8 Comments

Just crazy how the standard *respectful* terminology of the last 100 years is being shoved down the memory hole as "problematic" -- terms used by liberals and civil rights exemplars for decades -- driven by pseudo-educated, manufactured ignorance.

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Still mystified (and a little annoyed) that 'oriental' must now be considered a slur.

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It can be pejorative in some contexts. Today, under American usage, we distinguish "Middle" or "Near" Eastern, as opposed to South Asian and East Asian. These are more precise and less loaded than the old 19th century terms.

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Sep 14, 2022·edited Sep 14, 2022

The *only* context I can think of where 'oriental' is currently allowed would be business names that predate this linguistic change (eg. "Oriental Trading Company"). Not even sure that eg. 'oriental carpet' is still allowed.

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Sep 13, 2022·edited Sep 13, 2022

I loved this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, John.

You're the top,

You're Mahatma Gandhi,

You're the top,

You're Napoleon brandy...

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"I can't help being me" says John McW. Thank goodness!

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I love your podcasts. I've read almost all of your books and enjoyed them greatly. I have a small suggestion for your podcasts. Sometimes, out of the blue, you will use the F word. For example, if you correct an error, you might say "I f-ed up". I find this "swearing" unnecessary, even jarring. It gives the impression of trying too hard to be "one of the guys". For someone whose vocabulary is as rich as yours, you could surely find any number of interesting verbs to convey your meaning.

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Nov 17, 2022·edited Nov 17, 2022

Browsing an art book (paintings from a collector's 18th century paintings) I happened upon a french oil painting the tile of which included "pique-nique".

This is at least an 18th century term used, among other places, in France.

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