Outlander Terminology: WaiGuoRen, Farang, Gaijin, etc

Discussion Open Forum
#1

haha i get a laugh reading some other threads bout Taiwanese using the term “waigworen” to mean specifically white people. Whereas technically the word simply means “outside country people” or people NOT from whatever country you are in .

So a Taiwanese person in Singapore could and should be considered a “waigworen” in Singapore. But whereever TAiwanese go to, even to the USA, they would refer to Whites as waigworen. Several Taiwanese talking about whites IN America, while IN America would still refer to them as waigworen. Whereas technically the Taiwanese are the waigworen in this case. :slight_smile:

Its just a matter of a word superseding its translated meaning to become interpolated to another meaning. Makes sense doesnt it?? haha

just like the Thais with their “farang” Taiwanese visiting Thailand would not be considered 'farang"

Could it be that the Asians DO actually feel some sort of commonality? Even if they will argue for hours as to HOW they are all different with you?

#2

No shit, it means foreigner. We’re just more visible.

#3

‘farang’ is specifically used for whiteys. There’s some debate about its origins. It’s not used to talk about other foreigners, generally.

‘waiguoren’ is used to mean ‘not us’.

#4

Reminds me of the old joke about the Englishman in France.
Frenchman: Are you foreign?
Englishman: No damn it I’m British.

#5

“What it is Homey?” <- 7-11 greeting to me.

Coaching 7-11 clerks in real engrish since May 2004.
(“Y’all ain’t from here, are ya?”)

#6

I stopped a pack of obnoxious, loud, screaming Taiwanese kids/adolescents in their tracks when I was on holiday in South Africa once by pointing at them and yelling "waiguoren, waiguoren… hao ai… wa… " They stopped, processed the situation, realised they were the foreigners and being called short to boot, and looking a bit shaken they buggered off to find their parents… I’m not usually one to take pride in intimidating school kids, but that was fun… what goes around comes around… :sunglasses:

#7

My opinion from my experiences here is that the word waiguoren directly translates to the word foreigner both in literal translation and usage.

I think that if you “think too much” into it, like it meaning white man or people that are not yellow people, it is based on your own opinion and view and that is ok too.

My Taiwanese family calls Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Tai people (ect) waiguoren. Once my brother-in-law said, “Look at that group of waiguoren!” I did a 360 looking for a group of white people (I am so stereotypical), and failed to find any. It was a group of Japanese people. Good lesson for me actually.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and all that jazz.

#8

[quote=“BW”]My opinion from my experiences here is that the word waiguoren directly translates to the word foreigner both in literal translation and usage.

I think that if you “think too much” into it, like it meaning white man or people that are not yellow people, it is based on your own opinion and view and that is ok too.

My Taiwanese family calls Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Tai people (ect) waiguoren. Once my brother-in-law said, “Look at that group of waiguoren!” I did a 360 looking for a group of white people (I am so stereotypical), and failed to find any. It was a group of Japanese people. Good lesson for me actually.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and all that jazz.[/quote]

Yes i agree that waigworen may also be used to identify those that are foreign to the country. but then the term “lao wai” certainly seems to be only used to denote HONKY :slight_smile:

#9

After years of being described as an ‘alien’ in Japan I always loudly refer to Japanese ‘aliens’ whenever I meet them outside Japan. Most of them keep looking around but never usually at themselves…the younger the less likely to get it!

#10

After years of being described as an ‘alien’ in Japan I always loudly refer to Japanese ‘aliens’ whenever I meet them outside Japan. Most of them keep looking around but never usually at themselves…the younger the less likely to get it![/quote]

ya and talking bout ALIENS. I used to drive down to Kaohsiung once a week or so and always got a chuckle when i got to the freeway EXIT sign that read ALIEN. It was near Tainan. Maybe they renamed it?

#11

After years of being described as an ‘alien’ in Japan I always loudly refer to Japanese ‘aliens’ whenever I meet them outside Japan. Most of them keep looking around but never usually at themselves…the younger the less likely to get it![/quote]

ya and talking bout ALIENS. I used to drive down to Kaohsiung once a week or so and always got a chuckle when i got to the freeway EXIT sign that read ALIEN. It was near Tainan. Maybe they renamed it?[/quote]

I forgot all about that… but it’s still there… I took mother dearest down to Kaohsiung when she visited a few months back and remember her shouting ‘LOOK! ALIEN!!’

#12

[quote=“tommy525”]haha i get a laugh reading some other threads bout Taiwanese using the term “waiguoren” to mean specifically white people. Whereas technically the word simply means “outside country people” or people NOT from whatever country you are in .

So a Taiwanese person in Singapore could and should be considered a “waiguoren” in Singapore. But whereever Taiwanese go to, even to the USA, they would refer to Whites as waiguoren. Several Taiwanese talking about whites IN America, while IN America would still refer to them as waiguoren. Whereas technically the Taiwanese are the waiguoren in this case. :slight_smile:

Its just a matter of a word superseding its translated meaning to become interpolated to another meaning. Makes sense doesnt it?? haha

just like the Thais with their “farang” Taiwanese visiting Thailand would not be considered 'farang"

Could it be that the Asians DO actually feel some sort of commonality? Even if they will argue for hours as to HOW they are all different with you?[/quote]

Yeh, CMU seem to agree because Asian Face = standard fee, White Face = 3x fee whether you’re on an ARC or not. Oh well, at least I don’t live in Japan.

#13

I’ve heard it comes from “farangset” (or orthographically, “frangces”) meaning “Francais”.

In Central America they call us “gringo”.

#14

I’ve heard it comes from “farangset” (or orthographically, “frangces”) meaning “Francais”.

In Central America they call us “gringo”.[/quote]

Wikipedia has a hilarious list of racial epithets if someone can be bothered digging it out.

Never mind, I found it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs

My personal favourites have to be Front Wheeler, Oompa-Lumpa and Potato Chugger.

#15

Alian is a small town between Tainan and Kaohsiung.

#16

I would’ve responded with, “Maybe baby.”

#17

[quote=“llary”][quote=“tommy525”]haha i get a laugh reading some other threads bout Taiwanese using the term “waiguoren” to mean specifically white people. Whereas technically the word simply means “outside country people” or people NOT from whatever country you are in .

So a Taiwanese person in Singapore could and should be considered a “waiguoren” in Singapore. But whereever Taiwanese go to, even to the USA, they would refer to Whites as waiguoren. Several Taiwanese talking about whites IN America, while IN America would still refer to them as waiguoren. Whereas technically the Taiwanese are the waiguoren in this case. :slight_smile:

Its just a matter of a word superseding its translated meaning to become interpolated to another meaning. Makes sense doesnt it?? haha

just like the Thais with their “farang” Taiwanese visiting Thailand would not be considered 'farang"

Could it be that the Asians DO actually feel some sort of commonality? Even if they will argue for hours as to HOW they are all different with you?[/quote]

Yeh, CMU seem to agree because Asian Face = standard fee, White Face = 3x fee whether you’re on an ARC or not. Oh well, at least I don’t live in Japan.[/quote]

When I went to the National Palace Museum it says foreigners go in for free. Obviously i’m one but when she insisted on seeing my ARC she said I still had to pay. "Why?’ I asked. “'Cos you’re a local,” she said.

Sometimes you just can’t win… :frowning:

#18

You are being assimilated. :laughing:

#19

[quote=“bismarck”][quote=“llary”][quote=“tommy525”]haha i get a laugh reading some other threads bout Taiwanese using the term “waiguoren” to mean specifically white people. Whereas technically the word simply means “outside country people” or people NOT from whatever country you are in .

So a Taiwanese person in Singapore could and should be considered a “waiguoren” in Singapore. But whereever Taiwanese go to, even to the USA, they would refer to Whites as waiguoren. Several Taiwanese talking about whites IN America, while IN America would still refer to them as waiguoren. Whereas technically the Taiwanese are the waiguoren in this case. :slight_smile:

Its just a matter of a word superseding its translated meaning to become interpolated to another meaning. Makes sense doesnt it?? haha

just like the Thais with their “farang” Taiwanese visiting Thailand would not be considered 'farang"

Could it be that the Asians DO actually feel some sort of commonality? Even if they will argue for hours as to HOW they are all different with you?[/quote]

Yeh, CMU seem to agree because Asian Face = standard fee, White Face = 3x fee whether you’re on an ARC or not. Oh well, at least I don’t live in Japan.[/quote]

When I went to the National Palace Museum it says foreigners go in for free. Obviously i’m one but when she insisted on seeing my ARC she said I still had to pay. "Why?’ I asked. “'Cos you’re a local,” she said.

Sometimes you just can’t win… :frowning:[/quote]

HAHA typical Taiwanese thinking. But why ask for your ARC? I guess the fact that you had one?? Makes you a local now. IF you had said you dont have one??? Then it will be ok. OR she may call the cops to check to see if you had over-stayed?? hahahahaha

what u gonna do?? !!

#20

JAJA GREAT choice of word here !!