Talk:Chinaman

Article created

This article was created by splitting off content from Chinaman, and expanding upon it using sources already provided. As this is a controversial topic, please provide references when adding new content. Hong Qi Gong (Talk - Contribs) 03:45, 21 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Since when was Chinaman considered slang? Some may consider it offensive or even archaic, but I don't think it's ever been considered slang. ElderStatesman 16:25, 21 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

What should it be named in the parenthesis of the article name to differentiate it then? Hong Qi Gong (Talk - Contribs) 17:45, 21 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

If you recall there was an uproar in the political world when someone used the word "niggardly". Lots of people took offense. It's a fact that they found it offensive. It's also a fact that they found it offensive because they thought "niggardly" meant "niggerly". Similarly that's why this article is important. Some people should be aware that the term can be considered offensive, while others should be aware of the origins of the term and why it might not be considered offensive.

I'll work with you to create an article that makes sense, but I'm not going to waste my time in an Internet pissing match if you want to use this page to push your personal POV. I don't want a revert war and I'm referring specifically to the fact that you eliminated rather than editted my attempts to improve your article.

As above, I agree that it is a fact that many people think "Chinaman" is offensive. On the other hand, whether you like it or not a lot of people think Chinaman is not only inoffensive, the idea of changing the term Chinaman is offensive. I can spend a lot of time documenting this fact, but then you might be confused and think I'm trying to convince you that "Chinaman" isn't offensive and therefore reject any evidence which I produce.

So, you should understand I'm not trying to convince you of anything. If you find Chinaman offensive, so be it. I can't tell you how to feel. But it's a waste of time if you're going to try to tell me or others how to feel as well.

BTW, I personally think the "-man" suffix is complimentary. As I said in the article, this is a suffix which is reserved for ethnics near the nexus point of the English language ... and the Chinese. On the other hand, I don't doubt that you and others might be offended by the term. But that's all the more reason why I think this article is important. Perhaps, we can work together to shed light on this tiny controversy. If you want a revert war, have fun and then go work on the "niggardly" article. ElderStatesman 20:11, 21 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]