as more savage and less civilized.

That's why he would do that.

I can feel this thread will not live to a ripe old age.

You asked for it IceWindDude!

In the UK, Oriental is used to describe East Asians, and Asian is used to describe South Asians and Middle Eastern people.

In New Zealand, "Asian" is a reference to East Asian people, South Asian people (Sri Lanka, Banghladesh, India, Pakistan) are often (ignorantly in my opinion) referred to as "Indians" despite the fact that South Asia comprises more than just India. People from the Middle East are simply called Middle Eastern people.

My point being that where you draw the lines and what term you decide to use depends as much on who you're addressing as it does whom you're referring to.

Hey i don't have big lips and a big noes.:( (maybe that explains why I'm mixed with different races)

I mean...I know they are offending and everything...I just don't think they should be taken offensively...if someone has a big nose, they have a big nose, if someone has a flat face, they have a flat face.

What is big? What is flat?

The potentially offensive part of these descriptions is the use of subjective, relative, (big, small etc.) or exaggerated (flat... i.e. nobody's face is actually flat) adjectives.

It implies a certain degree of ethnocentricity or ignorance.

Of course context matters and I can think of situations where such descriptions should not be taken offensively... but as stand alone statements I can see how it could be offensive or at the very least make you cringe at the ignorance being displayed.

Just because you don't think people should be offended by it doesn't mean it isn't offensive.

In American society do you think being characterized as having big lips and a big nose or as having a flat face would be considered positive attributes or negative attributes?

I wouldn't really consider them positive or negative....it really depends on the person....Don't get me wrong, I can see why people are offended by it, I just think it's a dumb thing to get upset over...I think with people making fun of people for having big lips/noses and stuff, only do it because people are so easily upset about it...if people were okay with the fact that they had a big nose or big lips or flat face then it probably wouldn't be made fun of so much....that's just me though

I've got to agree with darksyndrem here.

It's just how the races are differentiated between one another. All races are different. It's not offensive unless you make it offensive, and, of course, some people do.

Black people have darker skin. The majority of black people have larger lips. Homologous.
Jewish people have dark hair and eyes. The majority of Jewish people have larger noses. Homologous.
Asian people have black/dark brown eyes. The majority of Asians are relatively shorter in height. Homologous.

There is nothing racist about it. If anything, I think it's beautiful to see the difference in all races. But of course, there are simple-minded people who take offense to it.

I don't think you two are understanding that the OP chose the exact features that have been characterized as inferior to use as describing blacks and Asians. It is easy to say "It doesn't bother me" when you both are of a race in a country that hasn't been oppressed.

Maybe it's "dumb" to get upset over, but you have to understand that it is more than a racial description, but is a tool in racism.

Dark, you may truly think that being characterized as having a big nose and big lips or a flat face in neither negative nor positive, but trust me, these aren't items that are checked off when people look at a list of physical characteristics they are attracted too. "Yeah, I like a guy who is smart and funny, and has really big lips." or "I am looking for an Asian girl, the flatter the face the better."

Get real. These are racial stereotypes, and are negative ones. So I go back to my first post. If the OP wants to find sensitive ways to talk about race, I would drop these racist stereotypes.

And it is interesting, Alan, you bring up large noses with Jewish people, too. Another racial stereotype that has been used to oppress the Jewish people for decades.

I think that a number of these descriptions are so ingrained as "true" in a wide part of the population that it feels like they`re stating fact with no harm intended.

Just as in the past it was accepted to make comments about intelligence in relation to race.

Even if you do not realize it, the statements are offensive. You`re making the comparison to a set of "ideal" features - even if you are not conscious of it.

I agree that this really has the potential to go the wrong direction as many people do feel offended at those sort of descriptions.