the o word

Last class we touched on an interesting topic that I wanted to expand on: The O word. For those who need a refresher, it was in the context of the question “What sustains identity over time?” and within that answer we discussed interpellation (according to M&N it is the communication process by which one is pulled into the social forces that place people into a specific identity).

I found an interesting article (although a few years old) it is a celebration of the state of Washington illegalizing the ‘O’ word from legislation and regulations. According to Senator Paul Shin, “Originally meant “from the direction of the rising sun,” however, the term “has absorbed the connotations of centuries of colonialism and oppression. Beginning in the 17th century, the British empire popularized the use of the word Oriental, which was a western way to refer to someone from east of London. Use of this pejorative word is no longer appropriate when referring to people. My greatest concern is for our youth -that they learn to be more sensitive to different cultures and ideas”.

This issue also falls into those little boxes that most applications for just about anything ask us to ‘voluntarily’ chose. Identity is based on one’s perception. But if one does not identify with a certain identity (an interesting dynamic brought up in Aoki article with the research on Mexicans within the US).
“Members of the Asian community have told me that they are offended to be referred to as ‘Oriental’ in our state statutes. The definition of the word notwithstanding, its various applications, such as ‘exotic,’ ‘strange,’ and so forth is demeaning. While many Asians under European colonial influence have not been educated to the application of the word, they now understand its meaning and connotations.”

I find it intriguing that there is a level of awareness involved. For example, in Nigeria I had a professor who urged us to refer to ‘ethnicities’ not tribes. The word ‘tribe’ has very similar connotations as the ‘O’ word. But the use of ‘tribe’ has been so ingrained in the language and culture that for the majority it is not seen as offensive (despite the connection to ‘occupation’ aka colonialism).

So this begs the question, if a group/identity perceives a term as offensive (perhaps it may be seen by others as over picky or it may be viewed as justified) does that make the word offensive?

The Article on Washington State Illegalizing the O Word:

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=143