Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tanklor1]

This is just my opinion and I don't expect everyone to agree with me but every time I hear or read the words 외국인 or foreigner I can't help but feel a bit slighted. From my viewpoint it's only a blanket statement that says one thing: "this person is not one of us."

When I was growing up in Canada I don't remember people from other countries being referred to as foreigners. I remember them being called tourists, immigrants, students, Americans or what ever country they came from. And even these words didn't seem to crop up all that often.

Maybe I'm just of a touchy sort but whenever I come across that word here I always feel as if it's a racial slur. I know that there's often nothing negative about the use of the word but its sole functionality seems to be to point out to everyone that this person is different. He ain't from around these parts.

This rant was the result of five hours of desk warming.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Louis VI]

'Foreigner' in English is from 'foreign', implying different and strange. 'Waygooksaram', 'waygookin' means person from away/outside, or something like that, which by definition we are. Now, if you are Caucasian and born in South Korea then you may have a legit beef with the term. In the meantime, do somethging more productive with your deskwarming, like get a master's degree or learn a second language.

BTW, I am not one of them, am here on a work visa and have always expected to have to leave the day my work finishes. I am under no illusion as to my role here. You, on the other hand,...

[OculisOrbis]

[tanklor1]

[Gaber]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Kurtz]

For a Korean to say waegookin! on the street just shows a lack of worldliness; not something to be offended by. However, waegookin!! with a sneering look isn't so inocuous, nor is FOReigner, with the "for" part stressed; that is unless they had a poor English teacher.

[jizza]

Foreigner shouldn't bother anyone. "Alien" is more potentially offensive IMO.

[tanklor1]

[nathanrutledge]

It only bothers me when people say it to me, in English. In Korean, it doesn't have the same underlying meaning of disrespect and/or discrimination that it may/may not have in English. When someone uses the term with me in English, I usually let them know that I don't like it and that they can call me by name, race, nationality, or any other thing that doesn't have the same meaning that foreigner does.

Of course, like MOST things, it's all in the context and how it's said. Someone calls me a waygookin in a disrespectful tone, I'd get irritated with it more than a friendly use of the word foreigner.

[Drew10]

[Louis VI]

[Some of the Mothers Said]

My Korean wife and I celebrated the birth of our first baby recently. When I went to the nursery to see the baby for the first time, the little bed he was in had a sign above it entitled "MIXED."
I thought about becoming annoyed, but his small head, double eyelids well formed nose, made him an instant star. So, I enjoyed being a proud Daddy of a "Mixed" baby.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BykKb4BF_0s/TRBSvVvekwI/AAAAAAAAAGY/b7jZTgu3lEw/S220-h/10.JPG
Don't worry about it, celebrate the benefits.

[oldfatfarang]

Personally, I do find 'foreigner' (and Alien) offensive (and also the negative connatations implicit in these labels.

I teach my students that many non-Koreans are going to find this term/label very offensive. Further, I tell them that if they call someone in my country a 'foreigner' to their face, then there's going to be a very spirited discussion about it.

We're here to help our students speak everyday English - so why not tell them that calling someone an 'outsider' is offensive to English speakers?

Further, despite my user name, I also get annoyed at Thais calling me Falang - and not using my name - even when they know it (or have known it for some time).

It all gets back to Asian societies' '3 circles' - and no matter how much you think we are integrated, we will always be waegooks or falangs (outsiders).

Good luck.