Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
|
Post by Kristie on Oct 24, 2006 15:59:46 GMT -5
Sorry, I was just writing about the book I need to start reading tonight dealing with an African American girl and her life in southern US during the 1940s-50s. So, I was wondering, what do you call African Americans in your country? Obviously not African AMERICANs beause they're not Americans. This has been questioning me since I began my ethnic studies class. I'm just curious...and I don't mean to offend anyone with this question.
|
|
Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
|
Post by Isa on Oct 24, 2006 19:18:54 GMT -5
Good question, actually, as I'm not even sure of the answer. But I'm pretty sure in Canada it's OK just to say "a black person", I don't think there's any other way of saying it.
|
|
|
Post by bookaddict on Oct 24, 2006 21:14:00 GMT -5
I agree with Jefie, so many terms are talked about. I'm not sure what the one acceptable term is. I've heard professors talked about "blacks" and "colored" people.
|
|
Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
|
Post by Kristie on Oct 25, 2006 9:52:38 GMT -5
Sometimes I call them blacks, but I find it sort of rude, so I just use African American when I can. If I'm writing for my ethnic studies class, I just abbreviate it AA. I never call Native Americans (NAs) Indians either. Why? Because they're not Indians. Indians are from India. I just try to be respectful...
|
|
Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
|
Post by Bina on Oct 25, 2006 11:38:16 GMT -5
Hmmh, I guess I should know but I call them black when I have to describe them as does my best friend who is black. Some use the term coloured. I never really use these terms since I hate it when people include these things in their description of people especially since most of them were born German and don´t know anything different. I feel like that since I look pakistani but I´ve never been there, don´t speak the language and was born here. I just notice when looking into the mirror. But most people are like overly curious and ask where I´m from. They don´t mean to be rude but one feels singled out. Okay sorry just needed to say this.
|
|
Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
|
Post by Kristie on Oct 25, 2006 13:46:20 GMT -5
That's perfectly fine that you say that. I know it would bug me. I try not to describe people using their race, but sometimes in order to get the whole picture you need to. In America there are so many people from so many places. I automatically assume that anyone's an American unless they tell me otherwise because if someone looks Japanese (for instance) their ancestors may have been in this country before mine, making them more American than me. Even if your family hasn't been in the country for many generations, you may not partake in any kind of the traditions and culture that you descended from. For instance, I have a friend whose parents are immigrants from India. Sometimes he calls himself Indian, but he doesn't participate in anything that makes him Indian except when he's forced to when they go back to India to see family (which isn't often). So it's not really okay for him to call himself Indian because he doesn't do anything Indian except have parents that came from there. I don't mean to be rude or anything, but he is an American, not an Indian. Sorry about the rambling...
|
|
Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
|
Post by Bina on Oct 26, 2006 3:33:28 GMT -5
Hey, no problem. And I think you´re right about that. I discussed your original question with my friends yesterday and we found out that we have no idea what the politically correct term is. Heard something about Afro-German.
|
|
|
Post by bookaddict on Oct 26, 2006 8:38:36 GMT -5
That reminds me...I'm native American when I go to the store and use my card for tax exemption they call me "Native-Canadian"
|
|
Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
|
Post by Bina on Oct 27, 2006 7:51:42 GMT -5
Hmmh, things are complicated!
|
|
|
Post by bookaddict on Oct 27, 2006 10:38:48 GMT -5
I know some school's issue reports of the politicially correct term to call people with different ethnic backgrounds.
|
|
czarval
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
Posts: 607
|
Post by czarval on Oct 27, 2006 16:21:18 GMT -5
I think for a lot of places, it's their ethnicity-country they live in. Like Japanese-Canadians, or Ukrainian-Canadians.
|
|
Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
|
Post by Kristie on Oct 28, 2006 8:21:11 GMT -5
That's what I was thinking. But I just wasn't sure if it was the same outside of the US. My ethnic studies teacher said that in Britain if you're not white, you're black. Nothing else inbetween. Anyone know if that's true? I went to Scotland, but that was only for a week and I didn't just ask some random person that question. Do we have any Britians on the board?
|
|
bethany88
First short story featured in regional newspaper
Posts: 142
|
Post by bethany88 on Nov 3, 2006 21:02:26 GMT -5
I grew up in London actually and its true to most people you're either white or not... they dont really care much what you are if your not pasty! its sad but true.... things are changing even there though its not as bad as it used to be
|
|
Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
|
Post by Isa on Nov 3, 2006 21:47:45 GMT -5
So they would say that, for example, people from India are black?!
|
|
bethany88
First short story featured in regional newspaper
Posts: 142
|
Post by bethany88 on Nov 4, 2006 8:46:33 GMT -5
Yea basically
|
|