| Foreigner, Westerner or Expat? | |
|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2007 21:37 |   |
 | As a Chinese, to express the people with other countries' nationality, which word is more acceptable to your westerners? Foreigner, westerner or expat. Personally, ‘foreigner’ is not a proper word and ‘westerner’ is somewhat limit to only the people with the nationality of some western countries but not Asian countries. Are there other words that can convey the meaning more suitable? I usually use westerners to express the people belong to other countries, but I’m not sure whether it is correct. Waiting your help about this. TIA… |
| Mar 29, 2007 22:44 | #1 |
| ‘foreigner’ is not a proper word -- why? |
Last edited by GREENEGGS: Aug 17, 2010 09:46 |
| Mar 30, 2007 00:36 | #2 |
| I'm pretty used to 'long nose', and its tranlation into mandarin and kantonese. not much to it; I am a long nose, simple as that! /longyan |
Last edited by BIGBIRD: May 6, 2013 14:13 |
| Mar 30, 2007 14:16 | #3 |
| What's wrong with the word "Foreigner"? For example the CNN is using this word often. |
| Mar 30, 2007 14:27 | #4 |
| "I'm pretty used to 'long nose', and its tranlation into mandarin and kantonese. not much to it; I am a long nose, simple as that! /longyan" :D No, no, no! Many West Chinese are long-nosed :D :D , but I think we can not say they are foreigners. I will give you some examples: UYGUR (wei wu er zu)  |
| Mar 30, 2007 14:30 | #5 |
| TATAR |
| Mar 30, 2007 15:31 | #6 |
| As a foreigner, I have no objection to being called so, not so sure I would like to be called 'long-nose' (despite having one), as it is to close to 'picking on' personal physical features, often seen as impolite in western society. 'Ex-pat' refers I think specifically to people who have moved to live permanently abroad from their home-land, and 'Westerner' implies mind-set as well as land of origin. Overall 'foreigner' is probably least offensive, at least from my perspective in england. |
| Apr 1, 2007 05:27 | #7 |
| Hi Everyone, I think I prefer Westerner (for people from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America). Yes, it does assume many commonalities, some of which are not really universal, but overall, I think it is pretty good, and is unlikely to offend anyone. As a Westerner, it is important for me to live up to the positive stereotypes that have been attached to that name, and to gently disprove the negative ones so that I will be welcome in China and any other countries I visit in the future. Like Travellermike I don't really like long nose because it seizes on physical features. I also do not like ex-pat because it somehow implies that we have denounced our own countries. Not true in my case. I like China very much, and hope to spend a lot more time there, but I still love my country. |
| Apr 1, 2007 10:05 | #8 |
| "I think I prefer Westerner (for people from Europe..." Objection! What about some people who are from Europe, but they are not similar to other Europeans. In fact they are Easterners. Have a look - the Kalmucks. The president of Kalmikia - Kirsan Ilyumzhinov:  |
| Apr 1, 2007 17:25 | #9 |
| Ex-pat refers to having residnecy, so a tourist cannot be called an ex-pat. Westerner does not normally include people from places like India, Singapore or arab countries. But all of those I have mentioned are foreigners. I am happy to be identified as a foreigner, as that is what I am. I also don't get upset if I am referred to as a long nose, we all have slang terms for people from different countries and cultures. |
| Apr 1, 2007 21:28 | #10 |
| What about Alien? Any explaination? |
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