Will knowing what “they”, whoever “they” are, really mean by the word “waiguoren” make any difference at all?
It’s like saying that everyone says it with exactly the same meaning OR interprets the meaning of the word in exactly the same way.
If you really want to know, why ask us? What would we know? We are so conditioned to the word or so bitter about being called “waiguoren” on a daily basis, that we couldn’t be that objective about it. It’s like asking me to be objective about the word “atogah”, not bloody likely.
Some people call you “waiguoren” with venom and others don’t. I bet there are many people that use the word “Asian” or “Taiwanese” in a bad way, and I am sure that there would be many a “waiguoren” out there that would feel insulted if called “Taiwanese”. Well?
That’s why it’s a pointless discussion. You are asking the wrong people. Just IMHO. Gosh, you’re so “Baywatch” (now, depending on your point of view regarding that show, you are either going to hit me or try to kiss me).
[quote=“Bassman”]Will knowing what “they”, whoever “they” are, really mean by the word “waiguoren” make any difference at all?
It’s like saying that everyone says it with exactly the same meaning OR interprets the meaning of the word in exactly the same way.[/quote]
It’s all part of trying to understand Taiwan and its people. If someone were to call me a “foreigner” (the English word), it would not bother me the least bit, especially if they were to do so when I was in a country that is not my native land. Since my co-worker didn’t like being called a “waiguoren,” I was curious about the degree of negativity that is associated with this word, if any.
I have asked Taiwanese people this very same question and they either could not understand what I meant by this question or simply said “waiguoren” means “foreigner” - end of discussion. There are many Forumosans who have a much better understanding of the Chinese language and Taiwan than I do, so why not ask them? Many people, such as daasgrrl, provided some insightful posts.
Even you produced this gem on July 26:
You seemed so eager to participate back then, why are you so anti-waiguoren thread today?
Who is looking for objectivity? I prefer visceral reactions.
See? More insight from Bassman.
It’s never pointless to hear from Bassman, but “Baywatch”? I think you need a trip to Taipei and out of the sticks.
You seemed so eager to participate back then, why are you so anti-waiguoren thread today? [/quote]
I am not really anti-waiguoren thread, it just makes my point that our opinions can change over time. I reached the hating the word “waiguoren” threshold and I am over it. Now, I am still on an anti “atogah” crusade, but given time, I’ll probably get over that too.
See? More insight from Bassman.
It’s never pointless to hear from Bassman, but “Baywatch”? I think you need a trip to Taipei and out of the sticks.[/quote]
It’s just so “Richie Cunnigham”.
Here’s my conversation with my son.
Son: What’s your name?
Daddy: I am Daddy.
Son: Daddy is a “waiguoren”.
Daddy: Hmmm, yeah, that’s right.
Son: Daddy is “atogah” ha ha ha
Daddy: Why you little… (followed by a chase around the apartment and some play fighting on the floor).
My son really gets a kick from the rise he gets out of calling me “atogah”. If it works like that for a 3 year old just think how much it amuses the average Taiwanese teenager that yells it out on the street.
Understood. But, I never posed the original question that was the basis for this thread on the grounds that I hate being called a “waiguoren.” Rather, it was because a Taiwanese gal acted like she hates being called a “waiguoren” when I jokingly called her one.
If she doesn’t like being called a “waiguoren,” what does that mean for foreigners in Taiwan?
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, “Foreigner” means “a person belonging to or owing allegiance to a foreign country.”
My Taiwanese co-workers reaction to being called a “waiguoren” made me wonder if “waiguoren” means a person belonging to or owing allegiance to a foreign country who is a barbaric Neanderthal cretin."
Such a definition only applies when I am drunk and looking for love.
Waiguoren is better than the Cantonese term which escapeds my memory but tanslates literally as foreign devil. Weiguoren just translates as other country’s person. Personally I used to get annoyed at being called a Meiguoren when I’m not.
They can call me anything they want, as long as they don’t call me Taiwanese. As long as they realize I am nothing like them, I have no problem with what they say. Shit, if the UN and the rest of the world doesn’t care about them, then why should I care about their opinion of me?
[quote=“Dangermouse”]Waigouren means “foreigner.” I am a foreigner. I call people who are not native to the UK when I am at home “foreigners” because they are.
What is the big deal? Or has Politically Correctness reached the expat population in Taiwan now?
Who gives a toss?[/quote]
Are you serious??? The expat community LIVES for PC…
[quote=“Vannyel”][quote=“Dangermouse”]Waigouren means “foreigner.” I am a foreigner. I call people who are not native to the UK when I am at home “foreigners” because they are.
What is the big deal? Or has Politically Correctness reached the expat population in Taiwan now?
Who gives a toss?[/quote]
Are you serious??? The expat community LIVES for PC…[/quote]
:ohreally: Well, count me as a blacksheep of the community then. PC ? :raspberry:
Imagine being from Japan and having a local here mistake you for Taiwanese. Now that would be f*cking insulting. During the fifty years of occupation, you would’ve thought the Japanese would’ve taught these boneheads some manners. Or maybe the Japanese did and the Taiwanese choose to not follow them to spite the Japanese - who really could care less anyway.
Can you imagine the conversation at the end of WWII when the Allied powers demanded the hand over of Taiwan? I bet the Japanese had a hard time keeping a straight face when they handed over the keys to this asylum.
[quote=“UNSaysNoToTaiwan”]Imagine being from Japan and having a local here mistake you for Taiwanese. Now that would be f*cking insulting. During the fifty years of occupation, you would’ve thought the Japanese would’ve taught these boneheads some manners. Or maybe the Japanese did and the Taiwanese choose to not follow them to spite the Japanese - who really could care less anyway.
Can you imagine the conversation at the end of WWII when the Allied powers demanded the hand over of Taiwan? I bet the Japanese had a hard time keeping a straight face when they handed over the keys to this asylum.[/quote]
Ohhhh…I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Go back to the CR forum you pathetic ignorant waste of space…
I’m American, and grew up in a big city (Chicago) so I guess I’ve been subject to a more diverse population than the people here in Taiwan. Even in my elemtentary school, the classes were pretty evenly devided between asian, caucasian, african, and mexican americans (as usual, no native-americans, though).
Anyway, in America, it would be pretty damn rude to walk up to somebody and call them a foriegner. Like, if I said that to a fellow student in grade school (even the ones that just came in from Poland), I’d probably have been sent to the dreaded principals office, or given detention. I guess, in America, what it really stems from is the idea that nobody is foriegn because we are all foriegn…and if you were to suggest that somebody else is foriegn, it’s like suggesting that somehow your ethnicity is better, or more important to America, than theirs.
SO, wrapping this long-ass post up…I definately feel it’s rude when I am called “wai guo ren”, or “mei guo ren”, or “Adoa(whatever the Taiwanese equivalent is)”… but, that doesn’t mean it’s the Taiwanese person’s fault. It’s just part of the culture clash. I still don’t think I’ll ever understand the need to point and stare about it though. There’s a fine line between curiosity and rudeness, and culture clash or not, pointing and staring is just plane rude.
A long time ago, pre-US civil war, quite a few Americans embraced slavery. So if I were to visit the US at that time it would’ve been inappropriate for me to criticize them for having slaves and chock it up to a cultural difference, aka - culture clash. They did things differently, and because their norms are different than mine, doesn’t make them wrong.
Or
Maybe slavery was wrong and those fcking idiots just didn’t get it, much like the Taiwanese who are just fcking idiots.
