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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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 Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| princess wrote: |
| Hey Moosehead, watch out. If you come on here and say something negative about one Korean, you will get people on here accusing you of Korea bashing. I don't like the term "foreigner" either. It is very rude and ill-mannered. Why not refer to someone's nationality? I've been called "foreigner" more here than anywhere else. I also saw a girl on cyworld referring to J Lo and other "foreigners" as aliens. The name of her picture folder is "aliens". That's even worse. |
i think it's high time someone stood up and spoke out about using the word "foreigner" and how offensive it is.
back in the U.S. there are circumstances where it could cost you your job, be grounds for a lawsuit, at the very least could start a fight. it just isn't acceptable and I was horrified when I first came here and saw how easily people used the word - it reminds me absolutely and totally of how some folks back home use the "n" word - sometimes there is a tone accompanying it and other times it's just used in a matter-of-fact kind of way but always its use denotes a separation between people that is ill conceived, backwards and just plain ignorant.
I believe those of us who are E teachers should teach proper E usage and one of the items on that list is to start educating K students regarding the use of the word "foreigner" and how and when it's appropriate.
yeah, I know, it's a dirty job but someone's got to do it.  |
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princess
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: soul of Asia
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| Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:53 am Post subject: |
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| I won't give away the name of the place, but there is a travel agency in Seoul that promotes itself as the #1 travel agency for "foreigners". Could you imagine what would happen in the US or many other countries, if a travel agency said it was the best agency for "foreigners"? |
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stevieg4ever
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| I know that it is really really $hitty when that happens but to be honest it happens all over the world (maybe not as much in the west). I am going travelling soon and almost every lonely planet i have come across (Philipines, Indonesia, Myanmar to name but 3) mentions this on like every other page. |
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JamesFord
Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Location: my personal playground
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| Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: that price is for Koreans... |
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| moosehead wrote: |
| I work hard to teach the children of this country. |
I call bullshit on this one. |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:52 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
i think it's high time someone stood up and spoke out about using the word "foreigner" and how offensive it is.
back in the U.S. there are circumstances where it could cost you your job, be grounds for a lawsuit, at the very least could start a fight. it just isn't acceptable and I was horrified when I first came here and saw how easily people used the word - it reminds me absolutely and totally of how some folks back home use the "n" word - sometimes there is a tone accompanying it and other times it's just used in a matter-of-fact kind of way but always its use denotes a separation between people that is ill conceived, backwards and just plain ignorant.
I believe those of us who are E teachers should teach proper E usage and one of the items on that list is to start educating K students regarding the use of the word "foreigner" and how and when it's appropriate.
yeah, I know, it's a dirty job but someone's got to do it. |
Funny, in your original post, you said you walked out before he said foreigner. Now all of a sudden he was such a bad man for it? Haha, wow how the story changes to suit your needs. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:58 am Post subject: Re: that price is for Koreans... |
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| JamesFord wrote: |
| moosehead wrote: |
| I work hard to teach the children of this country. |
I call bullshit on this one. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:05 am Post subject: |
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| ajgeddes wrote: |
Funny, in your original post, you said you walked out before he said foreigner. Now all of a sudden he was such a bad man for it? Haha, wow how the story changes to suit your needs. |
don't know where the story has changed?? what's the difference in someone saying "this is for Koreans" and "you're not Korean" "xyz is for Foreigners" or "because you're a Foreigner" etc. ?
based on repeated experiences with Koreans consistently using the explanation which is virtually always the same - one thing is for "Koreans" and therefore, that "one thing" is NOT for me, because, gasp! I'm a "Foreigner"
let me make it simple for you since you seem to have trouble grasping it:
it's kinda like when you see a fire truck with its lights flashing and siren going - you don't think "this time is different I'm going to wait and see whether I should move or not" you pull over and get out of the way.
I saw what was coming and chose to walk away.
furthermore, am already planning a lesson for my older and more advanced students this coming term - we're definitely going to talk about the use of the word "foreigner." |
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nate2008
Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
I think it's high time someone stood up and spoke out about using the word "foreigner" and how offensive it is.
back in the U.S. there are circumstances... |
Here's your problem Moose. You are trying to compare your experiences in the U.S. to how you think they should be in Korea, and when they don't align perfectly, you claim racism. It sounds like you have been in Korea for awhile, so I am kind of surprised you haven't caught on to this fact yet: you cannot compare one culture to another so easily, especially two cultures as drastically different as the U.S. and Korea.
Personally, I wouldn't be at all offended being called a Foreigner. After all, I am a person from one country living in another...is that not the very definition of "Foreigner"???
However, if you a person that IS offended being called a Foreigner...well, maybe you shouldn't have decided to come to Korea. The simple fact is that in Korea, the word "Foreigner" isn't politically incorrect. Some people may be using it offensively, but if they really wanted to, I'm sure they could come up with some words that are much more offensive and colorful than just "Foreigner".
Personally, I think you over-reacted and saw racism where none existed, simply because you are still trying to view Korea through American eyes. I know you are still going to say something along the lines of, "you are wrong! It had to have been racism, and this goes on all the time!" Well, I think you should just re-read this thread, and count the posts of people who agree with you, and people who think you are dead wrong. I'm pretty sure there are a LOT more of the latter than of the former, so you may want to rethink your perceptions. |
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Young FRANKenstein
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:28 am Post subject: |
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| nate2008 wrote: |
| Personally, I wouldn't be at all offended being called a Foreigner. |
Wouldn't it matter on the context in which the word "foreigner" is being used? Most of the time it doesn't bother me (just as gaijin or farang doesn't really bother me in Japan and Thailand), but there are some times and places where it pisses me off becuase it's insulting.
Context matters. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:01 am Post subject: |
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Still waiting for this particular incident to happen. Got 6 years on the OP.
Granted, I'd get pissed the first time I heard this, start spewing vitriol with ears shut, and then a Korean would explain the card shit to me and I'd feel like an ass. |
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ReeseDog
Joined: 05 Apr 2008
Location: Classified
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:24 am Post subject: |
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| So the two-price system referred to here is just an occasional nuisance, right? I mean it's not de facto policy everywhere in the country, is it? |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:29 am Post subject: |
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| ReeseDog wrote: |
| So the two-price system referred to here is just an occasional nuisance, right? I mean it's not de facto policy everywhere in the country, is it? |
Oh *beep* no. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:10 am Post subject: |
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was in Kyobo today - have been there many times - headed over to the section where they have books in E - don't know, haven't noticed it before but they have a big sign hanging over the entrance "Foreign Books"
it sort of rankled me a bit as I thought of other ways they could have described that section - such as "International Section" or "Books in English and other languages" (since it was noted under the sign that French, Spanish etc. were included)
most of the books in that section are in English; many are published in Korea so why should they be listed as "Foreign" just because they aren't in K?
I think this goes back to my underlying presumption that in general Ks have a rush to label anything/anyone as either Korean or Foreigner - which is very limiting of one's world view. too much black and white w/no room for the gray areas. |
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Spliff's Son
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:13 am Post subject: |
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| Good luck on your crusade. |
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Whirlwind
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:44 am Post subject: |
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| I agree with you 100% Moosehead. In this day and age, what with the Internet and all, using the word "foreigner" to label people is unacceptable. It delineates and divides. Just because this is Korea and this is how things are done doesn't mean that we have to accept this behavior. I'm with you all the way. |
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